Page 40 of Manny's Surprise Baby

“Well, I have mine.” I glanced back at him. “If you must know… I was with my client in a nonprofessional capacity tonight. I don’t want that getting around.”

His gaze flickered. “You mean the porn star?”

I nodded.

His lip curled with obvious distaste. “I thought you didn’t screw around with current clients?”

“There’s a first time for everything.”

“So that’s… that’s really where you were?”

“Yes.”

He crossed his arms. “You didn’t go visit Colin by any chance?”

I prayed my face wasn’t as red as it felt. “Colin? Why would I go see him?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. You seemed put out that I didn’t want to tell you about my background. Alphas don’t drop things easily. Maybe you figured out another way to get my info.”

“If you don’t want to tell me stuff, then that’s fine.”

God, I’m going to hell for lying this much.

He pushed his tongue into his cheek. “Huh.”

I lifted one shoulder. “I told you, I was with Dirty Destiny.” I felt like an idiot saying her stage name. “She made me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

His face scrunched with repugnance. “She fucks guys for a living. Why would you want a piece of that?”

“Pussy is pussy.” I hated those words coming out of my mouth. It was disrespectful to women, and it disgusted me. But I was panicked that he not find out I’d talked to Colin. He’d flip out for sure. If he was this intense when he onlysuspectedI knew stuff about him, I couldn’t imagine what he’d be like if he knew I’d talked to Colin. If he was only going to be here another four days, I didn’t want him giving me the silent treatment the whole time. Not when the whole point of talking to Colin had been to get closer to Pierce.

Some of the tension left his shoulders. “You’d better not be lying to me.”

I laughed stiffly. “I’m not.”

He frowned. “Shit.” He met my gaze, his face flushed. “I’m… I’m sorry.” He looked around my room as if embarrassed. “I just thought—” He shook his head.

I shrugged. “It’s fine.”

“No. It’s not. I’m really sorry. I’m being totally paranoid.”

“We all make mistakes.”

God, I’m an asshole.

“I just really thought—” He shook his head. “Never mind.”

“It’s okay. Really.” He had no idea just how okay it was.

He glanced around as if he finally realized where he was. He winced. “I didn’t mean to barge into your private space.”

“I don’t mind. I was just getting ready for bed.” Regardless of my reassuring words, I felt hugely aware of my shirtless state. I wasn’t sure why, not when I undressed around other dudes in the locker room at my gym without giving it a second thought.

His gaze dropped to my bare chest, and his nostrils flared. But then he moved to the door and opened it quickly. “Again, I’m sorry for invading your space.”

“I don’t mind.” I grimaced. “I mean… you needed to talk.”

“Yeah.” He left the room without another word.