Page 93 of Bling

Garrett’s face fell as a tear slid down her cheek.

“Christ, Isabelle. I’m not mad at you, baby. I’m sorry. I’m fairly sure you just had the pleasure of speaking to my brother, and yeah, he would have said and asked all the right things. I’m not mad. I promise.”

He shut the door softly and crossed to where she sat. Dropping to one knee, he lifted her chin, so she was looking at him.

“I don’t like upsetting you,” she murmured.

“You haven’t.”

He sat fully on the floor and shoved a stack of folders to the side and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

“Is your brother really that much of a rotten guy?” she asked as she felt herself calm in his embrace.

He grimaced. “It’s complicated. I didn’t use to think so, but things changed.”

“Will you tell me about him?”

He frowned. “Maybe some other time.”

She ran her fingers through his hair. “You don’t have to, but it might help to talk about him.”

He nodded and pressed his forehead into hers. “I will. Just not right now. Right now, I need you to get me the email address he used so I can send it to Lance.”

She scrambled from his lap and wrote the email address on a sticky note. “I hope it helps,” she said.

“It’s probably a junk account we can’t trace but it’s something to work with anyway. Excuse me, Doll. I need to call Lance.”

She watched as he disappeared into his office before bending to rearrange the stack of folders he’d shoved aside.

She heard a loud cracking sound come from inside his office a few minutes later.

“Everything OK?” she asked, poking her head through his doorway. He was rubbing his fist.

“Sorry. I’m just frustrated. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Would you like me to get us lunch?”

He clenched and unclenched his fist. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I was supposed to feed you.”

“It’s OK. I don’t mind going.”

“No. Get your things, we’re leaving,” he said curtly.

“Where are we going?”

“My hotel. I’ll feed you there.”

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