Page 66 of Money Man (King Maker 1)

His hands rose in a position of submission. “Let me explain.”

“No. You’re always explaining.” I used my free hand to wipe a tear at the corner of my eye. “You have so many secrets I can’t keep up. But the truth is, when I thought you were listening to me last night, you were prodding me for information.”

“It’s not like that,” he said, moving to erase some of the distance between us.

“Sure, it is. I let myself fall for you against my better judgment, and all I was to you was a game you played and won. You claimed my heart like some sort of trophy. And I let it happen. Stupid me.”

My eyes fell to my ring. Would I forever be paying for my sins against the one man who had truly loved me? The one man I fully trusted. And not the man who stood before me.

“You’re not stupid. I am. I should have told you the truth. But I couldn’t let you go. And if you knew, you would have walked away.”

I nodded, even though he hadn’t asked a question.

“That’s why I kept it to myself.” He hesitated before adding, “I’m falling in love with you.”

I choked out a laugh and covered my mouth as it changed to a sob as something broke inside me. How many times had Scott profess his love to me, all the while cheating on me?

“How dare you say that? I don’t even know who you are, Jeremy.” Tears spilled freely from my eyes as I choked out the rest. “Your secrets have cost me my job.”

“I’ll fix it.”

I shook my head. “You’ve done enough.”

Then I lifted my chin. “Goodbye, Mr. King,” I said formally, as a part of my heart died knowing we wouldn’t ever see each other again.

He moved quicker than I could, capturing my face in his big hands. “We can make this work,” he said.

I wanted to believe him and the desperate way he’d spoken. But I knew better.

“Believe me, it’s just your dick that will miss me, if that. I’m sure there is a line of women willing to take my place.”

“There’s no one but you.”

For a second, my resolve slipped. “You have a funny way of showing it. If you take a moment, you’ll realize you’ve never once kissed me.”

He traded a wide-eyed stare for my glare. Then his soft, yet urgent, mouth crashed against mine. In a weak moment, I gave in, letting his tongue stroke over mine as I deepened the kiss. In the back of my head, sense screamed at me to wake up. Desperately, I hung on for another minute before I pulled away.

“It’s too late,” I said, as my heart burned to dust. I pulled the gift I’d dipped into my savings to buy. “This is for your son.”

I put the box with the Mercedes Vison model car that matched his perfectly in his hand and left him standing there. I thought it had been a sign of good fortune that I happened upon it over my lunch break in the hobby shop. How wrong I’d been.

As I made my way to the elevator, I made plans. I couldn’t stay in New York. With a storm coming, I couldn’t imagine sleeping in my room on a night I was supposed to meet his son and look at the walls he’d made love to me on.

When I stepped outside, the first of many snowflakes had started to fall. I gave Griffin the courtesy of a final conversation.

“Your job is done,” I said, keeping my anger in check.

“It’s not that easy, miss.”

“Of course, it is. If you follow me, I will call the police and tell them you’re stalking me.”

Checkmate. Though I wasn’t sure if I’d follow through with the threat. He begrudgingly gave me a smile and a tip of his head.

I took the subway home. When I got there, I packed a small bag. I wouldn’t need much where I was going.

Four hours later, in my ice-covered rental car, I pulled up to the security gate.

“Bailey, long time no see,” a guy I grew up with said. “It’s really coming down.”

“Hi, Samuel. It is. The drive was dicey, but I’m here.”

“Go on ahead,” he said, raising the gate.

Women’s roles were far from progressive here. Old traditions and very old-fashioned values meant the jeans I wore wouldn’t be allowed.

I parked in the snow-covered lot for visitors. Curiosity about the Amish had brought reporters and other people to our door, even though we weren’t Amish. A small visitors center had been constructed for those allowed in where they would be required to drop off any electronics such as cell phones.

There wasn’t anyone manning the small building, as no one had been expected. But I’d worked the job before. I tried Lizzy’s phone again because it would be the last time I could call her, but she didn’t answer. I’d left her a long and tearful message before I left, and so I simply hung up.

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