The Consequence (The Evolution of Sin 3)

“What the fuck?” Sinclair bit out into the phone. “How the hell did this happen, Margot?”

I listened to the one sided conversation with my lip between my teeth.

“And I’m supposed to believe you? Was it you who tipped them off about the Paulsons too? Bullshit, M, Elena showed up here last night fucking livid, putting her hands on Elle who is fucking pregnant, as you well know, saying that you told her about the baby. So forgive me if I don’t believe you when you say that you had nothing to do with the Paulsons or this new article.”

I zoned out after that in favor of leaning forward to snag the offending paper off the little table it lay crumbled on.

Faire Developments CEO and son of Mortimer Percy, New York State’s Governor, has a torrid affair with longtime girlfriend’s sister.

Okay, yeah, I could understand why Sinclair was furious.

The article went on to state some of the intimate details of our affair; how we met in Mexico, the subsequent reveal that Elena and I were sisters, our continued affair and finally, how we were now living in sin in Brooklyn. It also mentioned that I was an upcoming artist with a gallery showing in two weeks.

“Fuck,” I echoed.

“I’ll deal with this,” Sinclair said, suddenly crouching in front of my chair. His face was harsh with contained fury but it was his eyes that slayed me, filled with panic. “Fuck, this is too much for you to deal with right now.”

I reached out to take his head in my hands. “Sin, please, I am okay right now. It sucks that someone felt the need to out us to the press as if we are some reality program but at least everyone knows now, right?”

Sinclair did not laugh at my lame joke.

“Honey, seriously, I am okay. It might mean that some people might not come to my showing but that’s something that I can live with. I’m worried about what it means for you.”

And I was, the Dogwood deal was hanging by a thread and Sin still hadn’t found the person who had released the information about Mr. Paulson to the press.

He sighed. “I think this will be the end of that.”

“No,” I said immediately. “You can’t be serious? Paulson would really pull out of the contract because of gossip? Can he even do that?”

“It isn’t only Paulson but the investors he brings to the table and they all follow him because they share the same sensibilities,” he explained.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

He leaned forward to press a hard kiss to my lips. “Enough of that. We aren’t doing this to each other. I do have to go though. I know it’s a Sunday but I need to manage this.”

“I understand.”

He nodded again and gave me another kiss, this one with tongue so that I was panting slightly when he moved away.

“Later,” he promised.

I nodded and watched him walk away. I stayed in the chaise until I was sure I had given him enough time to get ready and leave before I got up to do the same myself.

It was hard to forget how opulent the Paulson’s apartment was but the massive chandelier in the foyer seemed even bigger than the one in my memories. I waited there while Gus, the butler, went in search of his mistress.

I was nervous. It could turn out to be a massive mistake to show up unannounced and somehow beg for them to continue to honor Paulson’s deal with Sinclair but at this point, when Sinclair was so uncharacteristically resigned, I knew I had to risk it.

“Giselle, what a surprise,” Terry said as she swooped into the room.

I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her. She wore her signature hoop earrings and her huge hair was out to there in teased curls. It was still mid-morning but she was already decked out for the day in a leopard print blouse and black cigarette pants. She looked like one of the Pink Ladies from Grease and I loved it.

“Terry,” I greeted, still smiling. “I hope I’m not intruding but I brought you and Paulson a gift.”

Her eyes widened with joy before she could subdue herself. I watched her bite her red painted lip and struggle with what to say.

“Oh fudge, I can’t be mad at you. It’s not like you’re involved in this whole sordid mess anyhow, right? I mean, I told Pauly right from the get go that Daniel Sinclair was not the type of man to play in gossip but you know men, they get so angry and so stubborn that it’s hard to convince them of anything.”

“Trust me, I know.”

She laughed her awesome hyena laugh at my dry tone and came forward to wrap me in her heavily perfumed arms. “I missed you, girl.”

“Same here, Terry,” I murmured into her cloud of hair.