Hayden

Did she suspect I knew what she’d done? As much as I didn’t want to look, I couldn’t help but be drawn to Avery standing on the main deck as the tender got closer to the boat. As usual, her hair was scraped back into an efficient ponytail.

Unfortunately, Landon hadn’t mistaken August for Avery. The photographs his contact had shown me had been conclusive. Avery had met with an ex-MI5 agent on three separate occasions. Once might be explainable. Twice even. But three times she’d spoken to this guy, once just after our night together in Taormina.

Avery knew I was buying Phoenix. She’d seen the bloody documents. She could have worked out the price and the main terms . . . but the deal hadn’t been stolen from me. Not yet.

Why hadn’t Cannon stepped in? Was Avery part of a longer-term approach? Perhaps there were plans in place I didn’t know about.

I’d spoken to my investors onshore, and they’d agreed to the price increase. I was an inch away from completing the deal of the decade, the most significant transaction of my career, and yet I wasn’t elated. Adrenaline ran through my veins, but it wasn’t victory that had put it there. It was anger.

Betrayal.

I’d thought it cut like a knife when I found out I had a leak at Wolf Enterprises, but it was a flesh wound compared to the way my heart felt as if it had been yanked out of my chest and displayed on a stake right at that moment.

The boat was booked until the end of the week, but I had no reason to stay after we completed the sale. Not anymore. But before I left, I wanted an explanation. To look Avery Walker in the eye and ask her how much they’d paid her to fuck me and whether that made her feel like the prostitute it made her.

Avery

Something was wrong.

As much as Hayden and I were super careful, even when we were surrounded by others, I always knew he was aware of me. A look or the tilt of his head gave it away. But as he came aboard all I got was his averted eyes and the back of his head as he swept past me and into the main salon.

Asking Eric to take him ashore with no notice and without telling me was weird enough, but now he was avoiding looking at me? Had his deal gone south? Last time I’d spoken to him they’d been about to finish things. Something must have gone wrong.

Hayden was never anything but cool. Charming. In control. But he looked as if he wanted to circle his hands around someone’s neck and squeeze until he’d choked the life out of them.

“Everything okay?” I asked Eric as he appeared at the top of the stairs, squinting into the sun.

He shrugged and slipped his sunglasses over his eyes. “This is the weirdest fucking charter I’ve ever been on, that’s for sure.”

“Did he collect something or meet someone or what?”

“No idea. He disappeared as soon as we docked and came back forty minutes later. Didn’t say a word to me on the way there or back. He’s a weird son of a—”

I put my hand up to him. “I’ll go check on him.”

“I hope the tip is worth it.”

The tip was the least of my worries. I hated seeing Hayden anything other than the man I knew him to be. Something must have gone seriously wrong and I was concerned about him.

I knocked on the door to Hayden’s office as I’d done so many times this charter. Next week the office would be back to a bedroom and I’d be blushing thinking about all that had happened between us in this room.

I’d miss him.

I’d wish things were different.

But as my dad always said, no one promised life would be fair. He also loved to tell me I had to play the hand I was dealt and then he’d fall back on a perennial favorite: suck it up, buttercup.

“Come in,” Hayden barked. He usually met me at the door, dragged me inside, pushed me against the wall and kissed me raw. Something was definitely wrong.

I turned the handle and stepped through. He was behind his desk, his gaze down. When I followed his eyes, I could see he was looking at photographs spread out on the white, glossy surface.

I stepped forward and the upside-down images sharpened, their familiarity pulling me toward them.

As I moved closer, he steepled his fingers over the images and spun them around so they were facing me.

All were of me and the redheaded man who’d approached me and offered me money to spy on Hayden.

“You care to explain?” he asked, raising his eyes to look at me. His anger rolled off him, but he was also in complete control. This was a man no one would want to go up against. This was a man ready to battle.

I stepped forward and peered at the first image. It had been taken weeks ago in Saint Tropez. I hadn’t made the connection before, but the photographer who’d asked me who was on my boat had been the same redheaded guy who’d offered me a hundred and fifty grand to tell him which company Hayden was buying. “It’s the same guy,” I said almost to myself.

“You two seem cozy.”

I glanced up. Hayden towered over me, his eyes dark and heavy.

