A Debt Owed(61)

There’s no other choice. I should put the notebook back where I found it.

My fingers reach for the drawer, and I stare at the wood as though it’s a coffin where I’m about to leave my beloved friend. If Easton keeps this in his possession, he’ll be able to use all my own thoughts and wishes against me all over.

Could I? Would I be able to live with that?

Suddenly, a clicking noise has me on edge, and I shut the drawer and duck for cover.

Someone walks past the room, a light emanating from the hallway. Luckily, they don’t come inside and go up the stairs instead.

But I can’t calm myself. What if they come back? I have to get out of here before someone finds me in here, so I close the laptop, lock everything up again, and leave the room exactly the way it was.

Except for the notebook.

Because that notebook belongs to me. Not him.

And no one else but me will keep it hidden.





Chapter 26





Easton



In the morning, I wait for her at breakfast as I always do. I prefer my days to start with plenty of coffee, a newspaper, and some light banter. It cheers me up a lot, especially when it’s chatter with her. For some reason, I can’t get enough of her filthy mouth even though she uses it to throw all kinds of expletives in my face. I don’t mind because I adore her tenacity.

It’s a shame she refuses to talk to me this morning. In fact, from the moment she walked in, she seems as pale as a ghost, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s because of what we did in my study. Or rather … all the debauchery I put her through.

Does she still not recognize her own lust? Because I could swear I saw a hint of regret yesterday the moment our dirty moment ended. She keeps fighting the attraction, but there’s no need. She’s mine, and nothing will ever change that, so why not give in?

We both want it. Though, I have to admit, it’s mostly because I love the sight of my enemy’s daughter groveling at my feet. It gives me a kick to know he had to sacrifice her body and soul in order to keep his business afloat. That the money was worth even her life.

What a wretched fool … I can’t wait to break him by showing him all the footage I’ve collected of her, and all these filthy little things she does to turn me on. And I can’t fucking wait to see the horror settle on his face, and then the defeat that follows naturally.

His life is meaningless to me, and I hope the fucker dies a poor, lonely death.

But first, I have to make her fall for me.

There’s no point in flaunting her until she’s fully and completely mine by her own volition. It has to be her choice that ruins him, not mine.

I tap my fingers on the table as I take a bite of my cinnamon roll. She’s not even touching them or any of the food in front of her, and I wonder why. Did I mess her up that badly? Or is something wrong?

“Aren’t you hungry?” I ask, putting down my cinnamon roll. Her eyes follow the rolls as though she wants to take a bite. Why won’t she? I know she likes them.

She shakes her head and averts her eyes. “Not after yesterday.”

I snort. “C’mon. You can’t fool me. You loved what I did, and you know it.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she says, picking up her coffee to take a sip.

I narrow my eyes at her. “You don’t want to admit it, and that’s okay. We’ll get there eventually.”

“I don’t think so,” she says. “That’s gonna be the day I die.”

I laugh and start cutting up my egg on toast. “Should I arrange the funeral then? Because that’s going to be any day now.”

She throws me a look and picks up an egg, which she eats whole. “Go ahead. I’m slowly dying in this house anyway.”

“Now, now, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?” I muse, taking a bite of my toast. “You’re being showered with gifts, plenty of food, and lots of comfort and luxury. What more could you want?”

“My freedom,” she says, crossing her arms.

Not this again. We’re both on edge but for completely different reasons. For some reason, I can’t seem to find my key, and it’s been bugging me ever since. I could swear I still had it in my pocket last night, but perhaps I placed it somewhere where even I can’t find it.

But I can’t show her an inkling of doubt because she’d claw the truth right out of me. And then it’ll be a game of catch. I can’t let it happen, so I have to remain cool even though she’s been anything but cool to me this morning.

If I still can’t find my key by noon, I’ll call up the locksmith for the extra he keeps in a safety deposit box. If it means I have to interrupt some important business I had to attend, then so be it. I need that goddamn key.

“We’ve been over this already,” I say, taking another bite. “Your freedom is confined to these walls unless I say so.”

“But you took me out to that restaurant,” she says.

I raise a brow. “So?” What does she want? I know she hated that place, and it was intended to be an intimidation of sorts to both her and her father. I don’t know why she’d bring that up again. I thought she’d already moved past it.

“You can take me out again,” she says.