Page 78 of Malicious Marriage

“You caught me.” I smirk. “I was so bored out of my mind that I fell asleep like a light.”

“Damn,” Clover sighs. “I knew it. Guess I gotta up my game.”

She looks different today. Or I’m seeing her in a new light. I can’t tell. Her hair seems fuller and I want to run my fingers through the waves. Her smile seems brighter, and her mouthwateringly curvaceous body looks extra delicious in the yellow sundress she wears. Do I have time to take it off and ravage her?

A quick glance at my phone tells me no.

“Thank you for last night.”

Clover spins to face me with coffee in hand, causing the flow of her skirt to swish and give me a delicious tease of her upper thigh. “Are you thanking me for sex?”

“No, darling. I’m thanking you for lending me an ear and giving me space to process.”

Her beautiful, soft face instantly tenses. “How are you feeling about all of that? And Trisha?”

“Honestly?” I slide from my stool and grab my phone. “I don’t know. In those weeks after you told me about Conor, I tried to prepare myself for the worst. I tried to tell myself there was a chance, but nothing I did prepared me for how I’d feel such loss upon learning the truth.”

She nods and her gaze falls to her cup.

“But don’t worry about that.” I catch her chin and lift her gorgeous eyes to mine. “I have to meet Don and I’m already late, but when I get back tonight, let me cook you dinner.”

“You won’t hear me complaining.” Despite the warmth in her smile, it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Is she that worried about me?

“I’m fine,” I reassure her and I kiss her softly. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Don’t forget you owe me underwearandtights!” she calls after me.

“I won’t forget!”

Outside, Jack greets me with a grim smile. “You good?”

“No, but I’m working on it.”

“Trisha’s been blowing up my phone.”

“Yeah, I blocked her on mine. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize.” Jack snorts. “Bitch deserves it.”

“I can’t imagine what she thought I would do when the results came back.”

“I do.” Jack holds the door open. “She’s so twisted, I bet she expected you to kill Conor in a jealous rage and come back to her because you’re so attached to the idea of a child that the child’s parentage doesn’t matter.”

Sliding into the car, I groan. “Sounds like something she would come up with.”

“Right?” Jack hurries around to the driver’s seat and as he gets situated, I get a call from Andrew.

Shit. I’ve been forced to field that guy's calls for a few weeks now while being neck deep in the Russian disaster.

“Hello?”

“I’d worry that you just didn’t care anymore if not for the fact that the checks are still coming,” Andrew drawls. “What’s happenin’, Boss?”

“I’m sorry. You’ve seen the news. I’m sure you know.”

“Gang brutality floods the streets of New York. Aye, I’ve seen it.”

“I just haven’t had space or time to deal with you. I’m sorry.”