Page 76 of Erik's Salvation
His eyes sparking with amusement, Marco leaned in and kissed the back of her hand. She couldn’t step away. She may not be in a good place with Erik right now, but she knew he’d hate this.
“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Jacobs,” he said in his smooth Italian accent.
She swallowed. “You too, Mr. Salvatore.”
“Marco, please.”
She dipped her head and lowered into her seat. Her limbs were numb, and she was moving on autopilot. Questions spun in her head. Was he here because he wanted something from her? Or to anger Erik?
“Marco was just telling me what he’s looking for in a property.”
“Oh?” Interesting, seeing as she’d shown him a property, then never heard back. Clearly, Marco hadn’t shared that little detail with Reuben.
The next half hour was a blur of property talk, all of which she knew was bullshit. It had to be. She tapped her foot nervously under the table. When a text came through on her phone, she glanced down at the table. Her heart twisted when she saw Erik’s name. It was the first text he’d sent her all week.
Erik: I just got back and noticed you’re not home.
She tapped her foot faster and locked her phone to make the message disappear.
“Hannah, why don’t you tell Marco about the current market.”
She didn’t know what came out of her mouth next. Words about interest rates and the speed with which properties were selling. When Reuben took over, she looked down to see another message.
Erik: I’m sorry. I miss you. Can we talk?
Her chest tightened. While Marco and Reuben were deep in conversation, she moved the phone to her lap and quickly typed out a response.
Hannah: I’m at a work dinner with Reuben and a high-end client. Marco’s the client.
Immediately, three dots came up, then his reply.
Erik: Where are you?
“Hannah.”
Her head shot up at Reuben’s voice.
His lips were pulled into a thin line. “Could you tell Marco about the properties you currently have listed?”
“Sure.” She forced her gaze to Marco, again talking on autopilot.
It wasn’t until their food came that she was finally able to push her chair back and excuse herself. “I just need to pop into the restroom.”
As she walked away, she heard Reuben telling Marco about her diabetes. She cringed. God, that was ahugeinvasion of her privacy. The world, including Marco Salvatore, did not need to know about her medical history, something Reuben should understand.
When she reached the bathroom, she quickly used the facilities, then tested her blood sugar levels and sighed. She was high. Damn stress eating. She’d already known she was though, not just because of what she’d eaten, but because she was thirsty and could feel the beginnings of a headache.
Quickly, she gave herself a shot of insulin, then checked her phone, cringing again when she saw the three missed calls from Erik. She didn’t have time to deal with him right now.
Dropping her phone into her bag, she stepped out of the bathroom—only to run smack into a black buttoned-down shirt. Marco’s shirt.
“Hello,cara.”
She opened and closed her mouth two times before getting words out. “Marco…what are you doing back here?” The men’s bathroom was the other way.
“I came to talk to you.”
“Well, I think we should talk at the table.” She attempted to sidestep him, but her arm was tugged in the opposite direction, and he pushed her against a wall. “What are you—”
