Page 54 of Undercover Billionaire

‘Did you?’ Kelsey repeated, her voice low and dark. ‘Did you deliberately set out to seduce me so I would give you information on the ship and the staff?’

‘Absolutelynot.’ He stood as if something had bitten his ass. ‘The report is completely separate to this.’ He pointed between the two of them.

‘I told you stuff!’ Kelsey yelled, her chest hurting as she dragged in a ragged breath.

‘I didn’t nameanyonenegatively in the report – apart from Jean Paul.’

‘How much other stuff that I told you is in it?’

‘Kelsey…’ He took a pace towards her, but she took two quick ones back and he stopped abruptly. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t totally honest with you. Sorrier than you will ever know. But Ididn’ttarget you.’

Wasn’t totally honest?Kelsey suppressed a bubble of hysterical laughter. How about lying his ass off? And she’d been so bloodyeasy. So damn ripe for what he’d been offering, she’d let him in behind the walls she’d built.

He could stick his apology where the sun didn’t shine.

‘I want to read it.’ She held out her hand.

‘It’s confidential.’

The simmering anger flared through her system like a spray of petrol on a bonfire. If her eyes could have hissed poison at him, they would have. ‘I. Don’t. Care.’

Their gazes clashed, their eyes locking in a battle of wills. Kelsey didn’t withdraw her hand and after a beat or two, Ari headed for his bag. Unzipping it, he pulled out a folder, removed some loose papers then returned to her side.

‘Most of the stuff in here is from my own investigations around the ship.’ He placed the unbound report in her palm. ‘There are things in the report that you told me that helped me build a more complete picture of what was going on with the ship, but I didnotdeliberately target you for inside information.’

Kelsey’s hands shook as she sank onto the edge of the mattress and leafed through the report. It was thorough and extensive. Every little problem with the ship outlined and all the factors explored and taken into account before several recommendations were made.

It was all there. Preferential treatment of wealthier passengers. Sexual harassment of staff. Lax distribution of hand sanitiser. Poor food handling standards. Not following medical protocols.

And a dozen other things as well. Ari hadn’t held back.

Kelsey cringed at the euro incident in the report, not surprised at all that Ari had surmised the money had been stolen. He had not, as stated, named any names but he had made a notation that the onboard security cameras were to be consulted.

Which meant Andy would probably be getting the boot.

A spike of guilt needled at her before Kelsey pushed it aside. Andyhadstolen the money. That was on him.

The hardest part to read was Ari’s recommendation in the fraternisation section. She glanced up to find him watching her from the low armchair near the window. ‘Immediate dismissal of any staff proven to be fraternising,’ she read.

He nodded, his eyes troubled. ‘I didn’t mean you.’

Kelsey snorted, cocking an eyebrow. What a fuckinghypocrite. If he couldn’t see that was a different form of the preferential treatment he’d been so scathing about then he was blinder than her mother. ‘Do as I say, not as I do, Ari?’

The dull flush to his cheeks told her she’d hit her mark.

He shoved a hand through his hair. ‘I would never jeopardise your job, not after what we’ve shared.’

After what we’ve shared?

Like what? Some bodily fluids and stories of mutual heartbreak? But not what he was really doing on the ship. Or his true identity. Oh no, not that.

‘We werefuck buddies, Ari.’ She flung the cold hard truth at him. She would not be seduced into thinking they’d be anything more. He’d smashed that to smithereens for her, and she wouldn’t let him think it, either.

His jaw went tight and she was glad.

She stood, the report slipping from her fingers to the floor, the loose pages scattering like rose petals on a coffin.

Which was fitting given how funereal it felt right now.

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