Page 73 of Bitter Confessions

“Roth?”

He didn’t acknowledge her or take his eyes off the road.

“I’m a part of your world. Don’t you think I should know what you’re trying to protect me from?”

His hand flexed on the steering wheel. “While you’re a part of my world, what I do will never touch you.”

The reminder that she was a temporary fixture in his life shattered the pleasurable intimacy of the moment. This time, when she tugged on her hand, he released it. She placed her hand on her lap and rubbed the feel of his lips from her tingling skin.

“I don’t make mistakes, Jasmine. Just trust me to take care of it.”

She stared straight ahead. She didn’t state the obvious—that he’d blundered once before, and it had got him blackmailed.

They finished the rest of the drive in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. When Roth pulled up to 432 Park Avenue, Johan appeared outside her door but didn’t open it. Roth came around the vehicle and offered his hand. Jasmine took it and allowed him to twine their fingers together as they approached the lobby.

“Why did you insist on driving?” she asked as they passed through the front doors. At this time of day, there was little to no activity since everyone was still at work. When they paused before the elevators, she squeezed his hand. “Roth.”

His expression was cold and remote. Wherever he’d gone in his mind, it wasn’t a pleasant place. She wanted to brush back his hair and give him a hug to coax him back into a better mood but had no idea how he’d take that. So, she kept her hands to herself.

“I drove so I could touch you. I couldn’t do that with the large console between us in the back seat.”

The elevator doors opened before she could react. Roth stood slightly in front of her as they traveled up to the penthouse, acting more like a bodyguard than her husband, even though the only other occupant was the elevator operator.

“Have a good day, Joe,” Jasmine said as she exited.

The man inclined his head but didn’t make eye contact with Roth present. Internally, she sighed. That was probably best.

The moment the elevator doors closed, Roth released her. He set the bag of untouched cookies on a side table and strode down the hallway to the master suite. She stared after him, torn between following or giving him the space he obviously wanted.

She perched on the arm of the sofa and squinted at the clouds drifting by. She felt like she was looking through an airplane window, not sitting in a penthouse. The sky was a sea of white, hiding the city from view. It was going to snow. She suddenly wished she were in her library at Tuxedo Park, with a fire going. She took in the luxurious but stark surroundings. There was no need for a fire when there was a steady stream of heat circulating through the room, but Jasmine longed for the scent of firewood and smoke.

The living room had been tidied in her absence. Her blanket was neatly folded, the empty dishes were gone, and her scattered books had been neatly stacked. The invisible staff must be monitoring her as closely as Roth, ready to clean the moment she vacated the premises.

It had been a good day. No, she corrected herself, it’s been an excellent one. Speaking to Johanna Ledger and Roth’s enthusiastic reaction to her visit meant she should be on cloud nine, not feeling despondent and troubled. But no matter how much she tried to live in the moment, Roth’s secrets cast a dark shadow over their time together. The longer she was with him, the more she was convinced his blackmail was related to business. And what had he witnessed that made him insist on such stringent security measures?

When she heard his heavy footfalls, she pulled out her phone and opened a social media app.

“I’m going to the gym.”

She turned her head to see he’d changed into navy pants and a charcoal long-sleeve that hugged his biceps and broad shoulders a little too well. He tended to work out in the wee hours of the morning, so she rarely saw him like this. It was a delectable sight. Despite getting recently plowed, her inner sex kitten perked up. Disgusted with herself, she gave him a vague smile.

“Have fun.”

“Do you want to come with me?”

Her smile vanished. “And have you laugh at how out of shape I am?”

His brows came together. “Why would I laugh?”

She took in his flat stomach and defined muscles and held up a hand. “I’ll pass.”

“You don’t have to do what I do. You can just walk on the treadmill or sit on the side if you want.”

She was a little bewildered by his insistence on being a gym ornament, especially since he was clearly still on edge. “I don’t want to get in your way.”

He stared at her for a minute before he turned and typed in the code. The doors opened immediately, as if the elevator had never left. Roth boarded, and that quickly, she was alone.

She waited for several seconds to make sure he wasn’t coming back before making her way to the master suite. It would have been nice to soak in the tub and daydream, but his edgy mood had transferred to her. She’d just shower instead.

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