For 100 Days by Lara Adrian

Author:Lara Adrian
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: possessive billionaire with damaged past, Romantic Suspense, dominant alpha male hero, billionaire romance series, contemporary romance saga, erotic romance trilogy, Women's Fiction
Publisher: Lara Adrian, LLC
Published: 2016-05-23T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

I am so busted.

Dread washes over me as I stare at my least favorite coworker from Vendange. Kimmie is the last person I expect or want to see here tonight. She could screw me in any number of ways right now, and the thin sneer that spreads over her face only drives that point home even harder.

I tell myself to ignore her attempt at confrontation. After all, considering the situation, my best defense is likely an offense. “I’m surprised to see you here, too, Kimmie. I didn’t realize you work for the hotel.”

She’s still scowling, but my question seems to catch her off guard. “I don’t, usually. My cousin is the catering manager. I fill in when they have large events and need the extra staff.”

“Oh. Well, enjoy the party then. Don’t work too hard.” I force a light smile and start to step past her.

“Does Joel know you’re here?”

Her acid tone freezes my feet in place. I should’ve guessed she wouldn’t let me skate by so easily. But the note of accusation in her voice pisses me off. I swivel a cold look on her. “What does that matter to you?”

“It doesn’t. But I think it’ll matter plenty to him.” Her lips purse, and I can already see the glimmer of satisfaction in her face. “When he called me to see if I could take your shift today, he said you called in sick. Funny, you don’t look sick to me.”

“How nice of you to say so,” I reply with equal venom.

“So, what are you doing here? You can’t possibly be on the guest list for something this swank, so how’d you get in?” She glances around me, her gaze searching now. “You here on a hot date or something?”

She titters as she says it, as if she finds the idea preposterous. But her question hits its mark with laser accuracy—even more than her implied threat about ratting me out to Joel. And as she scans the crowd, obviously looking for clues as to who I could be with, genuine panic blooms in my stomach.

If she sees me with Dominic Baine, I have no idea what she’ll do.

If she decides to confront me again, when I’m standing near him, I’ll not only be humiliated, but sick for the embarrassment it could cause him. Especially in such a public place.

The thought settles on me with a weight I can hardly bear. If Nick were to find out I’ve been lying to him, pretending to be someone I’m not, he’ll be furious.

If it should happen in front of his peers or the mayor—or, dear God, in front of the press—he’ll have every right to despise me.

Kimmie studies me with open amusement. “What’s wrong, Avery? I swear, you look like you just swallowed a bug.”

It feels like I swallowed an entire hornet’s nest, but I’m not going to dignify her needling me by giving her any kind of response.

I down my wine and set the empty glass on her tray without comment.

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