“Not as much as he needs what’s between your legs.”
I chewed on the inside of my lip as I swallowed the insult. “What can I do to prove myself to you?”
She grabbed the glass of water from the coffee table and took a long drink. “You want to know what you can do?”
“Yeah,” I snapped. “I just asked.”
“Leave. Leave him and never come back. Then I’ll stay.”
That was impossible. “Then he’ll be miserable. He’ll be miserable if he loses you too. He needs both of us, Ariel.”
“Leave,” she repeated. “Let him get his life back on track.”
“Back on track? I’m the one who’s gotten him to cut back on drinking. I’m the one who gets him to crack a smile once in a while. I understand business is important to both of you, but it’s not everything. He needs more than that.”
“He didn’t before.”
“It’s a good thing he does now.”
She glanced at the lawyer then returned to ignoring me.
“Ariel, come on. We can work this out. You’re like family to Crewe.”
“I was—until he picked you.”
“Why does he have to pick at all? Ariel, why am I such a threat to you? I would never hurt Crewe.”
“Oh, really?” She raised an eyebrow. “Crewe is supposed to marry someone of his station, and not just for business. He needs to carry on his bloodline through someone of noble birth. That’s how it works. And you’re telling me you’re just gonna step aside and let that happen?”
The idea of Crewe spending his life with someone else made me sick to my stomach. Watching him walk off with a princess or a duchess while I slowly faded into the background would make me hurt worse than anything else in my life. I didn’t know what the future held for us, but I knew letting him go would break my heart.
She cocked her head to the side when I didn’t answer. “That’s what I thought. You’ve done nothing but ruin Crewe’s life. You’re a fucking cockroach that just won’t die. You’re selfish and inconsiderate. I can’t stand by and watch Crewe throw away his legacy like this—because he’s family.”
“If he’s family—”
Crewe walked inside in a gray suit and black tie. With a look of consternation and professionalism, he didn’t seem hungover at all. Maybe a hot shower and a few painkillers had been enough to straighten him out. “London.” He walked to the couch and looked down at me, his hands in his pockets.
I didn’t appreciate the cold way he spoke to me, so I spoke just as coldly. “Crewe.”
He didn’t give a smartass comment like he normally would. “Give us the room.”
My eyes narrowed even more. I didn’t appreciate being bossed around when I was only trying to help him.
He picked up on the tension. “Please, Lovely.”
I stood up and ignored Ariel as I walked around the couch. Before I passed Crewe, he grabbed me by the elbow and leaned into me, pressing a gentle kiss to my cheek.
I knew it was the only form of apology he could express.
He let me go then walked to the couch.
I left the room and shut the door behind me. I lingered outside the doorway in the hope I could catch a word or two, but his door was so thick and the room was so big that I couldn’t make out a single word.
All I could think about was what Ariel said to me. The only way I could make her stay was if I walked away. I had to let Crewe move on and marry someone who was more worthy of his affection. I was okay with not knowing what would happen between Crewe and me, but I didn’t like the idea of knowing nothing ever could happen. But if that was the case, why did I move all the way here?
Crewe returned to the bedroom a few hours later. He was still stiff in his suit, his mood black and palpable. He looked the same as he did last night, pissed off and drunk. Except he hadn’t been drinking—at least to my knowledge. “What did you say to her?”
“She didn’t tell you?” I asked in surprise.
“She’s not my partner anymore.” He immediately moved for the liquor cabinet, needing booze the second he walked into a room. He couldn’t even carry on a conversation without having a glass in his hand.
“Crewe.”
He held the bottle as he looked at me.
“We can’t erase all the progress you’ve made.”
He turned around and poured a glass. “I erased all my progress when you left.” He took a drink and faced me. “So, we’re back to square one.”
“Whether I’m here or not, you should take it easy.”
“We both know you’re the key to both my health and happiness.” He took another long drink before he set the glass down. “What did you say to her?”
“I asked her to stay.”
“That obviously didn’t work…”
“I told her she was overreacting, that my feelings for you are genuine and I would never hurt you…again. But that wasn’t enough for her. She said I already betrayed you.” I left out the part about marriage, knowing that put unnecessary stress on our relationship. “It’s frustrating because I explained my side of the story, but she just won’t listen. I know she’s not stupid. She’s just…”
“Stubborn,” Crewe finished. “Yeah, I know.” He chuckled. “I’ve known her for a long time. She hasn’t changed since I first met her.”
“You didn’t fight for her?”
“No.” He fell back into one of the high-backed armchairs in the living room. “She made her decision. I’m not going to chase her. The money has been handled. I don’t owe her anything, and she doesn’t owe me anything.” He finished his glass then set the empty cup on the table.
“There’s more to your relationship than business.”
His eyes fixated on my gaze. “What are you implying?”
“That you love her.”
He shook his head slightly. “I’ve never had feelings for her. You know she’s gay, right?”
“That’s not what I mean, Crewe. I know you love her like family.”
He looked away, as if admitting it was too difficult. “She’s one of the few people I trust…”
“You can’t just let her go, Crewe. Maybe you can give her some space then talk to her.”
“It won’t do any good. She gave me an ultimatum, and I made my decision.”
Me. “There shouldn’t be an ultimatum at all.”
“I understand her point of view. I’ve made some unusual decisions, so she questions my judgment.”
“Your personal life has nothing to do with your work.”
“That’s not completely true. If you have a DUI, it’s a lot more difficult to get a job. That has nothing to do with a position you’re applying for, but it’s relevant. If you make bad decisions off the clock, will you make good decisions on the clock?”
“First of all, a DUI is a traffic offense. Not the same thing. And second of all, are you implying I’m a bad decision?”
“If you were, would I still be here?”
“You never answered the question.” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Objectively, yes. You are a bad decision. You aren’t a suitable partner, and we started off in a complicated situation. But you shouldn’t take that personally.”