Page 10 of The Photograph

She hums and her voice is soft. “Sometimes.”

Her absence pinches low in my chest, and I hug a pillow against my stomach. “If it gets bad, promise me to call, so I can fly out and spend time with you.”

“I promise, angel. But you’re going to be busy for the next few weeks, and—”

I frown when she stops talking. “Cara?”

My sister chortles. “Sorry, angel, just making room for a couple who are, uh … enjoying each other.” She clears her throat. “O-okay. I’m going to move away, things are getting … very amorous over here. Tell me more about Holloway.”

Grinning, I do. Too fast and in too many details before Cara says, “Angel, it’s my goodbye meal, cooked by Pierre Antoine and everyone’s waiting for me…”

How can I be so selfish?“Oh, my God, I’m keeping you. Go. Enjoy. We’ll text soon.”

“Okay, love you, angel.”

“Love you, too, my Cara.”

Chapter Three

Gabe

It’s almost 10:00 when I park in the side driveway of Holloway. The first-floor lights are

on and Aelin’s car is parked on the side next to the old servants’ entrance. Yesterday, I walked on the site at six in the morning to talk with my foreman and she was already there, by herself, working in the main bedroom. I have to give her that, she’s got good work ethics.

We didn’t establish a specific date of completion for her and her team, but at this rate the house will be ready sooner than I expected, so I have to set things in motion.

Striding swiftly through the marble floor of the wide hallway, I climb up the grand stairs. Once on the upper level, I slow down on the darkened landing and head toward the path of light beaming from the bedroom’s open door. Her throaty voice cuts through the silent house, so I stop and slant my shoulder against the wall to listen.

“Yeah? I’m not sure Em … hmm mmm... It shouldn’t be so hard to get money from him, sweetie. I’m still at work but come over for dinner on Friday and we’ll talk. Okay. Love you, too.”

Christ, she’s even giving advice on how to fleece men.Apart from a few flirtatious glances and well-studied coy smiles, she hasn’t made a move. She’s obviously playing the long con.

Time to play you at your own game.I unclench my back teeth, push off the wall and enter the bedroom just as she taps on her cell before setting it on the floor beside her.

Seated crossed legged on the floor and bent down over a large piece of cardboard, she

hums along with the moody melody coming from her cell.

A stirring melody about heartache, stolen kisses in darkness, and promises not kept.

The bright lamp set on the top left corner of her makeshift canvas illuminates her face from underneath. With strands of her hair coming loose around her face, her eyes fastened on the blank piece of paper, and her arms outstretched, slowly tracing curves, she looks ethereal, almost otherworldly.

It’s Saturday night, why isn’t she out somewhere breaking some poor idiot’s bank account?

“Good evening—”

She screams. Her body jerks backward, and her shoulder slams hard on one of the white commodes we picked together.

I rush to her side. “Fuck Aelin. Are you okay?”

Rubbing her shoulder, she flashes her eyes at me. “What are you doing creeping around so late?”

I wanted to see what you were up to.I push on my knees, and when I try to help her up, she swats my hand away and kneels up. Her lips curve down as she looks at the floor. The black paint has spilled out and whatever she was working on is now a large smudge. After she snatches the corners of the sheets of paper and cardboard, she gets on her feet to toss them in a large box serving as garbage bin placed near the door.

Her face is flushed as she lifts her tight smile. “I apologize. It’s your house and… Sorry, you just surprised me.”

I edge slowly toward her. “I didn’t mean to frighten you. I should have called ahead.” I point my chin at the box in the corner. “I’m sorry about that.”

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