Page 118 of Brutal Kingdom

The door flings open twenty minutes after that. Bella storming inside with her buddies. Wherever they were was close by. I see the bags in their hands. She blew us off to go shopping. Typical.

“Logan? What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean? I told you I wanted to help you find those papers. But I guess shopping was more important.”

“I had some things to get. I would’ve called you when I was done.”

“Well, we’re here now. Let’s get started.” Walking towards her dad’s office, I ask, “Didn’t you say you saw them in here?”

“I did, but you know the staff may have moved things around, or daddy. You know he likes his things just so. We should probably ask what he did with them instead of going through his things.”

I push the door open, walking inside. “I’ll just check the desk and see if they’re sitting on top.”

I know they won’t be, but it doesn’t hurt to snoop around. Nothing jumps out at me. Business contracts. Earnings reports. Everything I expect to see from someone who owns an investment firm.

“You’re right, Bella. He didn’t leave it out.”

“Of course not. He wouldn’t leave something that valuable on his desk, and like I said, I remember seeing it. I’m just not sure if it was here or in daddy’s other office.” She walks over to the door. “Now can we go?”

Tabitha and I follow her out of the room and to the game room, where the staff has set up snacks.

I make a quick stop in the bathroom. On my way to the game room, I hear Johnathan’s voice. I turn the corner and spot him pacing back and forth in the foyer. “No, Donald. That’s not what we agreed on. I’m doing this and you need to hold up your end of the bargain.”

He’s shaking his head, disagreeing with whatever Ruttledge is saying on the other end of the line.

“Yes, I understand. But Alex’s boy-” He stops talking and paces back towards me. I duck behind the corner to listen. “Fine. I’ll handle it.”

His footsteps carry him away, and I make my way to the game room. What the hell was that about, and what does Aiden have to do with it?

I talked to my mother for hours before deciding to come out here for this journalism retreat. I’ve already made up my mind about working with Tony, but I couldn’t give up this chance to meet the industry greats that will be here this weekend.

The McKay’s home on Lake Placid is the kind of place I’d move to and never want to leave. Panoramic views of the mountains and lake outside. An indoor pool, basketball court and bowling alley on the inside. It’s a six-bedroom house that’s drastically different from their home in Kingsley Hollow. Whoever built and decorated this place truly wanted it to feel like a home.

Davis McKay has arranged for four other beach houses to be used this weekend as well as rooms at area lodges. I nearly puked when he said the VDU students were staying in his home. That means me and Peter LaSalle, the guy ranked third in our program. Logan’s here to help his dad host the events, but so are Bella and Simon. Simon said he’s here celebrating the end of midterms, and I have no idea what the hell Bella’s doing here.

The staff leads us upstairs to our rooms. I hear Bella saying something about assisting Logan. Oh so,that’swhy she’s here. To put their relationship on display. It’s okay. I don’t care. I’m here for the workshops and networking opportunities.

We roll right into the events. I’m writing so much my hand cramps, and laughing so hard my stomach hurts. By the time today’s activities have ended, I’ve made two new friends. Davis arranged for us to have dinner at one of the resorts. We sit together gossiping about our day.

It’s after midnight when I crawl into bed, happy and inspired. Excited for tomorrow. I’m also exhausted. I fall asleep soon after my head hits the pillow.

My eyes pop open, my heart hammering as I listen for the scuffling sound and squeaking that woke me from my sleep. It takes a moment to remember I’m not in Dundee Hall, and there are no mice or insects in this room. There are no rodents, but someone is in my room. The bed dips behind me. The displacement of the mattress causes my body to shift. I attempt to move away to give us space, but he hefts his thigh over mine, holding me in place as he moves closer, nestling his thick cock in the seam of my ass.

“You shouldn’t be in here, Logan.” I ignored him all day, because he’s not the reason I came to this retreat.

“I know.”

“Then why are you?”

“Did you really expect me to spend the night down the hall? Knowing you’re in this bed?” He asks, as his hand slips under my shirt ghosting across my stomach.

“Yes. Because that’s what you do when you’re engaged. You don’t slip into another woman’s bed.”

“You know it’s just a business arrangement. One my father is pushing for.”

“Call it what you want. In the end, you sign those papers and marry Bella.”

“I have no intention of marrying her. I’m looking for a way out of this.”

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