Page 110 of Insatiable Park Avenue Prince

I looked back at Kelly, and he was radiating all kinds of palpable tension with his unflinching stance. It wasn’t just a mix of anger at my ex and determination to fuck him over, but also a shadow of something like guilt.

And that wasn’t going to work for me.

“All right, everybody out,” I shouted.

All talking ceased, and East blinked at me like he couldn’t have heard me right. “Perhaps we weren’t clear. Our plans for your disgusting ex are being done in your honor.”

“And when I take care of a few things, I’ll listen all day, how’s that?”

“It’s a little ungrateful.” East sniffed, lifting his chin. “But I’ll allow it.”

I battled the urge to roll my eyes, since in his own way, he was trying to help. Preston gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze and quietly slipped into the hall, while West made a big show of hoisting himself up off the couch and grumbling, “You’re the one who told me to come over and help you.”

“Which I appreciate, really, but now I just need you to get the fuck out.” I paused. “Please.”

“What about Harry? He’s not done yet,” West said, gesturing toward our hacker on speed dial, who was wisely packing up his stuff at the counter.

“You have internet and a desk at your place, right?”

West’s mouth fell open, and as he started to protest instead of moving, I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him toward the door. It wasn’t my fault Travis was still standing there instead of leaving, and they collided with loud grunts and curses.

“Rude much?” Travis said as Harry hurried out the door, tightly gripping the straps of his backpack.

“Harry, thanks, man. Keep up the good work,” I called out, and then shoved Travis and West out the door too. “Why don’t you all go work on whatever wicked plans you have for dipshit and we’ll talk tomorrow?”I went to close the door, but then added, “And do me a favor and keep Gavin busy tonight.”

West made an indecent gesture with his hips. “Yesss, get it, Van—”

I shut the door in his grinning face, and as the locks automatically engaged, I let out a long sigh and turned back to Kelly. The silence in the room was a welcome reprieve, but the taut muscles in his neck and arms spoke volumes.

“I am so, so sorry about all that,” I said.

“Don’t apologize for having people who care about you enough to want to inflict damage on someone who hurt you.”

I shook my head, stepping closer to him, aching to touch him. “I don’t mean them. I don’t think it’s what they said that’s bothering you.”

Kelly remained still as a statue, his eyes tracking my every move, as I closed the distance between us.

“Talk to me,” I said when I was close enough to touch, reaching out to hold his waist. “Tell me what’s going on in your head.”

He swallowed hard, shifting his gaze away, but I refused to let him retreat into silence. Not now. I hooked my finger under his chin, forcing him to meet my eyes.

After a long moment, he finally said, “I’ve fucked things up for you.”

“No.”

“Donovan, come on. You heard Mira. No brand wants a scandal anywhere near them. You might lose all your jobs because of me.”

I knew I’d sensed the guilt pouring off him, but the fact that he was blaming himself for my decisions… I wouldn’t let him take that on.

“Did you not hear anything I said? Or were you too focused on Mira giving me a mouthful of her opinion?”

“Yes, I heard. I heard all of it—”

“Then you know I’m past giving a shit what happens, whether anyone wants to fire me or punish me for it… Whatever. I enjoy what I do, but if it ended today, I’d do something else. It’s not my whole life, Kelly. You—” I stopped myself, realizing I’d been about to say, “You are.”

Judging by the way Kelly widened his eyes, he knew exactly where my thoughts had been going.

Holy shit, that wasn’t what I’d expected to come flying out of my mouth, but if I thought that would scare him off, I was dead wrong. He stepped in closer, reaching up to cradle my face.

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