Page 106 of Lust

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

That is not what I wanted at all. The tabloids must've done some digging all on their own. I could handle the mention that I used to be Damien's fiancée. I could take everything that came with that implication, because it's the truth.

But I did not want my name tied to my father's. I knew it eventually would be, but not yet. Just... not yet.

I throw the phone on the table between us and Matthias frowns, pulling the phone away from his ear, mouthing, "You okay?"

I just shake my head, and get up to sit at a neighboring seat so I don't interrupt his phone call.

Even 30,000 feet up in the air, I can't escape him. Even if I can run from my past, I can't run from my bloodline.

"I'll call you back later," I hear Matthias murmur into the phone and then he's right there, kneeling on the ground next to me. "Hey, what happened?"

I turn the phone to him and he reads, lips instantly pursing.

"Fuck them, Rissie. One day, it's just going to be Clarissa Masters, wife of Matthias Baxter. And we're going to deal with your dad. You know that right? You know I'm not going to let this go."

"I don't know what you can do? He's the chairman of the board."

He squeezes my knee. "Chairmen can be voted out. And maybe it's time anyway. With Kingsley's CEO vote coming up... maybe it's time to clean house. But don't worry, okay? We're going to be okay."

I just nod.

And which I could tell him about what's worrying me, and it's not just my father.

But he can't know. He can never ever know.

Chapter 31

Matthias

Clarissa to be dropped off at the club so she can jump right into work when we land late Sunday afternoon. I watch her through the car window as she walks down the side alley to the back door of the club, and instantly yearn to follow her.

But I have to content myself knowing I'll see her in a few short hours, and that maybe she could use a few moments to miss me.

I'm in my own office ten minutes later, with Hannah waiting at the elevator when I get off.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her surprised to see her there. Apparently that question is catching.

"You're here, I'm here."

She doesn't follow me into my office, just returns to her desk, clicking away on the computer. She could be playing solitaire for all I know.

I scroll through my emails, stopping when I see one from Dmitrik with the subject:Patrick Linzer. Finally. I open it and I'm instantly disgusted. It's filled with over a hundred scanned documents, covering every aspect of his life. As I open each one, my anger rises.

When I'm done going through them, I send off an email to Dmitrik, and wire his fee with a 50% bonus. He's gone well above and beyond. And now I have what I need to bury the fucker.

Then maybe once and for all, the haunted look in Clarissa's eyes when she thinks no one is looking can fade for good.

***

Limos line up along Fifth avenue clogging up traffic all the way down to Columbus Circle.

Why people with money have to ride in excessively long vehicles, stopping traffic in Manhattan, that hardly has free-flowing traffic as it is, is your guess as well as mine

Our car finally reaches the entrance of the Plaza, I jump out and run around to Clarissa's side of the car. When she emerges, the night fills with the flash of camera bulbs. She smooths her hand down the front of her dress; I catch it and kiss her palm.

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