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Chapter22

The thingabout little white lies is that they lead to deeply felt, dark and dirty pain.Colt and I were good at half-truths, which made us particularly good at causing eachotherpain.

As I slammed out of the dining room I ran right into Christina.“What is it?Whathappened?”

I ignored her.I was too blind with jealousy and rage.I grabbed her hand and dragged her into the library.“Does Colt still see one of his women on businesstrips?”

Her eyes went round.“I—I don’t know anything about his past...women,” shestammered.

“You’re aterribleliar.”

She winced.“How much has he told you about his past?”She moved away from me and toward the windows, clearly trying to put some distance between us.It was a move Colt was alsofondof.

I followed.“I assumed everything.He told me about hisarrangements.”

She twisted her hands.“Then you know that it’s exactly how it sounds.They were arrangements andnothingelse.”

“Except?”Because clearly there was an exception I didn’t knowabout.

“His first arrangement.Louisa.”

Ugh.I hated having a name.A name was something I could picture and twist.“Whatabouther?”

Christina swallowed and looked away.I hated that I was making her so uncomfortable but I needed information before I went upstairs and wentnuclear.

“She works for one of the suppliers Landry Ranch has partnered with for years.She and Colt only met up on trips since they took so manytogether.”

“And theystilldo.”

“It’s not like that.Certainly notsinceyou.”

I didn’t stay to hear anything else.I was too mad.Did I have a right to my anger?I wasn’t sure.All I knew was that Colt was mine and the very idea he saw one of his women on a regular basis was creating a level of jealousy in me I’d never feltbefore.

Which was why I didn’t go to Colt.Oh no.I went to my room and changed.It wouldn’t be safe for anyone if saw Colt,especiallyColt.

I went to the set and I made my last day of filming count.My emotions ran so high I was certain it was my best day yet.The crew even clapped when I finished onescene.

And yet none of that mattered, not when my heart was aching sodeeply.

“Great last day, Lily.Truly excellent work.I’m pretty sure we just put your Academy Award in the can.”Ted patted my back.“What’swrong?”

“Everything.”

His eyebrows shot up.“What’s going on?”He hurried to keep up with me as I stormed to the cart that would bring me back up to thehouse.

“I just have some shit to work out beforeIpack.”

“Pack?I thought you werestaying?”

“So did I.”I jumped onto the back of the cart just as it took off.“I’ll update you when Iknowmore.”

Isaton Colt’s bed waiting for him to finish work.I’d decided I wasn’t going to do anything foolish.I just needed an address so I could go give this woman a warning to stay away frommyman.

Fuck.When had I become such a jealous woman?Probably right around the time Colt said he enjoyed poetry.I really was a goner from moment one, wasn’t I?How could I not be?Handsome, smart, incredible in bed...Colt was one ofakind.

And hewasmine.

Not even possessive mothers couldchangethat.