Page 319 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 5
Matchmaker - Chapter 21
Monday
As each minute ticked by, I started to panic more and more. What if I was too late? What if something had happened to Scarlett? Why the fuck had I taken so long to tell James about Poppy’s visit?
“It’s going to be fine,” Tanner said as the elevator doors closed. “I’m pretty sure you would have heard if Scarlett had been abducted by one of Richard’s crazed relatives.”
“I wouldn’t exactly be the first person James called if something went wrong.”
Tanner frowned. “Of course you would be. You’ve been friends for forever.”
Fine.IfIwas in troubleIwouldn’t go to James first. Which is how I wound up not telling him this very important information for a week. What was wrong with me? First I’d been flirting with his wife. Now I was trying to get his children offed? And how long did this elevator take to get to the top floor? I hit the button again.
“This is exactly why I think it would be good for you to talk to James about Brooklyn. Secrets have a way of festering until they tear one apart.”
I didn’t need pretend-psychologist Tanner right now. He was making me feel worse not better. “I should have told him right after Poppy stopped by my office.”
“You really should have.”
“You’re not helping!”
“Hm. Maybe you’ll be singing a different tune when James tries to kill you and I make sure that doesn’t happen. You’re welcome.”
I winced. “He’s going to try to kill me, isn’t he?”
Tanner shrugged.
The doors dinged open on James and Penny’s floor. I ran over to their door and banged on it with my fist. Again and again until it opened. But no one was there. A chill ran down my spine. Why the hell was their door just open like that?Fuck, I was too late.
“Hi, Uncle Matt! Hi, Mr. Tanner.”
I looked down and saw Scarlett smiling up at us.Oh thank God.“Kiddo, you’re not supposed to answer the door. How many times do your parents have to tell you that?” What if I’d been Poppy? Or my stalker? Or Mr. Pruitt himself? Scarlett could have easily been snatched. Or worse.
She pressed her lips together. “Maybe they need to tell me one more time.” She smiled but the corners of her lips instantly fell when I didn’t smile back. “Please don’t tell them, Uncle Matt. I didn’t mean to do it. But you knocked. So I answered the door.”
How was that not meaning to do it? “Where are your parents?”
“Mommy’s putting Liam to bed and Daddy’s in his office.”
I sighed and ran my hand down my face. Scarlett was okay. That was the important thing. But she was going to give me a heart attack at this rate.
“Am I in trouble?” she asked.
“Nonsense, why would you be?” Tanner said.
I glared at him. We weren’t playing good cop, bad cop here. And even if we were, I didn’t want to be the bad cop. “You’re a little in trouble.”
“I am?” She blinked up at me.
“That depends.” I crouched down to look her in the eyes. “Do you promise not to answer the door again?”
“Yes?”
“Scarlett, you’re going to have to sound a little more affirmative than that.”
“But I don’t know what affima…formitative…I don’t know what that word means.”
“Say it with conviction,” Tanner said.
