face. My ex-mistress has since disappeared, so I can't find out what she said to Gillian to make her so upset. I have a feeling that it involved Pandora lying about us sleeping together."
John had been beyond livid when Gillian had told him that she wanted to leave. That feeling had only grown in intensity when he had attempted to kiss her and she had resisted him. John had felt completely and totally rejected by the American and had reacted by trying to hurt her just as she had hurt him. After he had spent the day drinking and wallowing in his own shit, John had tried to piece together what had possibly happened. As he told Patrick, he had gone back and watched the camera footage and had seen Pandora talking to Gillian in his suite. He had been surprised to see kitten hit the Greek woman, and even more so to watch her break down and cry in the bathroom. Gillian's line of questioning that morning led him to hypothesize what had occurred. His admission of seeing Pandora that morning, while innocent, had sealed his fate.
"Of course, the Greek bitch lied, John," Patrick said in disgust. He knew Pandora could not be trusted. He wished it wouldn't have taken John so long to realize it. If he found the bitch, Patrick would personally kill her for causing John pain. "Pandora has always been jealous of the women who have come into your life. She was acting like a vindictive child that night at the party. Bailey told us about the incident between Gillian and Pandora that occurred in the bathroom. The bitch was blatantly lying to your American and trying to piss her off."
Patrick was right. Bailey had told John about what occurred between Pandora and Gillian in the bathroom but too late. His kitten had already left the manor and was packing her things to leave England when he found out. Knowing that John had put Gillian in a vulnerable state by pulling her out into the public eye, the Brit was having her guarded 24/7. Even now, Gillian was staying at a place owned by his personal secretary, Tania. He even had guards living upstairs in the servants' quarters. John had called in a personal favor to Tania's stepbrother who was also going to give Gillian a job in his hospital. It was the least he could do for the way he had treated her.
"I think I fucked up, Pat," John said quietly with his thoughts turning to his treatment of the American. He quickly poured another glass and downed its contents. Leaning back in the chair, he ran an agitated hand through his ebony hair. "Gillian is clearly moving on with her life, and I can't even close my fucking eyes to sleep without seeing her! Not once has she attempted to contact me, and I know Galen was in London looking for her! The slimy bastard got out before I could kill him, though. Now he, too, has disappeared. How much you want to bet that he and Pandora have found each other?"
"I don't think Gillian is moving on, Johnny," Patrick said honestly as John's eyes met his again. "You and I have both been watching her every move, and she appears to be anything but happy. I think you have something to do with that, boyo."
"I hurt her, Pat," John said seriously, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I treated her no better than a whore. Kitten didn't deserve that, but she does deserve more than I can ever give her. I should just let her move on with her life and go back to her idea of normalcy."
"Bullocks!" Patrick shouted. "So, you hurt her tender feelings! Apologize! And just for the record, Gillian could never find a man better than you, Johnny! There is a not a woman alive whom you have not been able to woo, boyo. I somehow doubt your precious kitten will be the first. You said yourself that you're John fucking Kenric, so act like it! Go to France and take what belongs to you, with or without her permission!"
A slow, devious smile spread across John's handsome face as he listened to Patrick's words. Standing up, he buttoned his suit jacket as he grinned. "Call Luther and tell him to gas the plane. I hear Paris is beautiful in the fall. Care to join me?"
The Irishman chuckled loudly as he watched John turn and leave the restaurant. The