Page 5 of The Blowout

Chapter Three

Charles

It takesme approximately thirty seconds to realize the woman in front of me is not Gillian Collins. There’s an air of lightness around her, a sparkle in her eyes that doesn’t match the no-nonsense attitude I’m used to. It takes me a minute, but I also realize that there’s a patch of freckles on this woman’s cheekbone, semihidden under the makeup she’s applied for the event. I know for a fact Gillian has no freckles or beauty marks on her face. She very rarely wears layers of makeup to the office—unlike the other women we work with. It’s not that I’ve ever been interested and stared at her to learn this small nuance about her. No, it’s that Gillian has worked for me and the executive team long enough that I’ve seen her at her best and her worst. The same goes for me. And when you work that closely, you notice things.

I’ve also worked long enough with Gillian to know she has a sister—a twin sister. There’s a picture of them on her desk.

They may be identical twins, but I can see the differences. Hear the subtle variances in their voices. My body knows this is someone different. As soon as she turned around, licking and whipping the frosting off her lips, my cock stirred. My heart leaped. I hadn’t had a physical reaction like that in a very long time. I needed to know more about her. I wanted to stay by her side, soak up more time with her. Yet, something was amiss. And I needed to find out why Gillian had sent her sister in her absence.

And Jesus, her hair. My fingers actually tingled at the idea of getting lost in that chocolate wave. Each strand seemed to shine a different shade of gorgeous brown in the light. An image of us in bed, me stroking her hair, flashes before my eyes. I already know just how soft it will be.

As I make my way to the main event space, I curse myself, hating that I don’t know the imposter twin’s name. Pulling my cell from my pocket, I dial the head of my security team.

Eoin picks up after two rings. “What’s up, boss?”

I get right to the point, music blaring from surrounding speakers making me shout. “Gillian Collins has a twin sister. I need everything you can get on her.”

“You mean Kimmie?”

The familiarity in his voice makes me see red. Gripping the phone tighter, I ask, “How do you know her?”

“She’s joined us for drinks a time or two. Sweet girl.”

Son of bitch. I didn’t like hearing that. Not that she’d gone out and had a life, but that I could have met this sweet angel before tonight. I could have been surrounded in her warmth and joy longer, instead of just learning of her tonight. I’d never questioned my dedication to my job, my company, until tonight. I can see clearly now that years of long nights and excessive travel have prevented me from finding my true purpose.

It’s her.

Setting aside my pride for a moment, I ask, “Is Kimmie her legal name?”

“Kimberley. Her sister calls her Kimmie and that’s where I picked it up from.” He must sense the seriousness of this topic in my voice because Eoin has dropped the jovial attitude.

“Do the search anyway. I want to know everything by the end of the night.”

“You got it.”

I hang up just as the lights dim and Tony takes his place at the podium. Not bothering to find my table, I stand at the back of the room, eagerly waiting for my next glimpse of Kim. I don’t think she knew what she was agreeing to when she easily swapped in for the auction. More the better for me.

It’s the perfect way to stay in her presence. Get more time with her. And make her fall for me like I have for her.

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