Page 51 of The Scandal You Started
She was sitting in the black, swivelling chair before the dark varnished desk, the blue, sunny sky illuminating the room from the window behind it. While Dominic was in a velvet scallop chair, watching her type in a mixture of confusion and fascination.
To their backs, two of the cream walls of the small office-library were lined with matching, dark varnished bookcases stuffed full with a variety of books that were probably long overdue a sort through. There was an empty space where Dominic had taken the chair from.
“All clear,” Rayna said as she finished typing. “Thank you.”
“No problem. Any more questions?” Monty said with a grin. When she shook her head, the older man’s friendly brown eyes shifted away from her. “You, Dominic?”
“I…” he started, then paused. “There was much I did not understand, so I am not entirely sure how to ask for an explanation.”
Rayna smiled as Monty chuckled. “Don’t worry,” the older man said. “You’ll understand significantly more as time goes on. But other than that, is there anything else you’d like to ask?”
“No.”
“Well, I think that is the end of this meeting then. Rayna, I’ll email you the updated document for general reporting on how Dominic’s getting on, and Ash will get in touch with you to confirm the dates for his monthly checkups. I’ll speak to Rivertoo when he pops into the lab later today to collect Dominic’s ID, but as for the case study report, fit it around your schedule for the museum project, and we’ll do a check-in in a month’s time, yes?”
Rayna nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good. River’s coming here tomorrow, so I’ll discuss breaking down the reports with him too.”
“Perfect,” Monty said with a satisfied nod. “I believe, if I remember correctly, you’ll be taking Dominic to the museum on Wednesday, correct?”
“That’s right,” she answered.
“Well, Dominic, as I’m sure Rayna has already told you, you’re in for a treat.” Passion lit up Monty’s face. “Fronis Museum is wonderfully rich in Khaas’s history and has several displays that are part of the International Cultural Exchange programme.”
Dominic flashed a modest grin, but Rayna thumbed in his direction. “He hates museums.”
Monty’s face and shoulders fell in complete heartbreak as Dominic flew around to her with his lips parted in shocked complaint. She nearly cackled at how comical it was.
“Ah,” Monty said sadly. “Well…that won’t do.”
“No, no,” Dominic immediately said, clearing his throat. “I donothate museums. She is wildly exaggerating what I said.”
Rayna gawked in disbelief. “No, I’m not.”
“I said,” Dominic cut in, “that I had never truly had the opportunity to appreciate the cultural value of museums previously. But this is my chance to do so.”
Oh my—his guy…
She chuckled in outrage, shaking her head slowly, while Dominic wore the fakest grin ever.
Monty laughed. “Well, either way, I hope you enjoy the museum and the project itself. I have a meeting with theEvidence team soon, so I’ll leave you two now, but take care, and we’ll speak soon. Bye.”
“Bye,” Rayna said as Dominic wished the older man a good day.
As soon as Monty ended the meeting, Rayna whipped around and smirked menacingly. Dominic glared back in betrayal.
“Why on Neves would you tell him that?” he demanded.
“Why the fuck did you lie to him?”
“I cannot have him thinking less of me for not appreciating museums now, can I? I have already embarrassed myself enough in front of him. A man has his pride, Rayna.”
She scoffed. “He wouldn’t have thought less of you.”
“He looked very near close to tears.”
“He did, didn’t he?” she said with a cheeky smirk. “I didn’t think it would upset him that much, honestly.”
Dominic shook his head. “You are a dreadful woman for taunting the old man.”
