Page 24 of Dirty Big Sins

“Have you met this sous chef?”

I shook my head slightly. “Of course not! They went behind my back and hired him without so much as a word.”

“And this is unacceptable.”

His statement wasn’t exactly a question, but it fired through my blood anyway. I jackknifed into a sitting position and turned to face him. “Of course it’s unacceptable. No one and I mean NO ONE works in my kitchen that I haven’t personally vetted. I’m so pissed off I can barely see straight. I really do have to get this straightened out tonight.”

Vincent looked down at his expensive watch and shook his head. “I doubt anyone will still be working this late?”

“Anyone worth their salt would be in the kitchen all night if that’s what it took to be prepared for tomorrow.”

“What’s happening tomorrow?”

I fought not to yell at Vincent. None of this was his problem and I clearly wasn’t fit for company anymore tonight.

“Filming starts up again first thing and one of the network execs is flying in to check up on us. So now you can see why this thing between you and me can’t happen. The timing is all wrong.”

“It’s still happening.” The low rumble of his voice rolled over me. I tried to ignore the desire that rose up to meet it. “Now lay back before you pop a blood vessel and let me help you.”

I glared at him again and debated whether to tell him to fuck off or comply.

“I’m not sleeping with you. That’s completely off the table.” The words came out of my mouth, but I wasn’t sure I could live up to them.

“It’s definitely happening. Maybe not tonight. But soon. I waited you out as long as I could. Now it’s my turn.”

My mouth dropped open at the audacity of this man. What the hell?! The pain in my head flared larger. He could think whatever he wanted. But I knew the truth and I would cling to it with all I had.

As I returned my head to his chest and his fingers went back to my temple, I realized that despite his words and my resistance, I’d automatically returned to the safety and warmth of him.

Despite everything, it was a lot harder to resist him than I’d thought. Maybe staying away from him wouldn’t be as easy as I’d planned.

With his fingers massaging my temples and his heat soaking into my back, I allowed my eyes to close and shut out the bad plaguing me. We were basically alone in a quiet space and for once I didn’t have to worry. At least for a few minutes.

Or so I thought.

“So let’s talk about that night in my suite.”

Chapter Eleven

VINCENT

As soon asthe words were out of my mouth, Zia stiffened. I already knew that no matter when I brought it up, it wouldn’t be an ideal time. There was never a perfect opportunity to discuss blackmail and the lies that might have brought us together in the first place.

She tried to sit up, but I braced her in place with my knees.

“I don’t want to talk about that. I know all that I need to know.”

The gutted tone of her voice nearly pierced the hard walls I kept around my emotions. But she’d had nearly a week to think and if I was honest, that had probably been too long.

The only benefit of giving her space had been for her to take the time to build higher walls. It sounded like the effects of this had already spilled onto her job as well and that situation needed some triage too.

“No, you don’t. You may think you know, but I guarantee you don’t.”

“Then I don’t want to know. Is that better?” She waved her hand at me. “Nothing you can say will change the outcome. The one picture is out and I believe it’s just a matter of time before more of them show up and my identity is published. Secrets as explosive as that are going to be impossible to hide. So I wasted an entire week in fear of the other shoe dropping. That was a mistake. I should have been filming and getting the best footage we could for another season before this whole ticking time bomb thing explodes in my face. If the network isn’t invested in the show, we’ll get dropped in a New York minute.” The frown on her face deepened. “Honestly, though, I’m kind of surprised Dante has waited this long. If his goal is to humiliate and break me, he’s already halfway there. He isn’t going to stop now. Not when this is exactly what he wants.”

“Fuck your ex-husband. He may be hiding, but eventually I will find him and when I do, he will regret all of this. I promise you that.”

She whirled around to face me, so fast I almost got whiplash from it. “I don’t need your fucking promises, Vincent. I don’t need anything—from you.” She hesitated only a fraction before she continued, but it was enough for me to brace for it. “Don’t you get it? You and I are nothing. We are less than nothing. I have far more important things in my life to deal with than your ego. So enough already. Let this go.”

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