“She’s more like King than I thought.” Sebastian grins with amusement and I want to wipe it off of his face. I don’t want him or any fucking one amused by her. I’m the only one who should be afforded that luxury.
A few months back, he never would have grinned or acted amused. But ever since he got back with his girlfriend, Naomi, I see more of his old charming self shining through and it’s a relief. I hate the grouchy, grumpy person he became after she was gone. But that doesn’t mean I’ll let him have fun at my expense.
“If you’re finished, go back to work.”
“I’m far from finished. You still didn’t tell me what you’ll do.”
“About?”
“Mrs. Weaver.”
“I don’t care about her or anyone else.”
“But she could be right. The entire situation could backfire.”
“And I’ll take care of it accordingly when it does.”
“That doesn’t sound like you, Nate.”
I stare at him, even though I understand what he’s saying. I’m not the type who moves without counting my steps or the possible effects. Despite the hasty decision of marrying Gwyneth, I studied the outcome. I knew there could be complications, because I don’t trust Susan and her destructive ways. Even though King’s father was smart enough to have Susan sign an NDA that forbids her from slandering his family, King and Gwyneth included, in the press or she’ll lose any right to his money, I know that’s not a guarantee. I even have a press statement ready just in case.
But those precautions suddenly don’t feel like enough. Because at that point, I didn’t count on going this far with Gwyneth.
I didn’t count on tasting her and becoming addicted. I didn’t count on being so fucking entangled with her that I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel anymore.
“I’ll handle it when it becomes a problem,” I tell Sebastian, who’s still waiting.
“Do you have something prepared?”
“Of course.”
“How about Gwen?”
“She has nothing to do with this.”
“Hello? She’s your wife. Of course she does.”
I like that. She’s your wife. Everything else he said, however, doesn’t have the same impact. “She’s staying out of this and that’s final, Sebastian. Don’t even think about bringing it up to her if things get ugly. I don’t want her involved. Got it?”
He nods slowly but watches me as if we’re meeting for the first time. “You’re different.”
“Different how?”
“A few weeks ago, I swear you would’ve made her stand in front of the press with a carefully written statement and you would’ve prepared her to recite it with the right emotions and body language that would seem innocent but would actually be calculated. You’d make it into a sob story, because that’s what you do best, isn’t it? You use your clients’ goals as a motivator to turn them into actors and win cases. It’s how you’ve gotten this far.”
It is.
That’s how large and limitless my ambition is. I win cases to use them as stepping stones. I win cases, not because I have a sense of justice, but because I’m plagued with an insatiable need to go somewhere.
Anywhere.
Like a train.
“She’s not one of my clients. She’s my best friend’s daughter.”
“Is that all?” He’s smiling again.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t get too defensive, Uncle. I’m just asking an innocent question here. Is she only King’s daughter to you?”
“Fuck off.”
“Annnd I got the answer I need.”
“Why do you sound so happy? I thought you were against this marriage.”
“That was when I thought she was caught in one of your webs and would be another stepping stone, but turns out that’s not the case. Maybe it hasn’t been all along.” He hops off the table and taps my shoulder. “Best of luck, Nate.”
“With what?”
“Being caught in someone’s web for once.”
And with that, he strolls out, humming a happy tune.
His words keep playing at the back of my head all day long, refusing to shut up or disappear.
When it’s time to go home, I’m ready to stop trying to ignore Gwyneth’s presence. She’s spent the whole day with the IT girl, according to Grace, and I know that’s one of her peaceful places, so I didn’t call for her. She gave my assistant all the work I asked of her anyway, so I didn’t have a reason to.