Page 116 of Lust & Lies

After a moment of hesitation, Julian asked, “Am I on speaker?”

“No. Of course not.”

It wasn’t safe to have him on speaker phone around Noe.

“Good. The last time we spoke, you told me you were getting a divorce.”

I clenched my jaw, eyes flicking to Noe. She didn’t turn my way, but I knew she was listening to my side of the conversation.

“That is no longer the case,” I replied, choosing my words carefully.

“Is she blackmailing you to stay with her?”

I bit back a laugh. “Not at all.”I wished she were.

Julian was quiet for a moment, but of course, he didn’t let it go.

“Say ‘cranberry’ if you’re being held against your will.”

I chuckled. “You’re funny, Julian. I’m taking my wife out to breakfast. Do you really need me to stop by the site, or can it wait?”

“No. I need you there now,” he told me, tone serious.

Shit.This definitely wasn’t good. Whatever it was, I needed to take care of it before my grandfather found out and started being nosy. I chanced a glance at Noe again, who was still staring out the passenger window, pretending not to listen.

Lowering the phone to my chest so Julian wouldn’t hear me, I whispered, “Baby, is it okay if I stop by...”

“I don’t care,” she mumbled before I could complete my question.

Well, damn.Yeah, she was pissed off at me about something. I brought the phone back to my ear.

“I’ll make a U-turn at the light,” I told Julian. “Be there in about ten minutes. Twenty if traffic is crazy on the strip.”

“No problem. I’ll wait. I would say tell your wife I said hello, but she hates me. So...”

“She doesn’t hate you,” I told him. Damn it. Why did I say that?

“Who do I hate?” Noe whispered.

I stared over at her, shook my head, and whispered, “You don’t hate him.”

"The last time she saw us having a drink in the casino,” Julian continued. “She told me I was the reason you stayed gone most nights. She said I was a playboy who kept bringing you around women, which was the reason you were cheating on her."

I was so damn glad Noe couldn’t hear any of this shit Julian fucking Cattaneo was saying. I closed my eyes for half a second to calm down and keep myself from cursing his ass out.

“Let’s not mention that again, Mr. Cattaneo,” I finally said, my voice lower, tone tense.

“See you in ten,” he stated.

I ended the call and placed the phone face down in the console. Noe turned in her seat to face me for the first time since she’d gotten into the car.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

Glad that she was talking to me again, I pushed my irritation with Julian away and made sure I didn’t sound frustrated when I answered her.

“I don’t know yet. The company that’s pouring a foundation for our new resort wants me to stop by the site. I’ll stop by before we go eat. Is that okay with you?”

“It is. Do I know this friend of yours?”