Page 65 of Seduced in Ink

“Fine. I’m going to get you in the end. I always get what I want. Always.” And then he let her go, and she stumbled back, tripping over the lid of her coffee. She nearly fell but righted herself, then turned, only to find the place where he had been now empty.

Guy had left her, and she wasn’t sure where he’d gone.

She needed to get back to the lodge.

She needed to see Aaron.

She’d had no idea what Guy hid beneath the surface, and now that she’d seen it, she wanted nothing to do with it.

She just wanted to see Aaron.

She wanted this to be over.

She froze. No, not completely over.

Because as soon as she got back home, everythingwouldbe finished.

She was done playing a game. She was done lying so she didn’t have to face the consequences.

Only now, she would have to face the real ones.

Aaron would walk away as soon as this was over, and she would be left alone.

She practically ran towards the lodge, hoping to hell that Guy didn’t find her along the way.

He had just gotten angry. He wouldn’t really hurt her, would he?

The fact that she didn’t know the answer to that worried her, but she would get to Aaron no matter what. She made her way as quickly as possible towards the lodge. Aaron would help her. Or at least he would help her help herself.

And then she’d figure out what to do after she held him.

Chapter 15

Aaron was in a fucking bad mood, and he had no idea how to make it better. Madison was off with Guy, the two of them probably having coffee and getting to know one another.

Guy didn’t seem all that bad, even though he was seemingly going along with Maeve’s plans. But he didn’t seem like too much an asshole from what Aaron could tell, at least from the little he knew about the other man. Maybe he would be a good person for Madison. For all Aaron knew, the two had more in common than Madison and he did. It wasn’t like Madison and Guy dating would ruin Aaron’s friendship with Madison like he feared would happen if he and Madison weren’t careful. She was practically family, and here he was, tainting what they had because he just couldn’t hold back.

He was such a fucking asshole. He needed to keep from hurting her. Maybe Guy was the answer.

He grumbled, finished his single beer for the day, and sank back into the couch cushions in their suite.

He had been in a few beautiful suites and hotel rooms over time thanks to his career and the fact that his brother spoiled him, but he’d never been in a place this nice. They had a fricking living room in this thing, with a couch big enough to fit him. He was a large man, over six feet and wide with muscle. He needed the strength for his job, and he always tried his best to bulk up like his brothers did.

So the fact that this couch was comfortableandcould fit his entire body? That meant it was a big fucking sofa. Though it didn’t overwhelm the room. The suite had to be one of the largest and nicest he’d ever been in.

And he had no idea what he was doing here.

Things were getting so complicated with Madison. He should have known they would get that way. He’d announced their engagement before he even spoke to her. What had he been thinking? Daisies and happiness and things going right the first time out of the gate? Not so much.

He and Madison needed to talk. He knew that. Because as soon as they walked away from this lodge, the charade would be over. It had to be. She wasn’t the same person she had been even a couple of days before. Or maybe the reality was that she was the same person she had been all along, but now wasn’t hiding behind layers.

He didn’t know where he fit in with any of her future plans. And the fact that he didn’t, worried him.

He hated that, but he wasn’t sure how to fix it. Not yet. Not unless the two of them actually spoke, something that needed to happen soon.

The door opened, and he pulled himself from his thoughts into the present as he looked up at Madison, now standing in the doorway, her eyes wide. He didn’t know what that look was about, but relief flooded her face as soon as she saw him, and then she rushed over to hug him hard.

“Hey there,” he said, confused. He kissed the top of her head.