Page 75 of Eye Candy

Caroline cringed, but I couldn’t take it back. It was true.

“It’sbecauseof how I feel for you that I won’t take money from you, Chase. I don’t want to be a kept woman. Great lifestyle, mad respect, but it’s not for me. I don’t want to feel like your dirty little secret, tucked in a nice town house somewhere. I want to be loud. I want to be visible. Ideally, loud and visible onstage at a sold-out club, while my boyfriend gazes adoringly at me from the audience. But it’s time to accept that’s not going to happen for me. Some dreams always stay in the cupboard. I’m notthat bitch.”

“Right.” I started loading the dishwasher for something to do, somewhere else to look. The plates rattled as I stacked them haphazardly. “Right.” I repeated. “At least let me settle whatever amount that is outstanding on your dad’s café, and hire some more hospitality staff to keep the place running. Don’t let your pride stand in the way of lessening that burden for your family. You’re smart, Caroline; be smart. Think of it as an investment in Woodville’s economy.” She started to say something but I ignored her. “No strings. You don’t need to worry about being kept, since the idea of permanence is so abhorrent to you. Send me the details and I’ll get my accountant to sort it today.” The dishwasher wouldn’t shut, so I pushed it harder. “I’d also like to hiresomeone to be on hand to help your dad as he recovers. You’re not a nurse, and taking on that responsibility will be too much for you.”

She shook her head stubbornly. “I can do it.”

I ignored her. She’d had plenty of time to open up to me about her fears and pressures earlier, when she could have had a say in the solution. Now, I didn’t have the time or the willingness to walk her through the plan slowly, to talk her into it. Before, in bed, she’d said she’d needed me, now here I was, able to fix the shit she needed fixed. It would be easy for me to make this terrible situation slightly easier on her and on her family. She didn’t have to give up on her dreams.

But she did need to stop arguing and do what I told her. For once.

“You should also know that I’ve already engaged my lawyers on the matter of Gerry. They’re confident they can make an intended embezzlement charge stick without naming you—approaching you is unlikely to be the first tactic he tried.” I gave the dishwasher door a final shove and ignored the sound of something breaking inside as it finally closed. “There’s no way I’m letting Gerry get away with trying to screw Joe out of his inheritance, the snake. I’ve engaged security for Joe, just as a precaution in case Gerry tries anything more drastic. I’d also like to put some security measures around you in Woodville. I doubt Gerry will attempt to contact you again, but I’d feel better if I could ensure your place and the café were secure. I can call someone out to your father’s house and have an initial assessment done in the next forty-eight hours?—”

“Chase, have you lost your mind?” she demanded.

She was so damn stubborn. I felt like a puppy, desperately trying to hold onto their favorite toy, while someone towed me around the room by it, laughing.

Not that Caroline was a toy. But she was mine. She’d said as much.

But thinking back: she hadn’t actually. She’d said, ‘in bed likethis, I’m yours.’ Standing in the kitchen, arguing with her, I realized now what I hadn’t at the time.

She meant while we were naked. When we were fucking.

Coolness stole over me.

“Chase—”

“I know it’ll be annoying,” I said, avoiding her eyes and pressing something to set off the dishwasher. Or at least, hoping that was what I did. I’d never used this dishwasher before. “It’s only until this thing with my stepbrother is resolved. I’d also like to get some good PR people involved. I have a contact with Cara Younger at Younger and Sons, she’s very good.”

“Chase—”

“No, Caroline. I know what needs to be done. When this fraud comes to light, some of Teddy’s friends are going to be angry and embarrassed. You’ve duped people who are unused to being made to look like fools, people who matter. I will intervene on your behalf, but you need to do as I say?—”

“People who matter?”

“In New York,” I stressed. “I’m talking about people you scammedin New Yorkwho will take this personally and have the power to make things difficult. Don’t be like that, Caroline. You knew what I meant.”

“Are you worried about what will happen to me, or worried about your reputation when people find out you knew I was a fraud and fucked me anyway?”

I stared at her. “Are you kidding me? I’m helping you.”

“It feels like you’re trying to helpyou. Just stop. Stop helping. I don’t want security or maids or to go on some kind of personal apology tour.”

“But—”

She threw up her palms. “I don’t need you to fix this, Chase.”

There were more words in that sentence, but all I heard wasI don’t need you.

Don’t. Need. You.

She might have wanted me at some stage.

But she’d never need me. Not for anything more than sex.

When she’d professed to need me that one time, she was naked underneath me, about to take me inside her—I should have realised the statement was conditional, only applicable under those exact circumstances.

Instead, I’d heard what I wanted to hear. Now, I could have kicked myself. I knew my deal, I knew how people viewed me. I’d been able to convince Caroline that I was worth her time to repeatedly fuck, but I was still Chase Sanford, and therefore not worthy of anything with longevity. She’d meant for this thing between us to be temporary, becauseof course.

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