Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65489 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Once I’d figured out the practical arrangements, the invisible wall that held back my emotions crumbled. Tears poured down my cheeks, and I held my sides as I sobbed, each jerk of my body sending pain spiraling through me.
I was going to have to give my family something. I could take what I knew and alter it to make up something that looked plausible. I wondered how long it would take for their contact to figure it out I’d passed along fake information. Probably not long, but what else could I do? I wasn’t going to actually betray Miles, especially not after the weekend we’d had. But even before that, from the first morning I’d worked for him when he insisted I accept the suits he’d had made, I’d known that there was no way I was going to turn over information about his company.
Somehow I made it through the next day. I was sore as hell and covered in bruises. I seriously considered not going to Mrs. Weeks’s knitting circle that night, but I was afraid I’d get more questions if I didn’t go than if I did. I would simply tell her the same story I’d used at work—I got dizzy from my headache and fell down the stairs. There wasn’t any reason for her not to believe me. My story sounded completely plausible—if you didn’t know about my circumstances or that I’d never had a headache at all.
25
MILES
I wanted to ignore my alarm the next morning. My flight from LA had gotten in later after a hell of a busy day, but my desire to see Ben had me dragging myself out of bed. I’d missed him like crazy the day before, more than I even wanted to admit. How the hell was I incapable of going a day without seeing him?
My phone rang as I was looking out at the city and stretching. I glanced at the screen and saw Eudora’s name. What on earth was she doing calling me this early? “Hello?”
“Miles, I’m so glad I caught you.” What time did she think I went to the office?
“I wanted to call last night, but I knew you would get in late.”
“What’s going on? Do you need help with something?”
“It’s Ben.”
I tensed. “What about him?”
“Last night at knitting circle he was obviously in pain. I asked if he was okay, and he said he’d fallen down the stairs at his apartment when he was dizzy from a headache.”
I immediately wondered if that was what really happened. I should have been there for him. Why the fuck hadn’t Carter had someone watching who could help him? “Is he okay?”
“He swears he is. I just wanted to make sure someone was taking care of him.”
I knew she also wanted me to solidify my relationship with him. She didn’t know how close we’d gotten and I was sure Ben wouldn’t have told her a thing. “How badly is he hurt?”
“He was reluctant to say much, but from what I can tell, he has bruised ribs and a sore arm. Didn’t he mention anything to you?”
“No. I messaged with him several times, but he didn’t mention anything about a fall.”
She sighed. “He probably didn’t want to bother you.”
“I’m going to make it very clear that he is to bother me in future.”
“I bet you will.” I could hear how happy she was. “Have you made your feelings for him clear?”
“Eudora.”
“He should know. I don’t know what’s going on, but I can tell something is bothering him. I think he’s afraid, and I know he’s not afraid of you.”
The thought of him being afraid, of him being hurt, made me want to tear someone apart. “Thank you for telling me. I’ll figure out what’s happening, and I’ll take care of him.”
“And you’ll admit to the attraction between you two?”
“I already have.”
“Good.”
I sighed. “You have to let me take this at my pace. It’s been…it’s been a long time since I felt like this.”
“I know, dear. Please know I’m here for you.”
“I do. Thank you.”
As soon as I ended my call with Eudora, I tapped on Carter’s number.
He answered with a cheerful “good morning” which wasn’t like him at all.
“You sound disgustingly happy today.”
“I had an entire day and a full night’s sleep without being bothered by my boss. Imagine that.”
I scowled at the phone. “I’m bothering you now. Why the hell aren’t you watching Ben like I told you to?”
Carter snarled. “I’ve had someone watching him constantly.”
“And yet they didn’t know he’d been hurt?”
“What happened?”
I paced my living room as I spoke. “Mrs. Weeks just told me Ben was in pain last night. He told her he’d fallen down the stairs.”
“At work?”
“No. At his apartment after he went home the other day.”
After a pause, Carter said, “And you’re worried he’s lying. You think someone in his family hurt him.”