Page 69 of Mastered By Lust

This is a modest place, but homey. It feels much more lived in than my penthouse. It reminds me of my early childhood in the suburbs of Los Angeles, before acting lessons and joining the cast ofAcademy of Ghosts.

Dmitri and Leah come out next. She’s wearing an oversized pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt—they must be Dmitri’s clothes.

Dmitri stands behind her. She’s steady, but he looks as if he’s ready to catch her in his arms. A small smile plays on her lips as she glances over her shoulder at him. “Dmitri, you can relax. I’m fine.”

“I know.” He doesn’t take his eyes off her. Every one of his movements is calculated. He’s more in tune with her comfort and needs than he is with his own.

And whether she’s aware of it or not, Leah’s actions are calibrated to reassure him.

It’s the dance of lovers who have spent years learning about each other.

Looking at the two of them together is like staring too hard at an eclipse. It’s heartrending and beautiful, a marvel of the universe…and ultimately blinding and painful.

Perhaps Dmitri’s sister has been right to try to keep them apart. Their chemistry, the veryrightnessof them together, makes everything else seem wrong.

Including me.

* * *

Leah

Gage is quiet on the way back to his place, but he only lets go of my hand when he needs to shift gears. I envelop myself in his calm, collected manner. He’s a salve for everything I went through with Patrick, and a relief from the emotional storm of talking to both Dmitri and Danica.

When we reach his building, though, a crowd stands in front of it. Men and women with cameras held aloft. One man stands in front of a camerawoman and speaks into a microphone.

Gage’s calm demeanor transforms.

“Paparazzi,” he hisses.

“Are they here for you?”

He eases the car down a side street and into the far entrance of the underground parking garage. “I doubt it, but I suppose it is possible. Perhaps they caught wind of Claudia’s hospitalization and tracked me down for an interview.”

“Do we need to worry about privacy?” I ask.

“Always.” He gives a mirthless laugh. “They’re relentless. However, their attention span is short. Give them a few days. As long as they aren’t here because of a heavily publicized court case, they’ll eventually disperse.”

We park and take the elevator up. I’m grateful we don’t see anyone else in the building. I’m comfortable, but I feel sloppy in Dmitri’s sweats. Especially when Gage looks so put-together in slacks and a button-down shirt.

Once we’re safe inside the penthouse, Gage pauses, his arm locked around my shoulders. “What do you need, Leah? What can I do for you?”

“I think…a shower, first.”

He walks me to the bathroom and starts the water. “Do you want me to stay?”

“No, I’m okay.”

“I’ll fix some food. Something light.”

I’m not hungry, but I can tell he feels the need to do something, anything, so I give him a quick smile. “Thanks.”

He leaves me alone. I set my bag on the bathroom counter and start to pull off Dmitri’s shirt. But something is lighting up inside my bag, visible through the open zipper. My phone?

It’s on silent, but I’ve missed several calls and texts. The screen is a wall of stacked notifications. The battery is nearly dead, probably because of everything coming through.

Trembling, I unlock the phone to look.

Texts. Nonstop texts. Most come from unknown numbers. There must be fifty messages. A hundred. I only see the first ten or so words of each message as I scroll through the list, but I catch a few key phrases.Other woman.Gage Hawthorne.Dirty secret.Exclusive interview? From the San Esteban Tribune…

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