His Rival Fixed What He Broke novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: After

"A year ago, Otto asked for the books to two of my hotels," Thaddeus said, in the dark of the car.

"Grandpa, you don't have to."

"Let me finish. I knew then. I could have fired him that afternoon."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because he'd have been a wronged young man with a good smile, and the board would have wept for him." His hand tightened on hers. "I wanted them to watch him do it. I wanted witnesses. I was an old fool, and he nearly got you."

She kissed his temple.

"You were not a fool," she said. "You were slow."

He laughed, wetly, against her hair.

At two in the morning she and Elias stood in the hall at Lake Forest and watched his two guards take up their posts at the gate.

Bridget had gone home in a taxi with the empty casserole dish and a look on her face that said, Don't do anything stupid.

Elias held the car door.

"I'll take you to Maddox's."

"The Drake," Margot said.

He did not move.

"Margot. That isn't where you said you'd sleep."

"I'm not planning on sleeping."

She got into the passenger seat.

After a moment he shut her door, walked around the car, and got in beside her without a word.

The suite was dark except for the lake light through the window.

She dropped her coat on the floor.

He stood by the door with his keys still in his hand.

"Say it," she said.

"You told me nothing in private."

"I did."

"You were right, in the corridor. It's a rule."

"It was a rule," she said. "Nobody's watching, Elias."

She crossed the carpet and took the keys out of his hand and put them on the table.

Then she took his wrists, the way he had taken hers, and she put his hands on her waist.

"Don't be careful," she said.

He kissed her.

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