Page 150 of Take What You Want

“It’s not.”

“I wouldn’t want to do that. I hope you know that. Not only because it would hurt you, but Walker is my client too, and he would never forgive me either.” He pauses, his face growing softer. “And I like Jane. She’s a good woman.”

“She is,” I agree and sit back, trying to calm down. Arun isn’t my enemy. He’s my ally and I need to trust him. “And this better not affect her newly offered position or else I’m sorry, Arun, I love you, but I’ll be gone.”

A small smile tilts his lips. “You’ve finally done it.”

“What?”

“Settled down.”

I nod.

“Well, once this headache is over, at least I’ll never have to worry about you eloping in Vegas with a fling again.”

I sigh. “I’m never going to live that down, am I?”

“No. Now, let’s get a game plan together.”

42

JANE

Me: Can we talk?

Walker: I’m pissed at you

Me: I know

Me: Please? I can come over

Walker: I don’t want to be cooped up in the house. Come over here and we’ll go for a hike

Me: You’re punishing me with a hike?

Walker: It’s that or nothing

Me: Fine. I’ll be over in twenty

“You’re not going to push me off one of these cliffs, are you?” I tease as we walk on the dirt path up one of the hills.

Walker doesn’t even crack a smile. He’s barely spoken to me since I got to his house and we hopped in his car and drove out here. I was wary of cameras trying to catch us out as now I’m a topic of conversation online, but Walker assured me that this hiking path is quiet.

And so far, we’ve only spotted two separate hikers and both were so preoccupied with their workouts that neither paid us any attention.

Still, we both have hats and sunglasses on. When he reaches up to adjust his, I spot his broken knuckles. Guilt weighs heavy on my shoulders, overriding the anger that he actually hit Nikolai.

“Is your hand okay?” They’re his tools, his instruments.

“It’s fine,” he mutters. “Is yourboyfriend’sface okay?”

I tread carefully. “He’s fine. I can’t believe you actually hit him.”

“He deserved it.”

“He didn’t.”

“Are you kidding me, Jane? He fucked you in an alley, out in the open?—”

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