Page 50 of The CEO's Revenge

But I didn’t go to bed with anyone!

I scowled as I tried to recollect the totally unremarkable occasion. Now when I think of it I had a very vague recollection of one of the nights when I had one glass of whisky at the bar downstairs, felt strangely dizzy and went straight to my room. The last thing I remember was falling into bed. I woke up the next morning with a terrible hangover and I had put it down to jetlag and too little sleep.

Bending my head, I restudied the photo more closely.

To anybody looking at this image, especially if they were in shock, it would indeed have seemed as if the woman and I were in the throes of mad passionate love, but I noticed something crazy. I was under the woman and she appeared to be kissing me deeply, but my body actually looked sort of passive, my hands were hanging around her loosely, as if they had been positioned around her. The more I concentrated on that fact, the more certain I became that I was not even asleep, but passed out so dead to the world I didn’t even know there was a woman on top of me. Still, someone had gone to a lot of trouble. I noticed other details, what appeared to be sweat glistening on our bodies. I supposed that was easily achieved with an Evian spray can.

I sat back and steepled my fingers under my chin.

It came to me like a bolt of lightning. Robert was involved in this. This was part of the set up. And then, as if the universe itself was helping me out of the mess of my life, Robert suddenly burst into my office, with a flustered Sheila rushing in after him.

“I’m sorry, Max. He just burst through. Shall I call security?” she asked, glancing nervously at him.

“That’s okay, Sheila. I’ll call if I need anything else,” I said softly, turning the photo face down while not taking my eyes off him.

“Told you it’d be okay, Sheila.” Robert grinned, then winked at her. “Don’t forget to put that business card away carefully now. I’m looking forward to a call.”

As he considered her retreating ass with wolfish interest, I watched him. He was wearing make-up, probably to cover the bruises around his eye. When the door closed he turned his attention back to me.

“She’s a dead ringer for Savannah that one. It must be easy to make up for the real thing. I’m sure you’re tapping that, huh.”

I remained calm. “What do you want, Robert?”

He took a seat, propped an ankle across a knee, then leaned back and looked around. “Nice setup. Cool office, and a spectacular view, too.”

“What do you want, Robert?” I repeated, this time I could barely conceal my disgust.

“Nothing really. I just came by to say hello. This ‘war’ between us is juvenile and bad for both of us. Don’t you think it’s time for us to let bygones be bygones and call a truce like adults… like men?”

I observed his smug, carefully made-up face with narrowed eyes. To think I once thought he was my friend. Jesus, I must have needed my head examined.

He stood suddenly, and walked towards the large painting on my wall. “I’m not your sworn enemy, Max. I promise you.”

I had always tried to give Robert the benefit of the doubt, even when others told me to be careful, I had trusted him as my friend. But now as I looked at him, I saw him for what he truly was: a creep. “Aren’t you?”

He turned away from the painting and faced me. “No, I’m not, Maxie boy.”

The Maxie boy grated, but I kept my cool. “Four years of my life spent behind bars says different.”

“You keep harping on about those damn four years. What about the more than ten years before that we were friends?”

“Friends?” I murmured.

“Yes, fucking friends,” he shouted suddenly red with anger. “That was exactly what I was. A friend. A good friend who took a chance on your hail Mary scheme and helped you to build your dream withmymoney, and you repaid me by stealing my girl?”

“Your girl?” I drawled insultingly. I needed him to be angry and out of control. “Surely you’re not still living in that world where you thought Savannah was ever yours to begin with?”

“I met her first!” he yelled as he pointed a furious finger at me. “I introduced you to her and you stole her from me.”

“Savannah chose who she wanted to be with and that man was me. You were just a sore loser. But what’s new? You’ve always been living in my shadow and dining on my leftovers.” I leaned forward. “It ate you up that she wasn’t impressed by your name or money, didn’t it? The only way you could get her was framing me for embezzlement and catching her while she was in shock.”

A strange look came over Robert’s face, it was a mixture of loathing and frustration. “You think I’ve got Savannah? Then you’re an even bigger sucker than I thought.” He shook his head, and his voice was bitter. “I’veneverhad Savannah and it’s not from lack of trying. She’s all yours. Now that we got it all cleared up, can we stop this war?”

I stared at him with narrowed eyes. “You’re not in a war… but at the fair…”

He shook his head. “I’ve been bluffing all this time. That was just pure luck. I believe the surprise she experienced from seeing you after all these years gave me an advantage. It was easy to make you believe she and I were an item because you were so ready to believe the worst of both of us.”

I felt anger rise within me. “Why? Did you not feel you had destroyed me enough?”

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