Page 97 of Master of Fortune

“Did you hear me? He lied.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I went to seeOjiisanDraco, and I happened to overhear a conversation about Simon.”

“What? Is he with some debutante?”

“No, that’s just it. People don’t see him unless it’s for business. Want to know where he goes to think?” She air-quoted the last part.

I rolled my eyes. “Okay, I’ll bite. Where?”

“Your greenhouse.”

I swallowed. “What?”

“From what I heard, he drives out there at least twice a week, sits inside for hours, and then leaves.”

My stomach clenched as a grain of hope settled.

“Are you sure the source you heard this information from is reliable? Some of Draco’s grandsons are gossips and rarely have all the details right.”

She sighed. “This actually came from Sota. It’s his apology for revealing your club to Simon in the first place.”

I knew it was him. Asshole.

With shaky hands, I took her phone, and immediately tears welled up in my eyes.

He’d lied to me.

I traced the picture of him at the beach with Sota and a few of the Jackson clan. He sat shirtless, and on his chest over his heart sat a tattoo with the wordgoddessin Greek.

“I guess this proves not everything is always as it seems. He isn’t the typical guy from our world, after all.”

“Aren’t you the one who kept advocating for me to escape, to find my freedom?”

“Yeah, well, you fell in love with the booty call.” The humor of her words never reached her eyes.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“I realized I was projecting my issues with my family onto you, and it wasn’t fair. You fit pretty well. If he is what you want, confront him and see where it goes.”

Stevie cocked a hip on the back of one of the sofas. “I agree. He’s as miserable as you are. Go see him.”

“What did he do to win you over so much?” I studied Stevie.

“He sacrificed what he wanted to give you what you wanted. Your freedom. He put you first. That says a lot. That man loves you.”

“He broke my heart,” I murmured, remembering the devastation of the words he’d spoken to me.

“To give you the freedom you insisted you wanted.” Stevie’s voice grew hard. “It’s all you’ve ever talked about. You didn’t want to be trapped. You want to know who’s trapped? He’s the one trapped.”

“How is he trapped?” I questioned.

“He can’t ever leave his world, just like your brothers can’t. Just like my brothers can’t. He gave you the escape that you wanted.” Akari set a hand on my leg. “Be honest. Is it really something you want or just the idea of it?”

I’d thought about it for weeks, and I’d made the decision a while ago. “I’d changed my mind even before everything imploded.”

“For him?” Stevie probed.

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