Page 70 of Arrogant and Merciless

When I arrived here, I hoped to find answers; the only one I got is that Jackie was partially right: he resents me and paid for my company to get revenge.

“The salary will be good, I promise,” he says.

I jump slightly at his voice, and when I turn around on the stairs, I lose my balance.

He grabs my waist. “Careful.”

Before I realize what he’s doing, he’s scooped me into his arms, only setting me on my feet again when we reach the upper floor.

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

“‘Shouldn’t have done’ seems to be the motto of our story together, Taylor.”

“We don’t have a story, William. I barely remember anything, but from what I see, all we ever had was sex and distrust.”

“Barely anything?”

Damn.

I look away, but he won’t let me off so easily, gripping my chin.

“Taylor?”

“When we . . .when we were . . .I remembered the first time you and I . . .”

Something flickers in his gaze, and I know he means to lean closer before he even does it.

“No. We already made a mistake today. We’re not repeating it. Show me what you want me to see so we can talk about the job.”

“You didn’t sound too interested in working for me until now.”

“You’re mistaken. I’d already started looking, but from what I see in my documents, I don’t have many qualifications.”

“You play violin. You even got a scholarship as a kid.”

I blink, surprised. “So you do believe I lost my memory? Otherwise, why tell me that?”

“Don’t ask what I believe about you, Taylor. You probably wouldn’t like the answer.”

He opens a door, letting me enter first.

I walk by him with my head high, as though his last words didn’t hurt me. But once I’m inside the room, I turn back to him, startled. There’s hardly any furniture: just a few chairs, an armchair, and a violin case.

“A music room?”

He shrugs. “It never really got used for that, but that’s not the point. The point is giving you something I never had time for in the past.”

William

CHAPTER FORTY

“You bought something for me?”

“It wasn’t a big deal. You once mentioned it to me, so I went after it. I don’t leave loose ends in my life. I never got the chance to give it to you, though.”

Taylor stares at the unmistakable violin-shaped case, alternating between it and me, her eyes shining with curiosity. I reflect bitterly how, at the time I acquired the violin, it was with the certainty I’d bring her back home to stay with me. Now, I have her here, yet she isn’t mine. At least, not forever.

Needing to put some distance between us, I step away and take a seat on the only armchair in the room. I still haven’t recovered from what she revealed—that she remembered the day I first made her mine while I was fucking her earlier.

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