Page 41 of Tainted Love
“So, it is true? Wait until I tell?—”
“No!” I interject in a panic. “It’s not true. I’m not seeing him, he’s just my …” Stepbrother, but something holds me back from telling her that juicy bit of gossip as well. “—My friend,” I finish lamely. “We’re just friends. I’m not seeing anyone.”
“Really?” Sophie frowns. “I could have sworn Alison said she’d read some article?—”
“Oh, that?” I force out a laugh. “That was just some stupid gossip site. No, Elias and I met at one of my dad’s fundraisers,” I say, trying to come up with some believable story. Eventually news will get out that Dad has remarried, but for now I don’t want Sophie spreading anymore rumours about me or my family. “Listen, I’m kind of in a rush, so if I could just renew my membership, that would be great.”
“Sure.” Sophie takes my old membership card and swipes it through the machine. She clicks away at the mouse a couple of times before handing the card back to me. “You’re good to go. Payments will come out on the thirteenth of every month.”
“Thanks. Well, I guess I’ll see you around the gym,” I wave as I head over to the turnstiles. I scan my card and escape her calculating gaze.
After leaving my belongings in a locker, I grab a bottle of water from the fridge, quickly stretch, and find a treadmill that’s not in use. I start off with a brisk walk to warm up my aching muscles. My neck tingles, and I shiver. Glancing around, I can’t see anyone openly staring at me, so I try to brush off the feeling of being watched.
I increase the speed, and the tension seeps out of my body as I settle into a steady pace. Running has always had a way of calming me and helping to clear my mind.
“Beatrice Kirkland?”
I’m pushing ten kilometres and sweat drips down my body, when a sexy as fuck voice pulls me from my trance, causing me to stumble. Quickly slowing the speed on the treadmill back to a brisk walk, I glance to my right and see Kingston Arblaster, a lawyer from my granddad’s firm.
“Kingston,” I gasp out, feeling my cheeks heat. “Hey! I mean, uh, hi. How are you?” I groan internally, wishing the floor would swallow me whole. Could I be more awkward? I slow the treadmill until it comes to a complete stop.
“I thought it was you,” he says, flashing me a brilliant smile as I try to keep my eyes on his incredibly handsome face rather than letting them drift down to his muscular chest.
Fuck, life in an office has certainly been kind to him. Who knew he was hiding all those muscles under his suit? Maya is going to die when I tell her. At only twenty-nine, Kingston is one of the youngest lawyers at the firm, and Maya and I were guilty of shamelessly checking him out when we went to visit my dad.
“I see you’re back from your overseas adventures.”
“In the flesh,” I say, sweeping my hands out in front of me. Dear god, let me stop sounding like a complete imbecile.
Kingston just chuckles, and the sound makes my heart flutter. “Where’s your trusty sidekick?” he asks, looking around.
“Maya snagged herself an Italian boyfriend, so I’m back here on my own I’m afraid.”
“A pretty girl like you, I’m sure you won’t be lonely for long.”
Wait! Is he flirting with me?
“How’s your dad enjoying his honeymoon?” Kingston asks before I can process a response.
I shrug. “He seems happy. That’s the main thing, I guess.”
“And you?”
“And me, what?”
“Are you happy? It must be weird seeing your dad with a woman. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the man date in the six years I’ve known him.”
“To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it too much,” I admit. “I was only back a couple of weeks before they left for New York.”
His eyes soften in sympathy. “That sucks. I know how close you two are. He’s so proud you plan to follow in his footsteps. He’s always telling everyone in the firm about you joining him when you graduate law school.”
The guilt over what Elias and I did last night rears its ugly head again. If Dad finds out, I honestly don’t know how he’s going to react. I’m the worst daughter. He has done so much for me, and I’ve just thrown it all back in his face by sleeping with my stepbrother.
“Are you okay?” Kingston asks, reaching out a hand to help me off the treadmill. “You’ve gone really pale.”
My legs are like jelly, and I stumble, but he hooks his arm around my waist and helps me over to a nearby bench.
“I’m okay,” I protest weakly. “I just need some water.”
