Page 116 of Exodus

“I physically felt that, Cecelia. I felt the tension in that room.”

“Yeah, well, he thinks you’re in love with me.”

A long beat of silence has me turning his way.

He rakes his lower lip with his teeth before lifting deep-blue eyes to mine.

“I am. And I’ve never been so jealous of another man in my life.”

I gape at him. “Ryan . . . you aren’t serious . . .”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it. I gave up on you a long time ago.” He nods toward the building. “And no man alive can compete with that.”

“I never...” I search for the words as guilt gnaws at me. He’s always flirted, even in front of Collin, but he’s had a dozen or so more girlfriends since we broke up. He sees the guilt in my eyes and shakes his head.

“Want to feel better?”

I nod.

“I’ve fucked my way through half of Atlanta.”

“That’s more concerning than anything.”

“I’m also the reason there’s a high turnover of assistants.”

I glare at him. “Marcie?”

“Yep.”

“Damnit, Ryan! She was my favorite.”

“Mine too, which is why I bent her over your desk just for spite.”

“You’re a pig.”

“I know. My penis has not been faithful to you. When it gets hurt, it has a tendency to self-sabotage. Feel better?”

“Kind of.”

We share a smile.

“I do love you back, you know?”

“We’re good,” he assures as he pulls up his phone. “I want more background on this asshole.”

I cover his phone with my hand. “Don’t. Promise me you won’t. Promise me.”

“Why?”

“Because I know all I need to about him. And he’s not the enemy.”

“Fine. But I hate him.”

“I do too.”

He lifts a brow. “No, you don’t.”

I turn to him, my eyes stinging. “Ryan, he owes me, and I’m here to collect. And the only way I can do that is if this deal goes my way. This is really important to me.”

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