Fake Wife (Taming The Bad Boy Billionaire 8)
“Maybe once or twice, but I’d never act on it. Charlie was and always will be off limits.”
“Yeah, he’s forbidden fruit all right, but he sure is tempting.”
“You know what happened to Eve by that logic,” she said.
We both chuckled.
She parked down the street and cut the engine. “I didn’t see his car and all the lights are off. He must still be out.”
“Great. So, are you ready to do this?”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know. Maybe we should abort this mission. I guess I’m having second thoughts. This is just...insane. We should just go.”
“Chickening out? On mission-find-out-what-the-bastard-is-hiding?”
“Maybe.”
I confidentially opened my door and stepped out. “Just stay here. I’ll go inside myself. If he has secrets, then I’m going to find them.”
“No way! Just get back in the car. I’ve changed my mind.”
“Too late!”
“It’s a woman’s prerogative, and I don’t recall signing any contract in blood or anything. If you don’t get back in this car right now, I’ll leave your ass. It would serve you right for being so stubborn...and crazy.”
“You forget I know you better than you know yourself,” I said, grinning. “You won’t desert me. You’re too good of a friend for that. So c’mon, suck it up! This is a very important mission.”
She sighed. “Why do you always pull crazy stunts like this? You’ve done this shit since we were kids. I swear, you act just like Charlie sometimes. Maybe you two are meant for each other, because you’re two of a kind.”
“But I don’t sleep around like that.”
“I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about fooling around, doing crazy things. I guess it was cute when we were little, but we’re supposed to be grownups now. You’re twenty-six now, not six.”
I slammed the car door shut and marched to the trunk, knocking on the lid until she finally obliged and popped it open. I pulled my emergency black ski mask out from the place where it was stored with all my winter gear. “If you’re not gonna help me, why’d you come?” I asked when I walked back to her window.
“I don’t know. Maybe I wanted to see justice served. He borrowed $500 from me, you know, and I haven’t seen a cent of it.”
“Join the club. Like I said, he’s screwed all of us, in one way or another, and now it’s time for payback.”
“I know revenge is best served cold, but you’re not going to vandalize his house, are you?”
“C’mon, girl! You know that’s not who I am. I won’t break anything.”
She looked at me long and hard.
“Listen, I promise I won’t steal anything from him. I’m an honest person, not a criminal. I’m just looking for incriminating evidence, something we can hold over his head to coerce him into paying us back.”
“Gee, maybe you do have a heart of gold after all.”
“Maybe,” I said with a grin, then walked away. “Keep the engine running!” I threw over my shoulder as I hurried down the sidewalk.
Chapter 4
I’d held so many odd jobs in the past that I’d practically done everything, including home security for the local rent a cop office. I knew exactly what wires to cut to disarm Charlie’s security system. Feeling confident, I opened one unlocked window once the system was disabled and slipped inside.
It was dark, so I flashed my light beam around. I searched quietly, rummaging carefully through piles of mail and paperwork and a few notebooks, but I couldn’t find anything substantial, other than some candy wrappers and far too many pizza coupons. My gaze drifted to his impressive sword collection hanging on the wall. It made me smile, bringing back m
emories of the recreational fencing club we were members of as youngsters. It was a great sport, and I always kicked Charlie’s ass when we sparred. I couldn’t help but let out an audible chuckle as I recalled him sitting on the ground with my sword pointed down at him, completely at my mercy. He always hated that I was the only one who could beat him. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t paid back the damn money he owes me, I thought. Maybe it’s his revenge for being beaten so badly by a girl all the time.