Page 24 of Tempted

I stick my nose in the air. “So what if I do. He’s the one that told me about it. And I don’t care.”

Moira is facetious. “Well, you don’t seem like you care.”

A hand goes to my hip. “Why are you here, Moira? Shouldn’t you be at home sleeping?”

“If you want the truth, it’s because I wanted to check on you. You haven’t answered any of my texts and I figured that this was why.” She licks her lips as I search for my phone, and then I find it on the other side of the room, with a dead battery. “Declan told me that Malcolm had gone out for lunch with an ex. He wasn’t supposed to know, but his da squealed. If it bothers you that much, you should call him.”

“And why would I do that? It’s none of my business. Nor do I care.”

She humors me. “Do you even care to know what happened?”

I’m snide. “And how do you know? What, did Malcolm go blabbing? Some gentleman he is.”

She’s only half listening. “Well, he didn’t sleep with her. That I can tell you, if it helps to put your mind at ease.”

It comes out before I can stop it. “I’m surprised the stupid whore could keep her hands off him.”

Moira snorts a laugh. “God, I love it when you’re jealous! I haven’t seen this side of you in a long time.”

“Piss off.” I spit. “I’m not jealous. I just know that he hates her. He only went out with her to please his uncle.”

“Well, that might be true, but I don’t think that Malcolm is fool enough to sleep with her, and I figured right, because he didn’t.”

“Like I care, anyway. I don’t know why you’re telling me this. She’s not even his type.”

Moira smirks. “How do you know?”

“I don’t know.” I lie, my voice errant like a child’s.

My cousin is enjoying this way too much. She’s trying to conceal a smile by licking her lips, but I know her too well. “You searched her up on socials, didn’t you?”

I shrug. “Maybe.”

“Checking out the competition?”

My gaze darts to hers again. “He hates her. He told me himself.”

“Well, she’s signing a contract with them later this week, so he can’t hate her that much.”

My eyes are slits. “A contract? So, he did sleep with her...the jackass.”

“I already told you that he didn’t.”

“Bullshit.” I slam my pen down on the desk. “God, all fucking men are alike! They think only with their cocks! He figured he’d give her a nice roll in the hay for old time’s sake, and then get her to sign on with them! All for money! All to put a smile on his uncle’s face and to get rid of a rotten client! What a juvenile asshole!” I’m muttering this through gritted teeth as I watch one of my team members walk by the room, indicating that they’re all back from their break.

Moira sees them and knows that that means I’m needed. That work needs to resume. “I thought you didn’t care.” She says in a singsong voice.

My nostrils are flaring. “I need to get back to work.”

I last until four o’clock before nearly collapsing into my car. After a brief moment, I decide that it’s best to head home, since I’m numb from exhaustion. I sleep until seven o’clock the next morning, and when I wake up, I feel jetlagged. It feels like everything, besides work, that’s happened in the last few days, has been a dream. My phone tells me that Moira has called, so I head over to her house, in an attempt to catch her before work. Her car is still in the driveway, and Declan’s truck is there, too, plus another truck...Malcolm’s. Although, as I get out of my car, he comes out the front door.

“Good morning, lass.” He says, looking a little too happy to see me.

“Good morning.” I say, trying like hell to read his face, but I can’t. I’m not sure if the smile is for me, or because he recently got laid, or what. But I start thinking that it’s door number two, and it pisses me off.

“I’ve got a meeting. I was just coming over for breakfast on Declan’s invitation.” He explains, like it needs to be explained, or that he’s looking for a reason to stay here longer, talking to me. I don’t know.

“I was going to do the same.” I say, my tone clipped.

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