Chasing Heartbreak (Dark Love #6) - Kat T. Masen Page 0,42
And don’t forget to tell her Aunty Kate is so much more fun than Uncle Eric.”
Noah shakes his head while laughing, touching my hand softly. This feeling is so strange yet alarmingly familiar at the same time. A simple gesture—a touch of the hand— stretches throughout my entire body, but rather than bring with it a sense of panic, it works the opposite and makes me feel complete.
And, in this moment, where I lose myself in my thoughts trying to decipher what this all means, he withdraws his hand, and I’m at an instant loss. Noah enters the car with a final wave until the black Mercedes drives off down the street, disappearing from my sight.
For years, I’ve mastered being alone, focusing on myself and making life into lemonade from the lemons I was handed. But saying goodbye to the three of them is harder than I ever thought it would be. I’m not sure exactly why as I’ve seen Lex numerous times over the years, though Charlie not as often unless we meet abroad. The two of them have become my family and welcomed me with open arms and always support my decisions. Their children feel like my own, their home is always open to me, and not once have I felt otherwise. Yet throwing Noah into the mix changes the dynamic. Charlie and Noah are family, by blood. They have a history and childhood none of us can match. When Noah came to LA, his bond with Lex tightened to brotherhood. I’ve known Lex long enough to know he respects and admires Noah’s tenacity, believing he has what it takes to challenge himself with something bigger. Lex has become this family man, changing his values along the way.
And together, with the love which conquers all of us, our bonds have been tightened in more ways than one.
Over the next few days, I throw myself into work, trying to get back into a routine. Noah texts me daily, random trivia just like back in the day. Because of our time zones, we don’t chat at night like we used to, but his texts make up for the nightly chat. It’s fair to say I miss him despite his inappropriate advances and constant bringing up my breasts in conversation.
By Friday afternoon, I’m ready to call it a week. It must have been a full moon or something like it to warrant such idiotic behavior from my staff. Even clients are more demanding, less patient, and everyone seems on edge, especially me. It’s almost like a storm is brewing on the horizon ready to hit landfall soon.
Taking a few days off caused more headaches than I realized. Just as I’m about to leave the office, Emile calls through, informing me of a visitor. I step outside my office to meet the eyes of Allegra.
Her style is sophisticated—an ivory pencil dress with a thick black belt above her waist. The pumps she wears are Louboutin, of course, and in her hand, she clutches tightly her prize possession—her Birken bag.
“Kate, can we speak somewhere private?”
“Of course.”
With every step back into my office, my heart rate spikes on the verge of combusting. I mentally prepare myself for the interrogation. Surely, she must know something, or why would she be here?
“Let’s cut to the chase.” She fires up a cigarette, something which is legal indoors in Paris, although not something I usually welcome inside my office. “I know you’re my husband’s mistress. I’ve known this for quite some time.”
Her stare is anything but angry but rather composed, which is strangely odd for someone who just questioned me about being her husband’s mistress. I remain quiet, not wanting to admit the truth if this is some sort of setup, but ensure my facial expression is blank with no emotion.
“I think you’re a perfect companion for him. As you know, I live quite a busy life and can’t always attend to his needs.”
“Allegra,” I begin, distancing myself across the room. “What are you trying to say?”
“I believe Dominic has developed feelings for you. I can see how he has changed. As you may or may not know, our marriage was somewhat agreed upon to help his business. So, I have a proposition for you. I’ll continue to give you my blessing to have a relationship with my husband and allow him to spend more time here to fulfill your needs. But I must remain married to him, for legal purposes. Should Dominic and I end our marriage,