Page 66 of The Billionaire's Secret

I glance around at the faces of the women I’ve come to count as family. I’ve known them for only a few weeks, and yet, each of them has gone out of her way to make me feel welcome here. They had accepted me into their little circle…no questions asked. How rare is that?

"If you insist..."

"We do." Meredith nods.

"If Karma were here, she’d say 'if youincest.'" Amelie snickers.

Summer chuckles, "That girl has a sense of humor that would be more in keeping with the sensibilities of a teenage boy."

"Such non-sequiturs." Amelie tosses her head. "Honestly, she is going to get into trouble for it someday."

Summer’s features firm, "What the hell is she doing in Sicily anyway? Why can’t she come back? I can’t help but get the feeling that she’s not telling the entire truth."

My pulse thuds at my temples. "But she is fine, right?" I pat some clotted cream and strawberry jam onto my plate.

Summer’s forehead furrows. "She’s been messaging me, but…"

"But?"

"The messages are not like her. I mean, she tells me that she’s okay, and that, in itself is weird. No jokes, no puns, no sarcasm.” She looks around the table. "Have you ever known Karma to speak without resorting to some underhanded acerbic quote?"

The others shake their head.

"Maybe… Uh, it’s the man she’s with?" I slice the scone, then lather some of the cream onto the flaky surface, followed by a dab of jam. "Perhaps he’s changing her?" I bite into the scone.

Amelie quirks her eyebrow, "Is Saint changing you?"

The bite of scone goes down the wrong way. I cough.

Summer hands me a glass of water and I down it.

"So, what’s the latest between the two of you?" Isla pipes up.

I place the glass back on the table, then reach for the rest of the scone. "These are good."

"Don’t change the topic," Amelie pouts.

"Let the girl have some tea." Meredith pours me a cup. "Milk?"

"I like it black."

She hands me the cup. I sip from it and the slightly acrid, bitter yet sensual taste of tea fills my senses. Almost as potent as his scent. The man who has turned my world upside down. I glance up, to find five faces turned in my direction. "What?"

"You’re falling for him, huh?" Summer’s brow furrows.

"No." I place the high-grade china carefully back in the saucer. Then survey the features of my friends. "I am already in love with him."

"Oh," Amelie's jaw slackens. Then she snaps her mouth shut, leans forward. "He’ll hurt you, girl."

My shoulders slump. Correction. He’s already wounded me in a way he’ll never know. Just not as much as I am going to hurt him. But I have no choice. I peer up at her.Should I tell her?I take in the assembled women.

"You can trust us with anything. You know that, right?" Meredith’s soft voice interrupts my thoughts.

I glance at her, then look away.

I scan their faces, "Why is it that all of you are so welcoming? You don't even know me."

"Oh, but I do." Summer's lips kick up in a smile. "It wasn't long ago that I was in your position. You see me and Sinclair and you think it was all roses and shit from day one?"