Flipping open the file, I nodded. “I did too until he fucked another woman and lied to me.”I pulled outpictureafterpictureof Luca and Nicki. None of them looked like they were intimate in any way. “What are these?”
Malcolm rubbed the back of his neck, keeping his eyes on the pictures in my hand. “My brother-in-law,James,is a PI. I asked him to follow Luca.”
It was official. My life was a fucking joke. “Why?”
Settling into my comfy visitor chair, the wayAshdiddaily, Malcolm unwrapped a piece of candy. “Believe it or not, I care about you, Sasha. It just didn’t make sense to me that he was cheating on you. I’ve seen you guys together, and after everything Ashtold me—”
“Ah. There it is.Ash.” The exhaustion of the past month and a half settled in my bones. “Listen, even if he wasn’t cheating, he was still lying. I can’t bea part of that.”
Malcolm nodded as he sucked on ahard cinnamoncandy. “I get that, but aren’t you curious about what he’s been up to?”
I scanned the photos, and they were just a bunch of Luca meeting with other rich assholes at bars, offices, restaurants. “Not really.” I closed the folder and handed it back to Malcolm. “He’s not my concern anymore.”
“But—”
I stood up and flipped off the desk lamp. “No. Even after he came clean about the dangers associated with being with a rich motherfucker like him, I told him months ago I was all in. He was the one that decided he couldn’t trust me, and I won’t stay with someone who isn’t 100% sure about me. I deserve my very own ride-or-die. Why would I expect more from my friends than I do the love of my life?”
Malcolm stood up and followed me out into the hall.
Unlocking the door, I let out a breath before turning around. The sadness in Malcolm’s eyes gave me pause. He was honestly worried about me. With a shaky smile, I said, “If I’m honest with you, it doesn’t matter what Luca's up to. If he were the one to tell me, it wouldn’t’ve mattered. He could’ve killed a man, and I would’ve asked if he needed help burying the body. That’s how much I loved him, and that’s how much I’ve lost.”
Malcolm’s lips parted, but I covered his mouth before he could say another word. “I mean it. Let it go.”
A hot puff of breath against my palm was his only response.
Pulling my hand away, I smiled. “Great, now get the hell out of here.”
The promise of a Mexican vacation is all that kept me moving forward.
FOURTEEN
The closer we got to the gala, the more my hands trembled.
“Sasha, are you going to be okay?” Scott’s baby blues kept glancing at me from the driver’s seat. “I can turn this car around, and we can forget this whole thing. Although I think it might be a crime for this much sexy not to show up.”He suggestively winked at me as he gestured between us. I let out a shaky laugh, and he grabbed my hand.
“No. Luca isn’t going to ruin our victory lap.”
Scott valeted the car, and we walked into the lobby arm in arm.
“Wow. We’re fucking good.” Scott’s eyes took in every detail we’d agonized over. I’d never worked so closely with a vendor. Without Scott, this contract would have been impossible. I owed a lot to the goofball on my arm.
“Shhh. Rule 101 of rich people is to keep the ‘fucking' under wraps.”
Scott nodded his head. “Noted.” A tray of mini something or other breezed right past us. “Let’s get our hands on some of those apps. I’m still hungry.”
“Even after that steak?” I took a step away from him and gave him an up and down. “Where do you put it all?”
Wrappinghis armaround my shoulder, Scott grinned down at me. “Play your cards right, and I’ll show you later.”
I shook my head and pushed him away. “Let’s keep this professional, Adams.”
Shooting me a sly smile, Scott laced his fingers through mine, and heledme toward the bar. His handpulledaway, only to rest on my lower back. I knew I should put an end to the familiarity, but Scott was so comforting. Like my own little knight in hipster armor.
Pushing the“should’s”from my mind, I leaned into his side.
“The lady will have a—”
“Gin and tonic.”