“When I learned what kind of woman our dear Nicholas had married—”
Bee couldn’t help gritting her teeth at the way the woman spoke his name in a caress.
“I was quite surprised. And your involvement in that ghastly trial in Georgia—” Chloe gave an affected shudder. “Did you really have to poke that man’s eyes out?”
Bee couldn’t even find it in herself to feel offended, astonished as she was that there really were women like Chloe in real life. “I was about to get raped,” she said finally, “so I had to do what I could.”
“But that was just so disgusting…”
“Yes, it was. Wasn’t it?” Bee had a hard time keeping her face straight as she realized just how genuinely revolved the other woman was.
“My friends and I were talking about it over lunch,” Chloe was sharing, “and after considering all the very visible factors—” The other woman glanced tellingly at Drake for some reason. “That was when we realized why Nicholas would choose someone like you. Because that’s your appeal, isn’t it?”
Bee was utterly confused. “Sorry?” And what did her bodyguard have to do with her marriage to Nicholas?
Chloe tittered. “Oh, come on, darling. Don’t start playing coy now. We both know you understand me perfectly fine. Nicholas’ just so conservative and decent on the outside, it was only natural he’d need someone like you to balance things out.” Chloe wrinkled her nose. “Honestly, if I had realized this sooner, I wouldn’t have hesitated to play the freak for Nicholas. I’ve always thought he was the most exciting one among the SAFEs.”
The media-coined acronym stood for San Antonio’s Finest Eligibles, of which Nicholas, along with Devon, Sean, and Logan, was a member of. Bee had only learned about the name weeks ago, and realizing what it meant had only served to further convince her that she really wasn’t meant to be a wife to someone like Nicholas.
And apparently, Chloe and no doubt most of Nicholas’ peers, too, thought the same.
“I’m just curious…”
Bee suppressed a sigh, realizing the other woman still wasn’t done.
“Is he meant to make your husband jealous?”
She saw Chloe direct another oddly telling glance at her bodyguard and couldn’t help frowning. “Excuse me?”
“Oh, please. It’s not like the whole world don’t know about you two.”
Bee stiffened. “If you’re saying what I think you’re saying—”
“I absolutely am,” Chloe cooed just as the doors swung open and the rest of the board members started filing in.
The meeting started soon after, leaving no chance for Bee to ask what Chloe meant. Even so, the other woman’s innuendos continued to bother her, and as soon as she and Drake were in the privacy of Nicholas’ car, she took her phone out and Googled her name.
A gasp escaped her a moment later.
Tons of gossip reports had been written about her in the past two weeks, and all of them were suggesting that her “closeness” to the bodyguard meant the two of them were having an affair right under Nicholas’ nose.
Chapter 17
“Mrs. Sutherland would like you to know she’s waiting for you at the study, sir.” Thomas’ face was somber as he relayed the message, and Nicholas’ face hardened.
So this was it, he thought grimly. Just two damn days until she was properly free to leave his home, and she couldn’t even wait that long. Was she really that in love with Drake? The mere thought of another man touching her was enough to put him in a violent mood, and he remained on edge even as he entered the study and found a nervous-looking Tabitha seated on the couch.
She looked beautiful in her rose-printed dress, the fabric fit enough to blatantly advertise the pregnant curve of her belly. As always, the sight of it made him hard, hence the loose trousers Nicholas had recently taken to wearing.
“Hey.” The smile that formed on her lips was as tentative as the tone of her voice.
Nicholas knew she was hoping he would smile back, and he almost laughed at how damnably optimistic she was. Did she really think he could smile, knowing that she had come here to let him know she was leaving him for another man?
Not on your life, baby.
He might not be able to force her to stay with him, but he was damn well going to make it as hard and awkward for her to go.
Bee’s heart banged nervously against her chest as Nicholas sat next to her on the couch. It was the closest he had been since she had temporarily moved back to the ranch, and oh dear God, it was making the butterflies in her stomach do the craziest things.
He was just so, so beautiful. Still the most beautiful man in her eyes, really, and oh, how she ached to once again have her fingers running through the silky golden locks—