Page 94 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. Two
Aubrey snickers beside me, and when I give her a pleading look, she just shrugs. “Spend his money, babe.”
“But these are just for fun. I don’t want to waste—”
“You think something has to be practical for me to buy it for you? Oh, absolutely not, love.”
“I—well, you see—” My voice falters because I don’t really have a good excuse.
The cashier gives me a bewildered look. “You have someone willing to fund your reading habit, and you’re sayingno?Honey, do you know how expensive books are?” They gesture to my books on the counter. “Especially hardcovers.”
My whole body feels like it’s on fire. I gulp in air as I look to Elliot. “You’re sure?”
Elliot places his card in between my fingers and guides my hand to the credit card reader. “Swipe it.”
I’m so used to obeying whatever he says that I do it without thinking.
He places his lips right next to my ear and murmurs, “Good girl.”
I swear my knees go weak. If it wasn’t for the counter in front of me and Elliot behind me, I’m pretty sure I’d be a puddle on the floor right now. Thankfully, Elliot said that quietly enough that only I heard.
Rhett eases my books out of my hands and carries them for me. My head feels a little light, so when Elliot takes my hand, I let him guide me out of the store. It’s not until I’m in the backseat of our rental with Aubrey that I truly process everything that happened inside.
“So you’re a poet.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Do you not like being a lawyer?”
Aubrey wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Oh god no. It’s what my parents wanted for me, and at the time I was deciding my career, I didn’t know what I wanted. It took me until a year or two after I graduated to figure it out, honestly.”
“But your parents don’t know.”
“They’ll find out when the time is right.”
When the time is right.There she goes again, hinting at something bigger. Something more.
“What do you mean by that?”
“It’s quite simple, really,” she says. “Or, I suppose, not at all. Have you ever wanted to escape your life? Start over again with a new name, new friends, new everything?”
“I used to wonder if I could. But it was more of an escapist fantasy than anything else.”
“That’s how it started for me, too. But then I realized I could make it my reality. At first I thought about just moving away. I’ve always wanted to live somewhere on the west coast, close to the ocean. I wouldn’t mind the space from my parents. I love them, of course, but sometimes distance is good. Helps you grow into your own person.”
“But you decided to do more?”
“She inspired me.” Aubrey taps the cover of her book, which is now sitting in my lap. “The woman I found as I poured my heart out onto paper. I realized I couldactuallydisappear. Being a Stallard comes with built-in enemies and a lot ofsocial pressure to be perfect. A ruined reputation could hurt the family business. But being Isabella DuPont offers nothing but freedom and a clean slate.”
“So you’re going to start over?”
“Completely.”
Tilting my head, I try to work through a way to make that happen. “I don’t understand. How are you going to do it if you’re marrying Ludo?”
“I’m going to die.”
My stomach sinks. “What? Aubrey, no. Why—”
“Oh, notliterally,silly. I’m going to fake my death.”
