Page 14 of Marry Lies
“Well, he’s not in the bathroom,” Charles says, shrugging.
Oh god. Did he climb out of the fucking window or something?
My face flames.
He left.
Charles and my father resume speaking, but my food is threatening to come up my throat as I press the heels of my hands against my eyes.
Inhale, exhale…
He left me to pick up the pieces.
Fucking bastard.
Charles says something to me about him coming around, about being patient, but I can’t be here for another second. I can’t listen to my father and Charles Ravage make excuses for what they did—for whatMilesdid.
This is the single most humiliating thing that’s ever happened to me.
A burning anger begins to radiate from my chest outward, so I clutch my purse and stand. I don’t hear what my father says, what Charles says.
This whole lunch was completely preposterous, and if I had my say, I’d never have to see Miles Ravage again.
Lifting one foot in front of the other, I make it outside and quickly walk away from Papillon.
CHAPTERTWO
THE LIE
Miles
Setting the paper down, I give Luna a polite smile as she walks over to me holding her iPad. If it weren’t for her, I’d never get anything done. I make a mental note to give her another raise soon. She stops in front of me and glances down at the device, looking like she means business. I take a sip of my coffee just as she begins her usual morning debriefing.
“Good morning, Mr. Ravage,” she chirps, taking the seat next to me. “You have quite a full day today,” she adds, grabbing a piece of melon and popping it into her mouth. “Your nine o’clock cancelled, so I’ve pushed your ten o’clock to nine-thirty. You and Chase have a meeting with Blue Light at two o’clock. Your three o’clock cancelled, so I can always push your two o’clock back if you’d like.”
“Sorry to interrupt,” I grumble, sitting up straighter. “Twoclients cancelled today?”
She presses her lips together. “Well,” she says, looking down at her screen. “Technically three of them did. Your five o’clock also cancelled.”
I blow a heavy breath out of my lips. “Fuck.”
“I’ve reached out to all three of them but haven’t heard back,” she offers.
Thatfucking LA Weeklyarticle…
I nod as my jaw tenses. “It’s fine. Thank you, Luna.”
“I’m not finished,” she adds, arching a brow. “You have a six o’clock with Entice, but I can move it earlier if you’d like.”
I wave her off. “No. Keep it. The last thing I want is to scare a fourth person away.” She nods and gives me a pitying look. “Don’t look at me like that, Luna,” I growl, taking another bite of my toast.
“They don’t know what they’re missing, Miles,” she says kindly. “It’s their loss.”
My toast turns to sawdust in my mouth, and I wipe my lips with my napkin once before standing.
“I appreciate that. Anything else?”
She’s looking up at me with her brown eyes as I adjust my tie. “Yes. Your father sent over a flight itinerary for”—she glances down at the clipboard—“Estelle Deveraux?”
