Page 167 of House of Payne

Katia raises a perfectly arched brow. “You got distracted, allowing Lance the opportunity to shoot you.”

I narrow my eyes. “Is this the thanks I get for helping you with your wound?”

Katia purses her lips. “I appreciate that, but you didn’t do it for the right reasons. You’re avoiding London.”

I scowl. “Why would I be doing that?”

“Because you don’t like how she makes you feel.”

“She’s a good fuck,” I maintain. “The Fitzpatricks and Everetts screwed up by assuming otherwise.”

“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

I offer Katia a long, measured look. “Look at the mess she’s created. I’d be a fucking idiot to keep her around. Once she’s recovered, London is going to leave.”

I’m sure she’s already planning ways to get away from me.

The only difference is that this time, I’ll let her.

Katia cocks her head. “You’re going to let her out of her contract?”

“I’m the reason she was kidnapped. I can’t expect her to pay off her debt in peace now. They’ll come for her again, and I don’t want the headache of having to clean up any more of her messes.”

Regardless of what she’s awakened in me, I can’t let that happen.

Katia sighs. “And if she doesn’t leave?”

I study Katia, a woman I’ve known my whole life, and am startled to realize I’m looking at a stranger. “Sheisgoing to leave. She’d be stupid notto.”

“Stranger things have happened,” Katia offers with a smirk. “I’ll be back with a progress report.”

I turn to watch her leave and see the look Mathew gives her.

“You did me a favor,” Mathew says as I pass him. “Father won’t let you stay on after tonight’s stunt. Your days as head of the empire are numbered.”

I flip Mathew off and head upstairs.

London is in one of the guest rooms, using a blue cotton towel to clean her face. She meets my gaze in the mirror for a few seconds before looking away again. “Thank you for saving me.”

I pause to close the door and cross over to her. “I wouldn’t have had to if you hadn’t left to begin with. Do you have any idea how stupid that was?”

Being angry at her is better than the alternative.

I can’t face the terror and relief pumping through me in equal measure.

And I can’t crush her to me like I want to.

London grips the towel tighter but doesn’t face me. “I don’t need reminding. The past few days have made it clear I had no idea what I was doing.”

“You think the past few days were hard onyou?” I step into the bathroom. “That’s nothing compared to the punishment I should inflict on you for leaving. You signed a contract.”

London drops the towel and whirls to face me, her eyes flashing. “It’s always about the goddamn contract. They had my dad and Noah. I couldn’t just leave them.”

I frown. “Yes, you could have. They are no longer your problem.”

After the way they turned their backs on her, I thought she knew better.

Clearly, she needed to learn the lesson the hard way.