Page 35 of Bitter Lies

Chapter 14

Aiden

As I storm out of the gallery, I fire off a text to Silas to get his arse out here so we can go. If I stick around, I’ll do something outrageous. Like drag little Miss Smart Mouth into another hidden hallway and make her take it back.

It’s better if we stop now. The longer we continue, the more lies I’ll be forced to tell her.

Izzy doesn’t seem like a woman who would forgive easily, and I hate lying. Lies are seeds of deceit. Eventually, they grow into something dark and destructive.

The valet approaches, and I pass him my ticket. When he returns and Silas still isn’t here, I fire off another text.

ME:

Five minutes. Then I’m leaving.

SILAS:

Hold your tits. Saying hello to a lovely woman and her grandmother.

Tell her goodbye and get your arse down here.

Are you the reason she’s snappy? Have you not sealed the deal yet? Time is ticking.

Down to sixty seconds.

The passenger door swings open, letting the noise of the street seep in. “No need to get your knickers all twisted.”

“Get in and shut up.” Ignoring him, I drive off the second he closes the door, not giving a shit if he’s strapped in.

Fuck him.

He’s at least smart enough to keep his mouth shut during the twenty-minute drive to Mr. Theiss’s jewelry store.

Is it smart speaking to him like we are equals? No. He could take it personally and end me without blinking. If he did, at least I’d not feel like a complete arse for how I’m treating Izzy. I’m sure I’ll hear about it later, be forced to do a job he doesn’t want to do as my punishment.

I pull up to the curb and park. The security gates are closed. Lights off. Telling us what I knew to expect when arriving an hour late.

Cort grew tired of waiting and left. Now we’ll need to track him down. Wait for him to come back so I can teach him a lesson he’ll not forget.

“I’m outside your store, Mr. Theiss, and you’re not here?” Silas clicks his tongue, already annoyed. “I don’t care. I came when I could. My time isn’t yours to question.”

There’s a pause. I can hear Cort doing his best to explain. He’s wasting his breath.

“You have ten minutes.” Silas’s voice turns lethal. “Each minute after that will cost you. The clock’s already ticking.”

Ending the call, he settles into his seat like he has all the time in the world.

We both know it’ll take Cort longer than ten minutes. Even at this late hour, there’s no way he makes it here from his home in under twenty, even if he breaks every traffic law. Which means he’s already late.

And since I’m in no mood to talk, I pull out my phone and send a text.

My fingers still smell like you.

The dots bounce for a few seconds. Then disappear. No reply.

Just long enough to tell me she’s seen it and chosen to ignore me. Which pisses me off. I don’t like being ignored.

So, I try again.