Page 71 of Burned

“And recently he was with you, in person?” Rafe asks.

Isobel nods. “I can’t remember when he started coming back more frequently. It was gradual until he was there every day. Having dinner with me. Bringing me gifts.”

“You always did like nice things,” Lucian says. There’s a bitter edge to his words.

“Lucian,” the closest she’s gotten to an apology creeps into her voice. “He lied to me, about you. He manipulated me, turned me against you.”

“I want to know,” Lucian’s voice is murderous. “What could he possibly say to make you turn against me? Kill me? Kill our men?”

“I’ll tell you.” She swallows. Hard. “Just don’t make me say it now, here. Like this.” Her eyes plead with him. “It’s only recently that I found out that you’d survived, that I found out the truth.”She shakes her head, looking away. “I’m so ashamed I believed any of it. It was all a lie.”

My eyes flick to Lucian. His face is stone.

I’m relieved.

His voice cuts. “Who told you I survived?”

“A friend. Carlos didn’t let anyone get close to me, but there was one woman, a staff member who was allowed to stay with me in the last two places we were. She found out Lucian was alive, that he was a Bachman now, and that everything Carlos told me he was before the fire was a lie. That I had my story backward.

The entire time.”

I feel the pain that tears through her eyes. She tilts her head back, taking a breath.

“And then?” Rafe asks, not letting up on the pace while she’s offering information.

Isobel turns her gaze back to me. “A year ago, Carlos told me about the women.”

My skin tightens.

“Paid women,” Isobel says. “Nameless ones. He thought that was funny. That Lucian Bachman, who once acted like love made him noble, who had a woman like me, had become a man who bought women by the hour.”

My stomach drops.

Not because I didn’t know. I knew.

I was one of those transactions, wasn’t I?

The original rules echo through me like a cruel song.

No names. No strings. No panties.

My V-card. For his cash.

One night. One mafia billionaire boss.

A simple plan, then never see each other again.

Lucian’s face turns lethal. “Careful.”

Isobel looks at him. “I only say it because I knew it was because of me. I knew I did that to you.”

The room feels suddenly airless.

No one answers because everyone knows it’s true.

I hate her for saying it.

I hate Lucian for loving her so much he couldn’t love again.