Chapter 9

The keys jingled as I unlocked the door.

“I don’t know why but I was expecting a huge place.” Marcus chuckled as we stepped inside. I shed my coat and tossed it onto the stand.

“It’s just me.” I sighed and kicked my heels off. “So it doesn’t make sense to have too large a place.”

“The interior’s impeccable, though.”

“I definitely made a big investment in it,” I agreed. “Make yourself at home. Do you like mint lemonade?”

“Sure.”

I went into the kitchen quickly without another word, really needing to be away from Marcus. My social battery felt like it would die out completely if I spent another second around him. It would’ve been nice to know he was such a talker. Not that it was a problem, honestly, but there was only so much I could handle after everything that had happened tonight.

My gaze dropped to the brown file on the island and I almost groaned. Emily’s profile. Snatching it off the marble surface, I pulled open the trash drawer and stuffed it in. Sliding it shut, I breathed dee