Page 18 of Arrogant and Merciless

“Yeah, but I have no idea what to wear. I’ve changed clothes three times. It’s not like I have many options, and people two miles away will still be able to tell I’m broke, but I at least want to look decent,” I tell Bonnie, who got so excited when I mentioned I’d received an invitation—though I didn’t admit who it was from.

Technically, I don’t know for sure, since he didn’t sign the note.

Right, sure. You’re the worst liar in the world, Taylor Jarvis.

Who else would gift me something like this?

I’m already made up, and my hair is done. I’m just still torn between a black dress and a cream one. They’re the nicest I own, though pretty simple.

“Definitely the black, then, my dear. Black is always a good choice. Even the cheapest outfit looks chic. Hold on—I have a shawl you can wear over it. It’ll look more elegant.”

While she goes to fetch it, I slip into the dress. I need to hurry or I’ll be late. I decide to treat myself to an Uber ride there; to get back, I’ll rely on my usual friend—the subway.

Ten minutes later, I’m ready to go, already at the door, when my phone vibrates with an incoming message.

Unknown number:There’s a driver waiting for you outside your building.

My anxiety spikes, and I skip the elevator, rushing down the three flights of stairs. But when I reach the curb and see the driver holding the car door open, I can’t hide my disappointment upon realizing the back seat is empty.

This isn’t a date.

It’s just a gift.

I try not to look crestfallen as I greet the driver, get in, and put on my seat belt.

It’s probably better this way.

I don’t trust myself around that tempting man. William is a forbidden fantasy.

William

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“You weren’t payingattention to a single word we said,” Athanasios accuses, snapping me back into the conversation, and I can’t deny he’s right.

Today is our weekly dinner. Unless one of the three of us is out of town, we meet religiously once a week—this has been our routine ever since our friendship began in med school. In the beginning, we hated each other, which makes sense: three arrogant students, each convinced the world belonged to them—there wasn’t enough space on campus for our egos. It was only in our final year that we became friends, when an event from our past united us forever?1.

Perhaps to an outsider we seem different, but the truth is we share the same essence: we’re controlling, suspicious, and most of the time we don’t like other human beings.

“His mind’s on his grandmother’s employee,” L. J. says.

“The nurse?” Athanasios asks.

“She’s actually a caregiver,” I reply, recalling the information I gathered from Maryann and Bonnie. “But she plans to go into nursing.”

“A young woman, then.”

“Yes,” I say, feeling uneasy, because it’s not the first time I’ve thought about the big age gap between us. Taylor just turned twenty-three, while I’m already thirty-eight. Even if she were five years older, she wouldn’t come close to matching my sexual experience. Between the three of us, we’ve had enough women for each day of the week, and only in the last couple of years have we slowed things down.

“We’re listening,” Athanasios continues, and I feel like laughing. He’s the last person I’d consider asking for relationship advice; his heart is just as cold as mine.

“She’s way too young,” I begin, stating the obvious.

“But that hasn’t stopped you from becoming obsessed with her.”

“Yeah, and it’s messing with my head. Have you ever known you shouldn’t start something but at the same time felt it was inevitable?”

“I’m Greek. I believe in destiny,” Athanasios says.

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