Page 28 of In A Mood For Mr. Wrong

She shoots me a glare before turning away, already typing out a message.

I shake my head. "And you thinkwe’recomplicated?" I glance at the screen and groan. "It’s Olivia."

Margot frowns. "Now? What does she want?"

I answer, already irritated. "This isn’t a good time, Liv."

"Yeah, well, tell that to Elliot. He’s spiraling. Something about the date you arranged? Apparently, it wasn’t the disasterhe expected. He actuallylikedher. Which, for Elliot, is apparently terrifying."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "You’re kidding me."

"Nope. He spent the entire dinner analyzing everything she said like it was some kind of job interview, but somehow, she found itcharming. Then she called him out for being too structured, made him try her cocktail, which, by the way, hehated and then forced him to dance in the middle of the restaurant. He’s in a full-blown crisis because, and I quote, 'It was the most fun he’s had in years.'"

I exhale sharply, shaking my head. "So, what’s the issue?"

"The issue is that Elliot doesn'tdofun. He’s convinced that means he’s lost control. And if there’s one thing Elliot fears more than commitment, it’snot being in control.Honestly, it’s pathetic. Fix it. Also, don’t forget, you have less than a month.""

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "You’re kidding me."

"Nope. He’s pacing his office like a man possessed, ranting about how he’s notreadyto feel something."

The line goes dead before I can argue. I clench my jaw, shoving my phone in my pocket.

Margot raises a brow. "Less than a month for what?"

I don’t answer right away. Instead, I exhale and grab my laptop. "We’ll get to that later. First, we deal with Liam. Then, we handle Elliot. And after that, Evans? You and I need to talk."

She folds her arms, watching me with suspicion. "About what?"

I meet her gaze, letting the weight of my words settle between us. "About us. Because you can’t tell me you don’t feel it too."

22

MARGOT

Grayson is watching me like he’s waiting for me to admit something I’m not ready to say. My pulse kicks up, but I ignore it, arms still folded as I narrow my eyes at him. "We don’t have time for whateverthisis."

His smirk is slow and knowing. "Right. Because ignoring it has been working so well for us."

I roll my eyes, shoving my phone into my pocket. "What’s our next move?"

He leans against the counter, his expression turning serious again. "We draw Liam out. We don’t wait for him to make another move, we set the trap."

I stiffen. "You mean use me as bait."

He holds my gaze, unflinching. "Only if you trust me to protect you."

I swallow hard, my mind racing. Every instinct tells me to stay in control, to be the one calling the shots. But Grayson has already proven he’s willing to do whatever it takes.

"How do we do it?" My voice is steady, even though my stomach is twisting.

Grayson straightens. "We leak false information, make it seem like you’re going back to your apartment alone. Olivia and another assistant help spread it, and we wait for Liam to take the bait."

I exhale slowly. "And when he does?"

His jaw tightens. "We make sure he regrets ever coming after you."

Something about the way he says it, low, certain, sends a different kind of shiver down my spine. This isn’t just strategy for him. This is personal.

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