Page 114 of Worth Every Game

And then I make one more call. “Nico,” I say when he answers.

The line crackles, but his response comes through loud and clear. “Tell me what you need.”

39

ELLY

My phone buzzes and I flip the screen to view the caller. Jack. Again. He’s rung me ten times since yesterday afternoon. I have no idea why the number of calls suddenly increased, but I’m trying to put him out of mind. He can wait until I’m ready to talk. Might as well let him sweat it out while I get my head together.

“You sure you want to sell?” Seb Hawkston’s voice pulls me back to the moment, and I put my phone away.

“Yup. I have no use for a car like this. Hardly any miles on her.” I tap the bonnet of the Lamborghini, trying to be casual about the fact I’m selling the only thing Jack bought me.God, I love this car.

But I need to get rid of it so I can pay Jack back and wash my hands of the whole stupid affair. Having this thing sitting here is a cruel reminder of our relationship, and how perfect it felt when he bought the car and told me he loved me.

Seb Hawkston stands eyeing the car, one hand in his pocket, the other at his jaw. This is the first interaction I’ve had with anyone outside of Nico and Kate’s flat since the photos cameout, and I’ve hardly moved far. We’re in the basement car park, and it took a great effort of will to come down here because I’m existing in this unpleasant place where I assume everyone I meet has seen me naked.

I had to force myself to look Seb in the eye when I said hello. I know enough of him to guess he’s looked up the pictures. Maybe even studied them. But he has made no mention of them. He’s been nothing but a gentleman, and I’m so thankful.

When he smiles, his dimple deepens and his pale blue eyes appear to glimmer. It’s cute. I bet a lot of women would drop their underwear for him in a flash, purely for the dimple.How had I not noticed it before?

The answer hits even harder. Because Jack was always there, taking up every scrap of my attention. Absorbing the very essence of me.

It doesn’t matter how attractive another man is, or how deep his dimple is, I only want Jack.

My heart breaks a little at the thought.

I really need to get rid of this car, so I don’t have to keep thinking of him, feeling guilty, remembering how he’d sat in the driver’s seat and glanced over at me and said,I fucking hate orange, but I love you.

But I can’t push Jack out of my head. He lives in there.

Standing here with Seb, while he contemplates buying this damn stupid car, an ache builds within me.I miss Jack.

I miss him so fucking much.

But I’m not ready to face him or to stop screening his calls. As if on cue, my phone buzzes and I imagine it’s him sending another message to add to all the others I haven’t read.

I can’t look at them yet, because if I do, I’ll run right back to him, and I have to get on my feet first. I have to sort my career, work out how I’m going to salvage my reputation, or perhapscreate a new identity. Change my name by deed poll. Get enough plastic surgery that I’m unrecognisable.

I can’t hide out in Kate and Nico’s apartment forever.

“Orange,” Seb muses, a little furrow appearing between his brows. “Bold choice.”

I make an effort to steady my breathing and pretend a wave of regret hasn’t just assailed me. “I guess so.” I refrain from explaining that I chose it to piss Jack off. To offend his sophisticated sensibilities. And he still bought the damn thing.

Seb continues examining the car, stroking the bodywork with a fingertip, as though he’s checking it for dust. “Jack bought this car, right?”

A dark, tightly woven ball of fear plummets through me, as if any mention of Jack leads directly to the photo debacle, and suddenly Seb being a gentleman and not talking about them doesn’t matter anymore, because I feel exposed anyway.Totally fucking exposed.

Am I going to feel like this forever now?

I have the sensation of zipping something up internally, hiding part of me away, just so I can turn to him and say, “Yes. Sort of… Anyway, it’s new. I’ve barely driven it. Nico said it might be your thing. Or your thing for a while, anyway.”

“Doesn’t Jack want it?”

“Nope,” I say with absolute certainty. Jack Lansen would not choose an orange car. “I want to get rid of it.” Seb’s brows rise, but he rolls his lips, and before any sound can come from his mouth, I let it all spill out. “I tried to buy it on his card, and it makes me feel guilty, knowing it’s down here. It was a stupid thing to do. I want to sell it and pay Jack back.”

Seb makes a dismissive noise that seems to come from right behind his teeth. “He won’t care about the money.” He assesses the car again, then his gaze snags on mine. “I’ll help you out. I’ll take it off your hands.” He whistles. “This is one hell of a car.”

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