Chapter 147
“Fine and annoying as always p>
Good.
That knot of worry in my chest loosens just a little.
“Tell him I’ll come see him soon p>
“You’d better,” Caleb says. “He keeps asking where you disappeared to p>
“I’ll deal with that later,” I mutter.
I head for the door again and this time no one stops me.
Outside, the air feels cooler than it did earlier.
Marcus and Aaron are still nearby, leaning against one of the cars parked along the curb.
Aaron straightens when he sees me coming.
“You ready to go p>
“Yeah p>
Marcus opens the car door for me and I slide into the back seat with Aaron climbing in beside me.
As the car starts moving, I glance out the window at the house I grew up in. For a moment, the weight of everything presses down on me again. A dead woman caught somewhere between them.
I sigh and lean my head back against the seat.
Aaron glances over.
“You alright p>
“Define alright p>
He huffs quietly.
“Fair p>
The car pulls onto the main road and After a few minutes, I sit up slightly.
“Aaron p>
“Yeah p>
“Zane isn’t home right now, is he p>
Aaron shakes his head.
“No. He left early this morning p>
“Where p>
“Office p>
Of course, that man practically lives there.
I tap my fingets against my knee, thinking then I make the decision.
“Take me there p>
Aaron looks at me.
“You sure p>
“Yes p>
Marcus catches my eyes briefly in the rearview mirror.
“You want to surprise him p>
“Something like that p>
But the truth is simpler…I’ve heard Lucas’s side, now it’s time to properly hear Zane’s.
Because if these two families are ever going to stop circling each other like enemies, someone has to start asking the questions neither of them want to answer and apparently that someone is me.
By the time the car pulls into the underground parking lot of Zane’s office building, my nerves have started to tighten again.
The building itself is massive, with dark glass, steel lines, the kind of place that looks like money and control were poured straight into the walls.
Marcus parks smoothly and steps out first, then Aaron opens my door.
“You sure about this?” he asks quietly.
“Yes p>
He studies my face for a second like he’s trying to decide if I’m walking into something stupid.
Then he nods once.
“Alright p>
We take the elevator up together, the ride quiet except for the soft hum of the machinery and the numbers lighting up one by one.
My reflection in the mirrored wall looks calmer than I actually feel
The elevator dings and the doors slide open.
Aaron leads the way down a wide hallway, peopl glance up as we pass. I try not to think about what they assume.
When we reach the large double doors at the end of the hall, Aaron stops.
“He’s inside p>
“I figured p>
He opens the door for me and I step in without knocking.
Zane’s office is just as intimidating as the rest of the building. Wide windows looking over the city, dark wood furniture, shelves lined with files and books. Everything looks neat, just the way I remember it from the last time I was here.
And right in front of his desk… is his secretary.
She’s leaning over the desk slightly, a thick stack of papers in her hands. Her hips re tilted toward him as she points at something on the page.
Her blouse is low cut Vey low cut. Low enough that if Zane lifted his eyes even slightly p>
I stop walking because from where I’m standing, it looks exactly like she’s giving him a front row view.
Zane looks up first nd his eyes land on me immediately. For a brief second something flickers across his face.
Surprise? Mayb?
Then it disappears.
“Elaine p>
The secretary straightens slowly, turning to see who he’s talking to and wjen she sees me, her expression changes into a polite smile but something about it feels… thin.
Zane leans back in his chair slightly.
“Excuse us for a moment,” he says to her.
She nods.
“Of course sir p>
As she gathers the papers, she walks toward the door and when she passes me, she pauses.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Whitmore p>
Her tone is polite, a little too polite for me.
Then she moves past me… and her shoulder slams into mine.
I gasp slightly from the impact, not really from pain but surprise.
The fucker p>
“Hey p>
But she’s already walking out the door like nothing happened… the door closing behind her.
I turn back toward Zane immediately.
“Did you see that p>
Zane raises an eyebrow at me from the stack of papers infront of him.
“See what p>
“She freaking hit me p>
He tilts his head slightly.
“You’re going to have to be more specific p>
I throw my hands up.
“She literally just walked past me and slammed her shoulder into me p>
Zane looks toward the door, then back at me.
“No, I didn’t see that p>
“Well it happened p>
I cross my arms.
“And another thing p>
Now he looks amused.
“Oh p>
“She was basically putting her boobs in your face like two seconds before I walkd in p>
That definitely gets his attention as Zane leans back in his chair slowly.
And His lips twitch.
“Were they p>
“Yes they were p>
He studies my face for a moment Then a slow smirk spreads across his mouth.
“Are you jealous little spitfire p>
I choke on the air in my lungs.
“What p>
The smirk deepens.
“Jealous p>
“I am not jealous!” My voice coming out louder than I intend. I am not though I’m I? Come on he’s my husband regardless of the fact I hate his guts, it’s just disrespectful that she was like that with him. That’s just it nothing more I’m not jealous. I’m NOT!
Zane watches me with clear amusement.
“You walked into my office, accused my assistant of assault, and complained about her boobs being in my face, all within thirty seconds p>
“That is not what happened p>