“We leave tomorrow,” I said, needing to slice through the pulsing heavy tension that had built between us.
Arthur sipped at his gin. “Boyfriend coming back, huh?” he said. My stomach dropped at Hugo being brought into this moment. I had a boyfriend. A boyfriend who my father adored. And I’d just cheated on him. I had just fucked Arthur Adley, of the infamous Adley firm.
And I couldn’t muster one ounce of regret.
“We’re going to Ibiza.” I downed the gin, and Arthur casually topped it up. His body was stiff, and his eyes kept darting outside toward my yacht. I guessed he wasn’t usually the chatting-after-sex type. Sadness sprouted in my chest. This, whatever the hell it was, was clearly over.
“I’ll go.” I placed my now-full glass of Bombay Sapphire on the table Arthur had just taken me on. I had just opened the door to leave when I felt Arthur’s hand thread through mine. I whipped my head to face him in shock. His eyes were locked on his hand in mine. His jaw clenched and his hand tightened around my fingers. “Arthur?” I whispered, heart thudding.
“Are you staying in London now sixth form is done?” he asked.
I frowned in confusion but wanted so desperately to stay in the moment with him. “I go to Oxford in September. Business Studies.”
Arthur lifted his head, and the ghost of a smirk on his lips made my legs weak. “Clever fucker, eh?”
I laughed, and warmth filled my bones as Arthur’s hand squeezed mine harder. At the sound of my name being called, I looked over to my yacht. I peered through the window and saw Arabella on the sun deck, clearly searching for me.
This time, I had to go. None of my friends could ever know about this.
Turning back to Arthur, I spotted a pen on the bar. I took the hand that been holding mine and wrote my mobile number across his palm. I was under no illusions. I didn’t expect Arthur to call me. And I knew it was the stupidest thing I had ever done.
But, right now, I didn’t give a damn.
As I wrote the last digit, I pressed a slow, soft kiss to his fingertips, inhaling his scent and vowing to commit it to memory. I released Arthur’s hand and found him studying me. “Just in case you’re ever in Oxford,” I said and edged forward. Arthur watched me approach him. I placed my hands on his cheeks, unsure if he would push such affection away. When he didn’t move, I pressed a single kiss to his lips. “Goodbye, Arthur Adley.” I hurried from his yacht, never once looking back.
I crept onto my yacht and headed straight to my room. I locked myself inside, immediately going into the bathroom. I was breathing hard, the implications of what I’d just done finally hitting home. I switched on the vanity mirror light and looked at my reflection. I looked depraved. My red lipstick was smudged all over my mouth, my mascara had run under my eyes, and I had red marks on my skin from where Arthur had gripped me by my neck, from where he had held me down and fucked me.
A disbelieving laugh slipped from my swollen lips. Arthur had come through on his promise. He had ruined me. He had spoiled me for all others.
And he had well and truly wrecked me.
Chapter Four
ARTHUR
Aged twenty-three
“Here.” Freddie passed me a glass of gin.
I took it from him, and he sat down on the chair opposite me with his whisky. The fire roared beside us. We were all in my converted church, suited and booted and ready for a fucking visit to some of our fathers’ business associates.
“What time are the old ones coming?” Charlie asked.
“Midnight,” Eric answered and sat beside Charlie on the couch. He ran his hand over his face. “Can you actually imagine ever doing business in the daylight?” Eric said. “I mean, I don’t mind this fucking vampire life, but I often wonder what it’s like doing business with the sun in the fucking sky, where everyone can see.”
“I’m sure we could arrange a nine-to-five job for you,” Charlie said. “Office job? Shelf stacker? A bobby in the Old Bill?” Charlie shrugged. “It might be good for you, old boy. Keep you in check.”
“Then who’d save your arse on the daily?” Eric said, smiling at my cousin. “Nah, I’ll just fucking stick to drug and gun dealing and cold-blooded murder. Seems that’s where