Page 74 of Savage Beauty

He blocks the door with his body, crossing his arms like he’s blocking me from entering.

“I was walking down the beach, and she had a morning meeting and saw me over by the hotel that?—”

“Cut the crap, Sloane. Don’t fucking lie to me.”

“I’m not.” I close my eyes and place my index fingers on my thumbs, acquiring my bearings. “You were wrong. All of you were wrong. Dr. Kallio offered me my job back. If I can prove I was abducted, I get my job back. They weren’t involved at all. She was mad at me. Like you are.”

“You gave her back her laptop.”

My eyes snap open, and I look straight at him. “Well, of course. It’s hers.” On my side hangs the messenger bag. It dangles off one shoulder below my hip. I lift it and offer it to him. “Here’s yours. I didn’t take it out. I just…I was barefoot when I ran into Dr. Kallio, and when we came back to get my shoes?—”

“Did you go to the office to meet her?”

“No. I was walking along the beach. Where we decided it was safe for me to walk. I went a little further down and she was there. There’s a hotel and she had a meeting there. She saw me and came out and spoke. It’s a good thing. She wants me back. If we had left, I wouldn’t have known that. She would’ve hired someone else.” He has to see this is a good thing. He shouldn’t be angry. I should be angry. Arrow’s advice almost ruined my career.

“You are one fantastic actress.”

“Ack—”

“I just can’t figure it out. What did you gain by pulling Arrow into this little scheme?”

“It wasn’t…I didn’t…”

“Right. You’re totally innocent.”

“What exactly do you think I did?”

“I don’t fucking know. All I know is you lied to me!”

“You’re shouting.” I dislike it when people shout. “There is no reason to shout.”

“Right.” He paces the front porch. “And so, what now? You go back to work here? I get on a plane this afternoon. It’s all done. Is that the plan?”

“Well. Yes. I will probably return to work as soon as tomorrow. This afternoon, maybe. If I can get…what kind of proof would I provide? Would Arrow write something for me?”

“Are you for real?”

“Yes.”

“Did they pay you off?”

“My annual salary isn’t any of your business.”

“Right.” His hands rest on his hips, and his elbows jut out to the sides. “You’ve still got meetings in D.C. you need to attend. You’ve raised a lot of questions with some powerful worldwide entities.”

He’s right. I did. Or someone did. The person who hired Anton Solonov. But… “Why are you so angry? I never lied to you.”

“You didn’t? Really? Now you’re staying. One meeting with Dr. Kallio and everything is right with the world?”

“I never thought she was involved. That was always Arrow’s theory. Never mine. And you wouldn’t let me talk to her. And now my theory is proven correct. My employer had nothing to do with what happened to me. You and your team will have to go back and develop new theories. Because you were wrong.”

“And what happens to us?” The bite is missing from his words. I suppose he sees I am right.

“I need to finish my research. I’m too far along to walk away from it. You’re like Sam. You’ll be fine.” Sam was always fine.

My chest stings. I rub my sternum in the same way Sage does. Why is he being mean? When William left none of this anger existed. And it’s the same really. I am here. William left. Now Max is leaving.

He swings the front door open, bends down, picks up a bag. A click sounds. The trunk. He’s loading the rental car.

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