Page 45 of The Photograph

A few hours later, seated behind my desk, I peer through pictures of the ‘more than a friend’ man Aelin left with. Christopher Wend, lawyer. In the picture taken from behind the car, she’s looking at him the same way she does me, all soft. And the sucker’s probably lapping it up.Like I did.

Like Michael did before she showed her true colors. The cunning little gold digger is better than I gave her credit for. But I’ve met women like her. I nearly married one. The problem is they’re never completely rotten to the core, and this is how they get smart, successful men to lay their self-respect at their feet.

I punch the desk phone to call Ann. She walks in and her smile turns into a frown as she lifts her frowning gaze to mine.

“Everything okay?”

“Get Delia Jones for me.”

After a short silence, her heels shuffle on the thick carpet as she approaches my desk.

“For Aelin? Are you sure?”

In the time I’ve known her, Ann has never questioned my relationships. “What do you mean?”

My long-term right hand and friend frowns. “Aelin doesn’t strike me as … She’s different and I think it would be a mistake to treat her like the … others.”

Ann loves Mike, and I wonder what she’d say if I tell her that Aelin is the woman who turned him into the aimless rolling stone he has become. Unable to form meaningful attachment with anyone since she destroyed him. I clench my jaw. My baby brother, one of the only people in this world with a true good heart, got hurt, broken down to his bones. When our parents died, I promised myself to protect him, protect my only family. And I did. Until she happened.

“Just get Delia Jones.”

Ann pinches her lips. “I like Aelin, and I thought you did, too. That’s all.”

“I don’t. Anything else?”

Ann shakes her head. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

My assistant exits the office, and I feel like breaking something.

Truth is, I enjoy spoiling the women I date, and setting them up with a designer clothing account keeps things clear in our relationship. They know and agree to it from the start, so there’s no tears, no drama, and no media gossips. But Ann’s right, Aelin’s different, she’s the parabolic wolf in sheep clothing.

****

On Monday evening, parked across Aelin’s house, I keep my eyes on the car of the asshole she left with and her front door. When Drummond called me an hour ago to tell me she just got home with Christopher Wend, I told him to go home and jumped in my car. They’ve been inside for nearly an hour.

Does she say his name like she does mine? Does she moan the half cry, half purr in his mouth just before she comes?

I lean back in the leather seat. I wanted to tell her. I was going to take her on a beach somewhere and get her side of the story with Michael. When I saw her with her goddaughter, all soft and loving, I thought…Fuck.She got me all wrapped up around her greedy little fingers, and like a moron, I almost told her the truth.Fucking idiot.

The black door opens on the lawyer, and I clamp my hands on the steering wheel as Aelin follows behind him. He hugs her. I can’t see her face, but she stays in his arms for a long time. The guy kisses her and, as he heads to his car, she waves him off before going back inside.

More than a friend. Is that what she says about me?About all the men she fucks?

Forcing my fingers to uncurl around the leather-covered steering wheel, I breathe deeply and unclench my teeth. I peek at the dashboard. 8:43 PM.What the fuck am I doing?

I reach for the ignition key when from the corner of my eye, I catch a flicker of light. She turned off the light of the front room.

Where did that guy take her?I would have taken you anywhere in the world. You just had to say the word, and I…

Within seconds, I’m at her door. After ringing the bell, I lift my fist to knock when Aelin opens the door. Her damp hair is smoothed back, she’s barefoot with only her kimono robe on. And she looks like she’s been well-fucked.

Her eyes wide, she beams at me. “Gabe, hi.”

‘Gabe, hi?’ That’s it?There’s no guilt in her expression, nothing that would alert me I’m being played like a fool. She tugs on my hand, loops her arms around my neck and rolls on her toes.

Her supple body is warm and as I inhale the scent of whatever she uses on her skin, I get hard while anger throbs in my temples.

She touches my jaw. Like she just did with that other sucker. “What’s wrong?”

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