“Why are you taking pictures of me?” Didn’t he trust me? Was he spying on me as well as this red-headed Phil guy who wouldn’t leave me alone? What the hell had happened and how was I the girl caught in the middle of it?

He didn’t answer. He just stared at me as if he were about to unleash his wrath.

“Have you been keeping tabs on me?” I asked.

“Answer the question,” he said, his jaw tight and his words clipped.

“He was offering me money,” I said, squinting at the first photograph, still confused as to why I hadn’t recognized that it had been the same guy who’d approached me in Taormina. I’d clearly just not thought anything of it. Perhaps the camera had thrown me off. I’d been excited to get off the boat and was looking forward to speaking to my dad. “This was the guy.”

“Are you working for Cannon?”

His question was like a jolt of electricity and I snapped upright and stepped back.

“What?” He thought I was a spy? I must have misheard him. He knew every inch of me. We’d spent hours together, working, kissing, tracing the contours of each other’s bodies. He couldn’t think that I’d been faking all of that. Surely.

“It’s a simple question. Yes or no.”

“Who is Cannon? Who the hell do you think I am?”

“Then explain the pictures. Why are you meeting this guy—who works for Cannon, but I imagine you already know that.”

“I don’t know who this Cannon is, and this guy approached me. I never met with him. I told you about this time.” I tapped my finger on the middle photo.

“You didn’t tell me you’d spoken to him on at least three occasions.” His hand swept up, indicating the photos. “I guess telling me about once gave you cover in case you’d been spotted. Very clever.”

Gave me cover from what exactly? “Did it occur to you that he kept coming back because I wouldn’t give him what he wanted?”

My emotions ricocheted between panic and anger at being accused of something I hadn’t done, but mostly, I was so disappointed that Hayden would think I was capable of spying on anyone, let alone him.

“I’m showing you the photographs and asking you to explain them. I think I’m being more than reasonable.” His tone was flat and lifeless, as though he was the boss of an organization and I was some faceless employee he’d never met before who he was about to fire. He’d already made up his mind about what those photographs meant. It pierced me to my core that we’d spent so much time together and yet he still thought I was capable of betraying him.

I’d just have to explain. Surely when he heard what had happened, he’d chastise himself for being such an asshole.

“This one?” I said, turning the glossy print around so it faced him. “This was the first time I left the yacht. You can see he’s wearing a camera around his neck. He looks like he’s paparazzi. He asked me who was on the Athena.”

Hayden’s silence contained an unspoken question.

“No, I didn’t tell him anything. It’s not unusual to get approached, especially in Saint Tropez. All of us do, but we don’t say anything.” I wasn’t sure that was true of some of my colleagues, but I certainly hadn’t. “Unless the guest wants us to.”

“The guests want you to tell the press they’re on board?” Hayden asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

I shrugged, taking a seat opposite him. “Sometimes. I mean, this lifestyle is expensive. People like to show off.”

“So explain why you didn’t tell me you’d been approached?”

“This happens all the time. I’d forgotten it had even happened until I saw the photograph.”

“So what about this then?” he asked, tapping his finger on the middle image of the redhead. “That was the night after we stayed at the hotel. You can’t tell me that’s a coincidence.”

“What’s a coincidence?” I asked. I didn’t understand why he was being so cold and sharp with me.

“That was the night we first slept together. Had he been waiting for you to report back to him or—”

I held up my hand to stop him. He made me sound as if I’d slept with him for information or something. He wasn’t about to tell me what happened. I’d been there, and I’d told him about it. “He was on a bench. I was walking back to the tender in the morning and he was there. I told you all about it later that day after Skylar caught us. I was a little freaked out. He offered me money—five thousand dollars—to tell him what you were working on.” I winced as I remembered how he’d told me I’d confirmed that Hayden was on the boat.

“You made it sound like it was no big deal,” he said.

“Me? I couldn’t get you to focus on it. You said that you being on the Athena wasn’t a secret and then you kept asking about Skylar. Do you not remember this?”

“You never mentioned it again. And you conveniently forgot that he’d approached you before. Very convincing.”

