Page 53 of Dirty Little Secret, Baby
"Since when do you act like an adult, huh? You lie, you cheat, you steal, and you copy. That's how you built your business. Now get lost. Take Dilara with you, wherever she is, and don't show your faces here again."
"Eric," I call to my assistant over my shoulder.
"Yes, boss?" he asks.
"Jake and his date want to leave. Make sure they actually find their way out, and don't let them out of your sight," I explain to him, but I keep my gaze fixed on Jake, whose expression seems quite satisfied. He has apparently achieved what he wanted.
"I'll send you the new bank details," he says as Eric tries to lead him to the door by the arm, but he wrenches himself free from the grip.
"What? What for?" I ask. "Have you completely lost your mind?"
"For the million dollars, of course. Our bet, remember?"
"Just get the hell out of here," I say, feeling a pit in my stomach. He'll get his million; I stand by my word. But I'm not going to talk to him about it here and now.
Damn it, could it really be that I let Beth dazzle me and lost sight of what was important? How could something like this happen to me? Me! Business always comes first for me, but this time...
"Give Beth my best," says Jake, now letting Eric lead him somewhat reluctantly toward the door.
I turn around, hoping I won't have to see him again for a long time, and make my way to Beth, who is waiting for me at the bar in the other corner of the room with a glass of orange juice in front of her.
"Is everything okay?" she asks as I return to her. She reaches for my hand, but I instinctively step back a little. "Hey, what's wrong? You seem tense."
"Jake's just pushing my buttons. He wasn't supposed to be here. Eric's showing him out," I say to Beth. Then a long silence falls between us as we look at each other. But there's no tension or desire hanging in the air. Instead, I'm waiting for Beth to confirm what Jake said. I want to hear it from her.
"Did he have bad news?" Beth asks, looking at me with concern.
"You could say that. Although with him, you never know if he's lying or not. Seems to be his M.O.," I reply. "You know how it is, right?"
"What do you mean by that?" Beth asks, tilting her head.
"Well, he's been to your shop before." I pause. "How many times, exactly?"
"I don't know. What difference does it make? And why are you looking at me like I've done something wrong?" Beth asks, looking hurt.
"We were supposed to talk. So let's talk. Did you happen to discuss anything with him that I should know about?" I ask, feeling my patience gradually wearing thin.
"If you must know, I sent him away," Beth says, sounding a little offended. "To be precise, it was right when you invited me over formovie night," she says, making air quotes with her fingers at the words "movie night."
"Okay, so you don't have a business agreement or anything like that?"
"With him?" Beth asks in a contemptuous tone, gesturing in the direction he disappeared. "No way. What do you take me for?"
"Sorry, I... Jake made a few insinuations, and I wanted to know if there was any truth to them," I explain, feeling incredibly stupid right now. Of course, it was just a bluff. And like an idiot, I fell for it and ruined everything with my harsh attitude.
"Really! I'm sorry. Do you want to talk now?" I ask, trying to sound gentle and gesturing toward the couch.
"I'm going to freshen up first. Give me a moment," Beth says, standing up, and it seems to me as if her eyes have a watery sheen. Did I hurt her that much? I just wanted to be sure.
"Of course. I'll be waiting for you," I say, watching her go and wondering if I've just ruined my chance to tell her about my plan for good.
Chapter 23
Beth
What in the world was that just now?
I look into the large mirror in the women's bathroom in his hallway, which is bigger than some dining rooms. There are even three lockable stalls, and I wonder if this bathroom was installed specifically for occasions like this.
