Page 140 of Heartless

Cecily’s hand flew to her mouth.Rowena’s eyes turned into saucers while Kimberly’s gaze dropped to her feet.

“My God, Sienna...I...we didn’t know—” Rowena started.

“And yet, none of you seemed surprised.”

They actually did.In fact, they seemed horrified, but they’d been lying to me in one way or the other, and I was done.

Kimberly was the first to recover.“Sienna, Nigel didn’t send us.We just thought you should know that you’re just a tool in Jake’s vendetta against Nigel.We all were.”

My heart jumped in my throat.“What?”

Cecily spoke then.“He and your father—”

“He’s not my father,” I snapped.

She nodded.“Sorry.In his feud with Nigel, Jake seduced all of us.Him and his friend, Silas.”

Oh God.My heart began galloping.“They seduced you?Did they force you to sleep with them?”

Kimberly’s mouth tightened.“It’s not what we’re saying—”

“I know what you’re saying.You came here to tell me you all slept with Jake and Silas.”I crushed the scream building in my chest.“What is this, anyway?Some kind of Jake Rhodes’s anti-fan club?”

Nigel’s current wife spoke next.“It’s not.I know you’re in love with him.I was too.When I told him, he laughed and said he just wanted to break one of Nigel’s toys.”Her head jerked toward Cecily Morrison whose gaze was downcast.“He did the same with Cecily, and it led to their divorce.”

My throat dried up.That sounded like something Jake would say.Rowena answered the question I was about to ask.

“When Nigel said you were being manipulated by Jake Rhodes, I told Kimberly, and we realized we’d both slept with him.I didn’t sleep with Silas, but we contacted Cecily, and she confirmed she had an affair with them.”

Cecily nodded, and her tone was that kind of resigned sympathy.“We’re not lying, Sienna.We just wanted you to know who you’re sleeping with.”

I slanted back.“I know who I’m sleeping with.”

Kimberly leaned down.“You think you do because he gave you the best orgasms of your life.He’s great in bed.We all know how good both of them are.I bet Jake wipes his mouth on the inside of your thigh after going down on you.That’s kind of his trademark.You’re not special, Sienna.He did it to all of us.”

He’d kissed me there.

My stomach twisted, and I forced my hand to uncurl from the mug.The icy sheet of my anger blanketed my sinking heart, and I rolled my shoulders back.“Let me get this right.”I pointed at Cecily.“You...”My finger swept to Kimberly.“...And you slept with Jake and Silaswhileyou were married to Nigel.”I looked at Cecily Inglewood.“You, you’re just a cheater, and liars are incredibly trite.”

Ignoring her agape mouth, I turned to Kimberly.“I’ve watched you with Nigel.And I know you know your shelf life is coming to an end, and no amount of gross French kissing is going to change that.”I tilted my head to the side.“You pretended not to know Jake while you were playing the sad, dutiful wife in front of your husband’s son.Now I can’t help but wonder how Joel is going to react when I tell him you cheated on his dying father with at least two men.The same men his previous Mommy Dearest slept with.”Channeling Silas, I made myself smirk.“I think I’m going to enjoythatconversation.”

Kimberly paled.“Listen—”

“You came here to talk.I’m talking.”I planted my gaze into Rowena Wheelan’s.“And you, you really are the saddest of them all.Has Nigel ever called you his ‘little dear’?Did he ask you to call him ‘Dad’ and move in with him?”She gasped, and tears filled her widened eyes.“I guess not.Must suck to have the wrong blood type.But the person I really feel sorry for is your stepfather.This man has raised you as his own, and now he has to watch you chase after a father who paid you to leave him alone.”

A male voice cut through whatever she was about to say.

“Order for Sienna.”

I stood up slowly to make sure my legs wouldn’t fail me while Rowena glided out of the booth.I watched the wall of women for a few seconds and held their stares—Kimberly’s was more like a glower.

My stomach hurt, but my voice was firm.“Come after me or Jake again and watch me turn the Morrison men against your squadron of vipers.”

Kimberly stepped closer and hissed.“They won’t listen to you.”

My forced scoff hurt my throat.“Try me,Kimmy.”

I walked out of Puccini’s with my head high.But my heart was breaking yet again.