Page 34 of Chandelier Enthralled
Squeezing my eyes shut, I realized how obvious that should have been. I reached into my tuxedo pocket and fished it out, offering it to him.
Atticus took it and closed his fingers around the sordid engagement ring. “I’ll see what Eve wants to do with it.”
“No fond memories there,” I said.
Eve had suffered abuse from the man who’d given it to her. Still, its fate was up to her.
I smirked. “Let’s hope she doesn’t act like Rose fromTitanicand throw it into the L.A. River.”
“I think she’s going to sell it and put the money in a Trust for her daughter.”
“Good idea.”
He stood up. “You need water.”
I pointed to the empty glass on the bedside table.
“I’ll get you more,” he said.
“Don’t…”
I didn’t want him to leave now that he had what he’d come for, in case it meant he’d exit my life forever.
“What have we become?” I whispered.
Atticus kept his gaze on me. “A bunch of assholes.”
My throat tightened, anticipating the pending conversation about how I’d betrayed my closest friends—betrayed him by omitting the truth.
Atticus exhaled a sigh of frustration. “You acted surprised when I mentioned the sixth floor at Pendulum.”
“Are you out?”
He shrugged. “We extracted the women. Maybe that’s as far as we take it.”
“Jewel is close to taking the reins. If she does, Pendulum will be a worse place than when we found it.”
“We can’t fight every battle.”
I lifted my head, surprised he was admitting defeat.
Of course, he had to protect Eve and her daughter. Both he and Jake had taken risks that had seen their lovers threatened. Their own lives had almost been torn apart.
I didn’t blame either of them for wanting out.
Atticus kicked off his shoes and climbed on the bed beside me, leaning back against the headboard.
“Jewel is untouchable. She brought down Lance Merrill with no consequences. All eyes were on Aemon, the villain everyone feared. The one everyone believed to be the embodiment of evil.”
I shook my head. “She must have some weakness we can exploit.”
“Tell me everything, Greyson. Help me understand.”
“I understand this seems like betrayal.”
“I admit I’m hurt.”
I sat up with my back to the headboard. “I had no idea where the job would be or why they wanted it that way. I was merely hired to redesign the interior, a sixth floor. They wanted a private elevator.”
