Stealing Her (Covet 1)

I hated even more that I couldn’t do much about it, not with Julian still in his coma.

Dad adjusted his tie. “Really looking forward to that wedding this weekend.”

With that, he opened the door, stepped out, and shut it.

We had our answer.

We were getting married.

I knew it.

She knew it.

But hearing him say it, that even though she knew I was Bridge, it didn’t matter to him, because it was all about money and appearances.

And I felt like a complete ass that I hadn’t told her the rest of the story, that I needed to marry her to get my trust. That he was dangling it over my head, that even though I would do anything to be married to her—I was still using her.

I was too distracted with my own thoughts and a shaking Izzy to see it then.

The movement from the bed.

I would look back on that moment and hate myself more than I could possibly bear, knowing that my brother, the one I meant to save.

Heard every fucking word.

And worse.

Saw me kiss her hard on the mouth before leaving the very room that had been his prison.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

ISOBEL

I didn’t know what to think.

About anything.

Seeing Julian had been physically painful. Knowing he’d been in the hospital that whole time while I was playing house with his brother, falling in love with him, felt so cruel that I couldn’t even process anything beyond what to do for the rest of the day.

I needed to talk things through.

No, I didn’t need more talking.

I needed, I wanted Bridge.

I was halfway to the apartment when I asked the driver to turn around and head to the offices. Bridge was there, under orders by Edward, of course.

Maybe I really was a bad person because I wanted Bridge to tell me it was going to be okay, that we hadn’t done anything wrong.

That it just happened.

“I’ll text you when I’m coming down,” I told my driver as I hopped out of the car and made a beeline for the large building nestled in the middle of the financial district. They occupied the top fifteen floors, and now that they were expanding again, would own the entire thing.

I scanned my security guest pass and went into the elevator that would take me to the main offices.

Julian’s office.

Bridge’s office.

Funny how last time I took that elevator to Julian’s office I was ready to puke because I was ending something.

And now? Now I wanted to puke because I was starting something, really starting it, with both feet in.

And needing now more than ever for the other person to tell me that he was in too, that I wasn’t crazy, that even though the situation wasn’t the best, we would be okay.

When the doors opened I speed-walked down the familiar hall and toward the receptionist’s desk. “Hi, Kelsey—”

“Go right on in.” She smiled brightly. “He’s on the phone, but I’m sure he’ll want to see you.” Something seemed different.

My eyes narrowed.

Her eyes narrowed.

We had the stare-down of all stare-downs.

Did she know he was Bridge not Julian?

I almost opened my mouth to ask, but then she said with a quick smile, “He’s been making some great changes.”

“As opposed to before when there were no changes?”

She just smiled. “He likes to get things done, and not just that, Isobel, he’s having HR do an analysis of every position’s salary and benefits to see where he can give raises. I haven’t had a raise in three years.”

I sucked in a breath. “Wow. Can he do that?”

“He’s the CEO. He can do whatever he wants.” She looked down at the phone. “Looks like he’s off.”

“Right.” I took a deep breath.

“Relax.” She smiled. “Oh, and bring him this.” She grabbed a hot cup from her desk. “He’s already on his third.”

I rolled my eyes. “He’s going to need a tranq to come down from that tonight.”

“Oh, I think he’ll manage” was all she said, and then she put her hand on my arm. “This is the first time I’ve seen you in this office with a real smile on your face. I like it.”

I felt tears burn my eyes as I looked away and thought back on my confessional phone call with Annie, who I called as soon as we dropped Bridge off at the office.

“I’m a horrible person.”

“No. You’re human,” Annie fired back. “I’ll take this secret to my grave, and I’m honored you even told me in the first place. Just know it’s going to be okay, and I truly think everything happens for a reason.”

“I care for him.”

“I know you do.”

“But I’m also a mess.”

She just laughed. “Welcome to humanity.”

Annie always had a way of pointing out the good in a situation, so her words combined with Kelsey’s observation were on my mind as I straightened my shoulders and smiled when I set eyes on Bridge.