Page 72 of The Forbidden Billionaire
“Your parents thought it would frighten you. They didn’t want you to stop living your life. Marcus and Caesar thought you should know, but your parents insisted you weren’t to be told.”
“And you?” She looks hurt. “How could you keep this from me? I thought you were my friend.”
That stings. “I am. I always will be. But it was my job. I had to do what your parents wanted.” I dip my head to look into her eyes. “Even though it nearly killed me.”
She’s breathing fast, and her eyes are shining. I can see the emotion building up inside her. “Everyone’s coming here?”
“Yes.”
“The police, Ella, and my parents?”
“Yes.”
“Oh God.” Her eyes widen. “I don’t want everyone seeing it, talking about it, laughing…”
“Nobody’s going to be laughing, Aurelia, believe me.”
She sends me a pleading look. “Please… let me go back and put it in my bedside table.” For the first time, color appears in her cheek, and she looks mortified.
She’s not worried about the lingerie. It’s just clothing, and we both know nobody will flinch when they see that. But the vibrator… it’s intimate, sexual. The bastard chose it because he knew the thought of other people seeing it would humiliate her. I understand completely why she wants to hide it.
“Sorry, but it’s evidence,” I say softly. “It could hold the bastard’s fingerprints, and I’m not going to give up that chance to catch him.”
She bites her bottom lip. “My father…”
My insides twist with pity. “I’ll make sure nobody sees it except the police officers. Okay?”
Her eyes blaze, and for a moment I think she’s about to try to take me down in a shoulder lock. But she just blinks and folds her arms. She’s trembling. “How did he get in?”
I want to take her in my arms and hug her, but I have to stay professional. “He must have access to a key card.”
“Do you have any idea who he is?”
“No. But every time he does something different, he reveals something else about himself. We’ll get him. I can guarantee you that.”
Except I can’t, of course. I have no idea who he is, how he got in, or why he’s so focused on her. I’m useless, and she knows it.
The main doors to the building slide open. It’s Ella, wearing jeans and a T-shirt. She spots us and comes straight over. “Aurelia,” she says with relief, as I move back. She holds her by her upper arms and looks into her eyes. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Aurelia says stiffly.
Ella rubs her arm, then lowers her hands and looks at me. “You’ve told her?”
“I had to.”
To my relief, she just nods.
“I didn’t check the apartment,” I say awkwardly. “He might still be there. And I should have asked Rick to check the camera footage.”
“He’s onto it, don’t worry.” Ella touches my arm, too. “You recognized the threat and got her out. You did the right thing.”
I blow out a breath. I’m trembling a little, too. I guess it’s shock. I didn’t expect this to happen, not in her apartment.
Ella looks at Aurelia. Casually, she says, “Have you heard from Dominic lately?”
Aurelia isn’t fooled by her casual tone. “What?” Her eyes widen again. “You think Dominic did this?”
“No,” I say. “We don’t have anything to tie him to it.”
