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“Don’t you think you’re overreacting just a little?” I said softly and received a stony glare in return.
“No. I think you’ve given me multiple lectures about evasiveness, lies, and secrecy, and yet here you are, avoiding meagain, omitting truthsagain. You speak of my double standards, of my hypocrisy, but what of your own, O’Connell? Or are you exempt from all your own rules?” I closed my eyes, blocking him out for a second, and took a deep breath. The man should have been a lawyer. In moments like this, he wasn’t my Alfie. He was Mr Tell, Billionaire Businessman, and the idea of my ever winning against him was ludicrous.
“No, of course I’m not.” As usual he was right, except that I didn’t know anymore whether Alfie was actually right, or whether he was just so good at manipulating me that he could talk me into agreeing with him.
“Then why would you try to keep this from me?”
“You aren’t exactly easy to confide in. You control and you fight and I hate arguing with you. You always make me feel so stupid.” I crossed my arms over my chest and tried not to cry. This wasn’t the worst fight we’d ever had, not even close, so why was it upsetting me so badly? Guilt, that’s why. If this tiny lie was going to hurt him, the other skeletons currently residing in my closet were going to do some serious damage, and the longer Ileft them there the worse it was going to be. The silence drew out around us until finally I heard him give a small sigh.
“You know, those pills are probably in that trash heap of a vehicle you drive.” His tone had softened a little and relief swept through me. We shared a small smile, an acknowledgement that the argument was over. He was pissed, I was sorry, but the argument was over.
He pulled me to him and pressed a kiss to my lips.
Bradley…
I hated that he’d popped into my head. Alfie’s kiss was as gentle in touch as Bradley’s, but its effect was entirely different. He released me and reached for the car door. It was then I noticed an envelope tucked under one of his wipers.
“Did you get a ticket? I told you, you can’t just keep parking anywhere you like.” I nodded at the very obviousNo Parkingsign only a few feet away. He plucked the envelope out and eyed it with an amused expression.
“A parking fine? How quaint.” He tucked the envelope into his inside breast pocket, no doubt for some lackey to deal with later.
He opened the door and started to guide me in.
“I have to get my prescription, first.” I pointed at the chemist behind me but Alfie dismissed me.
“Later,” he said and firmly manoeuvred me into the car, shutting the door with a decisive slam that dared me to argue after I’d already pushed him today. He’d forgiven me once for lying. Did I think he would forgive me twice for disobeying and making him wait? I guess he’d have to. I waited until he was around to his side before I hopped out.
“I’ll just be a second,” I called as I headed into the chemist, not needing to look behind me to see the look of annoyance on his face.
I handed my slip over to the pharmacist and joined the group of sick people waiting for their medication. I chanced a look out of the window and watched Alfie deal with what I assumed was another business call. He didn’t look angry any more. Instead he appeared full of an entirely different kind of tension. My breath hitched in my throat and I tore my gaze away, guilt gnawing on me.
“Miss?” I turned to the pharmacist and took the white paper bag he offered containing my pills. Not even waiting until I was outside, I took one immediately as per my doctor’s instructions.
“Ready?” Alfie asked when I stepped out onto the pavement. I nodded and slid into the car. Vivaldi played as always, and I was grateful that it filled the silence. I only wished it could fill my head and drown out the nagging thoughts whirling up there.
“We’re going to The Carlton?” I asked, surprised as I noticed the direction we were heading. The workday wasn’t over yet and I was expecting to be dragged back to Harrington again to watch him work.
“Yes.”
“Why?” Without a word, he took my hand and placed it over his crotch where his cock strained hard and heavy against his trousers.
“Oh…”
“‘Oh’ is right.” He didn’t wink or give me a playful smile. He looked strained, like he wanted to get somewhere private very quickly.
When we got to the hotel, he practically threw his keys at the valet and, with his arm around my waist, guided me to the lift. The doors closed and he was on me. His mouth closed on mine and he forced my arms above my head, enclosing my wrists in a vice-like grip.
But I couldn’t enjoy it. It just wasn’t right. I felt undeserving of his attentions. It was wrong to go to bed with him with a lie between us.
“Alfie, wait.” I tried to pull away but his hot mouth cut me off once more, melting me. The doors pinged open behind us and he walked me backwards into the suite. He shrugged off his jacket and his hands went for my jeans. I tore my mouth away, my hands pressed against his chest as I tried to hold him at bay. I couldn’t do this. I had to tell him. I had to.
“Alfie, I need to tell you something,” I gasped, but his steel greys were glazed over with lust. He gave a low growl and kissed me again, holding my jaw as he coaxed submission out of me. I whimpered, desperate and overwhelmed.
His lips parted from mine for just a second as he held me in that moment, that moment between day and night, sanity and insanity, that place where we always found each other, where we were always at our closest. Our foreheads pressed together, his thumb running over my swollen bottom lip as he soaked me in and I basked in his glory. I squeezed my eyes shut and prepared for the pain.
“I kissed Bradley.”
I didn’t know what I expected. Rage. Tears. Something. But instead there was nothing, just my words hanging between us like a row of corpses at the end of a hangman's noose.