The Scotch Series: The Complete Series (Scotch #1-3) - Penelope Sky Page 0,178

no idea what you do, Joseph. And that’s because I’ve never asked.” I didn’t want to know what his criminal activities were. Since he was my brother, it was better if I didn’t know. I had to love him no matter what, and it would be difficult if I knew he was a murderer.

“Give me his number. Maybe I can get him to meet me somewhere.”

“You know, chasing a guy like this seems kinda desperate.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “Just give me the number, Joseph.”

After he finally handed it over, I hung up and called Crewe. Every time it rang, my heart moved into my throat. I could hardly breathe because I was nervous, utterly terrified whether he answered or he didn’t.

“This is Crewe.” He spoke with a rich voice that was smooth just like scotch. I missed the way his voice sounded when his lips were pressed against my ear. Just his voice alone could bring me to my knees.

“It’s London.”

Crewe remained silent, the sound of a moving car acting as the background. It sounded like he was on the road, probably in the back seat while one of his men drove him around.

I didn’t expect him to say anything else, so I continued onward. “Where are you headed?”

“Does it matter?”

I didn’t appreciate Crewe’s coldness, but I would have to deal with it for the time being. “If you’re on your way to Edinburgh, maybe we can have dinner.”

“I am on my way to Edinburgh. But let’s skip the dinner.”

Maybe Crewe wasn’t lying. Maybe he truly did stop caring about me. “You’ve gotta eat sometime, right?” I kept the conversation playful, knowing that would get to him better. I’d already cried my eyes out, and I couldn’t do it anymore.

“In this instance, I’d rather go hungry.”

He was ice-cold, and my heat couldn’t force him to melt. “I’m working at a family practice clinic here in town. After working all day, it would be nice to relax over a bottle of wine. But you know I can’t drink an entire bottle on my own.”

“You’re a beautiful woman. I’m sure you can find someone to share it with you.”

I rubbed my temple at the brush-off. “Have dinner with me.” Joseph was right, I did feel desperate chasing him like this. This man kept me as his prisoner for months, and now I was doing everything I could to get him back. He was the only man I’d ever fought for like this. Times like this made me wonder if it was worth it.

“I have a date tonight.”

I didn’t want to believe that was true because it killed me, but I didn’t know why else he was going to Edinburgh later in the day. But there was a chance he was lying, trying to hurt me enough so I would hang up. “Make a rain check.”

He chuckled. “I think I’ll stick with what I’ve got.”

“Or you could blow her off and come straight to my flat.” Jumping his bones was how I got him to fall in love with me in the first place. Sex was always a way into Crewe’s brain. It worked before, and maybe it would work again.

“And do what?”

He took the bait. “I don’t want to give anything away…but I would probably be on my hands and knees most of the time.”

Crewe was quiet, probably considering my offer.

I hoped he would take it. If I could get him in the same room, it would make it much easier for us to talk. A face-to-face interaction was always preferable to hearing his voice over the phone. I could read him much better when I could watch the expressions change in his eyes.

“I told you, I have a date.”

“Well, I don’t believe you.” There was no way for me to know if he was lying or not. I just had to hope for the best. “And I haven’t been with anyone else since I left you, not that it matters.” Actually, it did matter. I knew that would mean something to him.

Crewe was quiet.

I knew he was thinking, considering.

“I don’t care what you believe, London. I have to go.”

I hated it when he called me by my first name. So impersonal. “Crewe—”

“Good night.” He hung up.

After hearing the rejection of the dial tone, I tossed my phone on the table. I wasn’t going to call him again when I knew it wasn’t going to get me any closer to him. The only real chance I had was to