Page 74 of Playboy Billionaire

She ran out the door and into the waiting SUV with the dark tinted glass.

He looked as handsome as ever, just older, the gray hair only adding an element of authority, which certainly didn’t hurt his political image.

“You still take my breath away,” Graham said, his dark eyes burning as he stared at Penelope. He looked hungry, there was no other way to describe it. “You’re even more beautiful now than you were back then. There hasn’t been a day that’s gone by in the last thirteen years that I haven’t wondered…what if.”

She raised a skeptical brow. “You have no right to even talk about our past Graham. You broke my heart into a million pieces.”

He reached out to touch her and she recoiled. “Don’t you dare touch me.”

“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m going to drive for a while to make sure we’re not being followed. Then we can stop to talk.”

Penelope had a sudden chill go up her spine and shivered, “Followed? What’s going on here Graham?” She rubbed her hands briskly up and down her arms.

“I’m only being extra cautious. I’m not taking any chances. Are you okay?”

“What do you think? No, I’m not okay!”

“Stupid question.” They rode in silence, until curiosity got the better of Penelope.

“Congratulations by the way. Wow, running for President, go big or go home, I guess. I always knew you were ambitious, but I didn’t realize how much. Was it all worth it then?”

“That’s debatable. Speaking of big…what about you? Superstar. You’ve certainly done well for yourself. Of course, I’ve followed your career closely over the years. Is it everything you’d thought it’d be Penny? You had such big dreams.”

“All I can say is that it’s a good thing we can’t see into the future or we’d never leave the house.”

He laughed wryly. “I can vouch for that.”

After driving for about a half hour, he pulled into a small rest area off the highway.

“There’s a picnic table back by the tree line. We’ll talk there.”

Penelope felt as if she was acting out a bad script as she followed Graham, who kept looking over his shoulder as if he expected someone to pop out of nowhere.

“As long as they didn’t slip a bug into our shoes or aren’t hiding in the trees, I think we’re safe,” she said, her tone snarky.

“You sound cynical. Not like the girl I once knew.”

“Guilty as charged. You may have had a little something to do with that.”

“Penelope, I’m sorry. You asked if it was worth it—truthfully, if I had to do it all over again, I would make a different decision this time…many of them. I was already in too deep with three kids. I didn’t expect to fall in love. I never loved my wife. Ever.”

“I feel sorry for her. She was the real victim here…not me and definitely not you.”

“It was a marriage of convenience and opportunity. A modern day arranged marriage. She’s no victim. Don’t waste your pity. She wanted to please her daddy and she wanted a powerful husband. Her father had big plans for his future son-in-law. He needed me in power to push his own agenda. She might have fancied herself in love at one time, but by the time I met you, there was no love lost between us.”

Penelope played with her watch, thinking about what he’d just revealed. In some strange way, it assuaged her guilt an infinitesimal amount.

“I guess it’s never black or white, is it? In the end, we were all victims. You know Graham, I may not sound like it, but I have forgiven you, really I have.”

“I’ve never forgiven myself. You were my one true love, Penelope.”

Seeing the sadness dance across his face made her chest ache. She allowed herself a fleeting memory of their time together…before she’d found out the truth.

“Well, let’s get down to business,” she said, handing her envelope to Graham. “I found these on set, in my dressing room. Someone had slipped them under the door.”

His expression was disturbingly serious as he traded his pictures for hers. She flipped through them, confused. These were completely different shots than the ones she’d received. The content of hers had filled her with shame…these were like a knife in the heart.

They all captured her and Graham at various stages of their relationship. Almost a montage, chronicling their time together from the beginning until the last photo of her, six months pregnant, swollen belly and Graham’s arm around her waist. One she’d seen before, so many years ago. That would have been right before she’d lost her baby. Unconsciously she held a hand protectively over her abdomen.

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