Page 6 of This Bitter Sweet Temptation
My shoulders sag in relief. No wonder the library hasn’t changed much. This ginormous desk was waiting for me to bring it home.
I run my hand along the cool wooden surface, thanking the stars that PopPop left a little extra for moving it. There’s no way I could afford to get this monstrosity back home by myself, a couple hours away.
Jeez, I might have to relocate sooner or later.
It won’t fit easily into my shoebox apartment. It’s big, but maybe if I measure everything and shove it beside the window in the living room… I could give it a temporary home.
I’ll use it for sketching. Or planning. Or just daydreaming. A little bit of PopPop, always with me.
“Very kind of him. Thank you,” I whisper.
“Now, the grand finale,” Miss Wilkes says. “The most prized piece in his sizable art collection.”
“Art?” As far as I recall, there’s probably nothing that valuable left in the house. Most of the art should’ve been dealt with months ago.
“His other pieces were auctioned off last year,” Jackie confirms. “The final batch is set for private sale soon, but he was adamant he doesn’t want that for this special piece.” She standsagain, tucking the paperwork back into her folder. “It’s better if I show you. Just as soon as the rest of our party arrives.”
The rest of our party? What party?
This keeps getting weirder.
“Who’s coming?” I ask, but before Wilkes can answer, there’s a heavy rapping at the door.
“Come in!” she calls.
The door opens.
A man’s enormous silhouette fills the doorway, a human wall built for punishment.
Jet-black hair.
Deep-brown eyes set in an angular, hard face.
Lips that look like they were made for barking orders and spitting people out.
He’s a human golem, over six feet of stone and bad attitude. Unrealistic, unfair, uncompromising perfection.
No, unrealisticphysicalperfection.
I remember him on sight. Then I remember how deeply flawed the personality is attached to this beast.
Moody McMiserable, in the flesh. The big, hired asshole who put a damper on every fun time here.
I haven’t seen him in years, which was a relief every time. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if Gramps kept him on payroll during my last couple visits.
He may look like Hercules’ older, angrier brother, but his personality is somewhere between dead fish and inanimate rock.
Who knew the ninth circle of hell could be so boring? He definitely crawled out of it just to ruin everything.
Gramps’ head of security.
Holden goddamned Verity.
Holy shit.
I hadnoclue he was still around. I have even less idea why he’s here now, smirking at me without quirking his lips.
It’s those eyes, brown and amused, like a grizzly bear watching a salmon flopping helplessly.
