“You’re not as . . .” He withdraws his hand. “Ready for me as I would have hoped.”
“I can get myself ready, if you like.” I barb the smile before I give it to him. “It’ll be like old times.”
I’m not the only one holding back my true feelings. Despite the calm veneer, I see barely restrained rage in Parker’s eyes. I’m just waiting for him to take it out on me.
“The whole world is laughing at me, Bristol.”
“They aren’t.”
“To the world, you played me with that thug of yours.”
I don’t defend Grip. That would only make him angrier.
“I asked you to tell the press, Parker. I wasn’t cheating on you, and you know it. Now let’s get this over with.” Urgency to free Grip, to clear his name, rides me. “Tell me what you want. I’m on my knees here. You want head? You want to fuck me in the ass? You want to invite a couple friends? I don’t care, just tell me you’ll clear his name and do it as soon as humanly possible.”
Though I have my doubts about Parker’s humanity.
“God, all that loyalty and fire. That was supposed to be mine, too.” Parker runs a finger down my cheek, smiling when I flinch. “You think I’ll make this simple for him? For you? No, he needs to be humiliated the way I was. Everyone has to know.”
A cesspool of dread stands in my belly.
“Just tell me what I have to do, and give me the assurances I need that you’ll get him out as soon possible.”
“So impatient.” He pushes my hair back from my face, his touch lingering at my neck with deceptive gentleness. “You and I leave for the Amalfi Coast tomorrow.”
“All right.” I have no idea why this is necessary, but I also can’t care anymore. I just need to get Grip free.
“We’ll fuck on my yacht, out on the upper deck.”
My acquiescence freezes on my lips, horror seeping slowly into every fiber of my body.
“The upper deck?”
“Yes, the same reporter who leaked the Vegas pictures is standing by.” His frigid smile is an icy warning. “The whole world will know that you may be with him, but you’re on vacation fucking me. More importantly, he’ll know.”
I don’t know if I can do it. For a moment, my will wavers.
"Do you think I've done my worst, Bristol?" Parker’s smile is a sutured curve, a jagged row of stitches stretching over a wound. "Oh, it could get worse for him. What if there's a body somewhere connected to these drug deals of his? What if his DNA can be matched to any number of crimes? He could be put away for life, if I try just a little harder."
I think of Grip behind bars, possibly for years, life in ruins because he loved me.
“So tomorrow?” I pull my dress up over my shoulders, forcing the words past the heart trapped and bleeding in my throat. "What time?"
“I’ll pick you up at two.”
“I’ll be ready.”
I start to get up from my knees, but he grabs my elbow and turns me back to face him.
“One more thing, Bristol.”
He jerks me into him, his mouth rough and cruel, and his teeth sharp on the tender swell of my bottom lip. My own blood rushes into my mouth. He flattens his hand to my chest, and my heart tattoos fear into his palm. A smile slashes his face before he snatches the chain from my neck.
“You really should have let me buy you this necklace.”
Chapter 35
BRISTOL