Все главы Love, Lies, and a Billionaire's Regret : Глава 71 - Глава 80

PENELOPE "I want to go on a date with you." There was silence on the line. "Adrian," I said. "Did you hear me?" "I...heard you," he said. "It's very complicated." "It's not that complicated." "Why the sudden change of mind" he said. "Three days ago you told me about Jonathan." "Yeah," I said. "That hasn't changed." "Then..." "And there is something with you that also hasn't changed," I said. "You are the most honest person in my life. I enjoy spending time with you, and everything around me is falling apart. I just want to do something normal." I pressed my back against the wall. "So I'm asking you on a date." "To a dinner," I said. "Somewhere with good food where nobody is going to show up and tell me something terrible about my family." "Can you guarantee that last part?" he asked. "No," I said. "But I'd like to try." Then he said. "I need to ask you something, and I need you to answer honestly." "Alright." "Is this because of Jonathan?" he said. "Because things feel

PENELOPE "He needs to leave," Adrian said quietly to me while looking at Jonathan across the narrow lobby. He thought his voice was low enough.Jonathan heard him and he turned to Adrian. "I'm not leaving her alone," he said."She's not alone," Adrian replied. "I'm here with her.""You're not a trained security," Jonathan answered."Neither are you," Adrian said."I have people...""Jonathan. Adrian." My voice was interrupted and they both stopped. "I am standing right here."They focused on me."I am not a location to be secured," I stated. "I am a person. Right now, you both are making decisions about me while I'm present, and I need you to stop."Then I turned to Jonathan. "Listen, I understand why you came and I'm grateful. The detective needed to be called, and you did that. It helped." Then I looked at Adrian. "And I know why you want to stay. You noticed the man before I did, and you stood in front of the door. That also helped." I met the gazes of both of them. "But I'm going

PENELOPE I lowered the phone, but Jonathan was looking at me then he asked. "What's the name?" My gaze drifted from his direction. I didn't know how to tell him and what it'll cost me to tell him. That was a big part of a risk I'm going to be making now...After the business risk. And I have to act fast, since he won't stop staring at me. "Marcus," I said. Jonathan went mute. "Wh..Whatt!! Say that again," he muttered. "Marcus," I repeated. "Your Marcus. The head of your operations. He's been reporting back to Webb monthly for two years." The silence that followed had a depthJonathan started reassessing everything he thought he understood about the last two years of his own life. Then Jonathan stood up and paced the room till he finally leaned on the wall with his back to me. His shoulders were very straight, which meant his expression was significant. "Two years?? on you??" he was speechless. "Presumably on both of us," I said. "He had access to everything including your sc

JONATHAN I stood on the pavement, my hands in my pockets, feeling the cold air while the city went about its nighttime business. I had kissed Penelope. Then I said goodnight and walked away like a man who had complete self-control, something I absolutely did not have. Then I went to my car and drove off. I glanced at the pavement where we had stood. and I watched the green dress disappear through the building door. I had not planned the kiss. I had organized the dinner, intended to hold her hand, and planned to take it slow the way she needed. But then we were outside her building, and she looked at me, making all my plans irrelevant. She had kissed me back too. That was the part I kept coming back to. Not that I had done it, but that she had. My phone rang and Marcus's name flashed on the screen. Then I rejected the call. Whatever Marcus had to say would go to the detective, not to me. I had given six years to a man who spent two of those years report

PENELOPE "Ohh, that's my sister. She said she needs to meet me," I said."She is always needing something," Jonathan said. "That's not new.""I think she actually mean it this time," I said. "Look at it. She didn't even try to explain herself." I placed the phone down. "She's just asking.""Or she wants you to think that," he said."Possibly," I said. "But I've known Seraphina for years and this doesn't seem like a performance."He sat back in the chair.Nora was on the floor, sucking on one of her toys."What would you do if I weren't here right now?" he asked."I would probably go," I answered "Then why is my presence changing your answer?" he asked again."Because I'm trying to factor in how you feel about it," I answered.He thought about my answer for a while."Penelope," he said. "Don't do what you did when we were still married. Don't make smaller decisions because you're trying to account for my reaction. That's not what I want from you. I want you to decide what you want an