I sighed. Jesus, why was he so ready to assume the worst of me? I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation with Hayden. Hadn’t he told me he’d never felt the way he did about me before? Didn’t that count for anything? Didn’t he trust me? “I even told you he convinced me that I’d given him some information that I shouldn’t have because he kept peppering me with questions and I was trying to dodge them. I told you he said I’d confirmed that you were on the yacht.”

“So you admit you told him? What other information did you give him?”

“No.” Had I? “I don’t think so, but it all happened so fast and my head was everywhere. If you remember, we hadn’t had much sleep the night before and the guy caught me off guard. Maybe I didn’t refute it or maybe by refuting it I confirmed it for him. I don’t know.”

Hayden shook his head. He clearly didn’t believe a word that came out of my mouth. “So this guy approached you a third time, even though he knew by then that it was futile? What happened the third time you met him?”

My heart sank and guilt crawled across my skin. I tipped my head back and stared at the ceiling. “That’s when he offered me a hundred and fifty grand to feed him information about the deal you were working on.”

“Wow,” Hayden said. “A hundred and fifty grand. Five thousand just wasn’t enough. I guess we know your price now.”

Anger pushed through my guilt and erupted. Why did he just assume I’d taken it? I hadn’t done anything. I’d been tempted for a second. I’d thought about it. That money would have meant as much physical therapy as my brother needed and it might have meant a different life for me. At the very least it would have meant breathing space, room to pause.

I pushed out of my chair and leaned over the desk. He was being so harsh and unfair. This wasn’t the man I’d given my body to. He wasn’t the man I thought he was. “You’re an asshole,” I replied. “I didn’t take his money. You’re still working on your deal, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, despite you.” His words were nasty but his tone was flippant, as if I were an irritation.

“Surely if I’d told him, then someone else would have bought the precious company, that guy who hated your dad.”

He folded his arms. “I have no idea how your mind works or what your plans are. I hope it was worth it. You sold your character, your soul, for that money.”

“You think if I had a hundred and fifty thousand dollars I’d stick around here to get caught? I’d have taken the next flight out.”

“There’s no point in denying it, Avery. I found the phone and the guy’s business card under your bed. The same phone you’re being given here.” He tapped the photo with his finger.

“What the hell?” How had he gotten that phone? I’d stashed the phone and the business card, unsure of what to do with them. “You’ve been in my room?”

“You should try harder to hide stuff if you don’t want people finding them.”

“You’ve been through my things? Who are you?” Jesus, how long had Hayden had suspicions about me? Had he fucked me despite them or because of them? I shivered, uncomfortable in my skin. I needed to get out of there.

“Fuck you. I didn’t take the money. If I had, my life would be a lot better right now. My brother’s life would be a lot better. I’m not that girl. I wouldn’t have done it to anyone, but especially not to you. Not the way I feel—felt—about you.” I straightened and took him in. Still so handsome, but this wasn’t the man I’d shared so much with. That man would know I couldn’t ever take money for selling someone out. “You think you’re isolated on this yacht in the middle of the sea? It’s your suspicions, your mistrustful heart, that isolate you. I’d rather lose every dollar I have than live like that—trusting no one, loving no one, having no one love me. You might end up with an empire and more money than God, but take a look around and you’ll see all the backs of the people who loved you who you turned away.”

Had all these weeks been a lie? Was he pretending to be someone he wasn’t? I shook my head. “I didn’t take that money. I know that, and the man I kissed under the fireworks all those weeks ago knows it too. I don’t recognize the man standing in front of me. And I don’t want to know you.” He’d believe what he wanted. Resignation took hold. I wasn’t going to win this battle. I’d known as soon as I got back to the yacht that I could never betray Hayden like that. I’d paid a high price for my character because either way I was guilty, either of betraying Hayden or my brother. Even now, with Hayden accusing me of taking the money, I didn’t regret my decision, but I did regret having put so much on the line for him. I’d been a fool. I pulled open the door and left, and Hayden didn’t try to stop me. As I slammed the door behind me, I let out a breath, trying to stop myself from screaming out loud at the injustice of it all. For a second I thought I’d found someone, the one. For a moment I’d imagined a life full of fun and love and happiness rather than duty and burden and sacrifice. My heartbeat scattered in my chest and all of a sudden disappeared as if my heart had simply given up the fight.