Page 81 of So Close

Your smile turns indulgent. “I trust you implicitly. That doesn’t mean I don’t know you’ve rarely told me the truth. What was your mother’s last alias?”

“Stephanie. Steph Laska. And before you ask – no, I don’t know if Val is a nickname or a diminutive.”

“And your name? Is it Lily? Ivy? Violet? Rose? None of the above?”

I blink. My ability to think has come to a screeching halt. The silence becomes deafening. Whose skeletons have you managed to unearth?

Ah, my love, I’ve corrupted you. Have you become my match? Should I grieve or rejoice?

“It doesn’t matter,” you assure me, holding your lips to my forehead for a long moment, your hands rubbing up and down my bare arms to warm them.

Wild, joyous hope riots inside me. You’re still looking at me with such furious love. Somehow, for some reason, you loveme– the far from perfect woman I genuinely am.

“How did your mother die?” Your voice is pitched to soothe and lull. “Did Val kill her?”

Would it matter if I lied? Who would it harm if I did?

“Setareh… Tell me how your mother died.”

“It wasn’t Val.” I sigh. “It was me. I killed her.”

40

AMY

I almost gagas I step out of the town car, fighting the sickening panic that makes me want to hit a bar or crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head. I hate that the mere sight of the Crossfire building can traumatize me all over again. Aliyah has taken everything that once gave me joy or pride and made them into things that make me instinctively recoil.

Straightening my skirt, I pause on the sidewalk and give myself a pep talk. Today’s outfit is decidedly more Lily. Tovah paired a long, flowing black skirt with peep-toe booties, a snug white dress shirt and a tiny fitted black leather vest. The shirt’s collar is open to the deep V of my cleavage, which Tovah said was appropriate, considering the rest of my body is completely covered, and I’m small-breasted. Layers of gold chains fill the gap in between, down to a gold pendant hanging over the vest. Gold hoops in my ears and “Blood Lily” lipstick finish it all off.

I’d agonized over what to wear all evening and into the morning. Going back to Baharan after my last visit is so hard. I want some fucking sympathy after what Aliyah put me through, but I also want to look like I can deal with her bullshit and run my damn company. Finding something that blends soft and hard requires more style than I apparently have. It would have been a hell of a lot easier to pull on a sheath dress and earrings. Whether I’ve succeeded in striking the right tone or not, the soundtrack in my head isn’t Ariana Grande this time; it’s Creedence Clearwater Revival. That’s thanks to Lily, who sent their greatest hits as a gift while I was recuperating from my dental nightmare.

Since she’s also recuperating, and I’m not going to be the asshole who’s less thoughtful, I sent her a gift, too – a signed copy of one of Suzanne’s potboiler books. I wanted to send a bottle of wine with it, but when I asked Witte if she preferred white or red, he told me she doesn’t drink – ever.

“Does she have an allergy or something?” I’d asked.

“I believe it’s a personal preference of long-standing,” he replied, in that clipped, haughty tone. He wouldn’t even give me the address where Kane’s holed up with her. He had a courier pick the book up and deliver it. He hates me, but the feeling is mutual.

I’m turning to enter the Crossfire when I spot Ryan Landon heading toward me. I pause. He cuts his way quickly through the cluster of people on the corner waiting for the light to change. With a cup of takeout coffee in one hand and a black leather briefcase in the other, he’s wearing a pinstripe suit of deep blue and an atypical frown. Since he’s the mellowest man I’ve ever met, that furrow between his dark brows is peculiar.

I wait for him. He glances my way, his thoughts elsewhere, but then he locks on me with startling focus. A long moment later, his handsome face smooths out, and he smiles. We meet in the middle, and I return his thorough once-over. Yeah, he lacks Darius’s dramatic coloring and the ferocious intensity Kane radiates, but he’s still hot. Tall and fit, with a sexy smile and easy confidence.

“Amy.” He comes to a halt in front of me. “For a moment, you reminded me of someone I used to know. You look great. How are you?”

“I’m awesome, thanks.” Better now because I know it was Lily he saw in me for a second, which makes me giddy. The hair color, the clothes, the lipstick … It’s all coming together. Thrilled by the thought, I shoot for the same self-assured sexuality Lily wields so expertly. “You look very fine yourself. Are you stopping by the offices?”

He nods. “Aliyah wants to run something by me.”

“Better you than me. Can you keep her tied up all day? All week, maybe? The rest of my life?”

He laughs, and the sound is warm and rich. Yep, he’s definitely spicy.

“I might be able to make a dent in her morning, but I’m meeting Angela for lunch. Shall we go up?” He walks beside me, and we thank a gentleman who holds a door for us. “What’s on your agenda today?”

“I’m running through the ECRA+ creative, making sure it’s comprehensive. Then I’m going to see if we can refresh Baharan’s social. We’ve used the same imagery, fonts and colors for years. It’s time to switch things up, especially before a big launch.”

It feels good to talk about work, even if I am completely clueless at the moment. I rub my damp palms against my skirt. The supplement purported to help with liver detoxification doesn’t feel like it’s doing anything. At least I have a few painkillers left.

“Cross has Baharan doing all the heavy lifting,” he says tightly, stopping at the desk to check in with security.

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