Page 161 of My Heart Still Beats

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Garrett shakes his head. “We tried to warn you. Have it your way.”

They walk down the hallway and out of view of my peephole.

I shiver as I slide down the wall into a sitting position, my phone still ready to call 911.

Rita rushes to me, but I can’t bring myself to pet her.

I’m numb. Frozen. My heart has gone mad. And my skin feels like ice.

Do they truly have something on Ben?

They can’t. It’s not possible.

Still…

I can’t call their bluff. I can’t risk it. I delete the one, the one, and the nine.

Then I wrap my arms around my knees and stay there.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Ben

After my ten o’clock meeting, I grab Braden’s arm while he’s returning to his office.

“We need to talk.”

“I’ve got a lunch meeting in half an hour.”

“Cancel it.”

Braden raises an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

He doesn’t mean to be rude. He’s reacting because I take this business as seriously as he does, sometimes even more so. He’s confused as to why I’d tell him to cancel a meeting.

“I have to talk to you, Braden, and it can’t wait.”

He cocks his head, raises the eyebrow again, and then rubs his stubbled jawline. “All right. My office.”

We’re silent as we walk together.

“Cancel my lunch meeting,” Braden says to his assistant Claire when we turn the corner of the hallway.

I follow him to his corner office on the opposite side of the top floor as mine. They’re both the same size, but his is decorated in his classic downtown-style flair with large picture windows looking out at Boston.

“What is it?” he asks once his door is closed.

“You’d better sit down.”

“Thanks, but I’ll stand.”

I sigh. “Have it your way.” I run my hands over my head, trying to ease the ache erupting in my brain. “ThenI’mgoing to sit.”

That way I’ll have to actually get up if I change my mind about this.

But no.

No more changing my mind.

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