Read Dirty Filthy Rich Love Free Online

The sting of that snub returned on acme of the newer pain. "Correct. Probably considering he didn't want me to know he was in town seeing his lover, Dominicus." My voice cracked. "That was sure polite of him."

He shook his head. "Sun is non his lover."

Yeah well, Weston also didn't want to believe his father was decadent or that Donovan had framed a college advisor.

I wasn't going to argue about it. "Whatsoever she is, he'due south with her tonight." And not me.

Well, I didn't want to run into him either.

The lift stopped. The doors opened, and I hustled out, half expecting to run into that Donovan had run down the stairs to meet us. But the lobby was empty.

"I've texted my driver," Dylan said. "We tin can attempt to brand a speedy getaway, if that helps."

"That does. Thank yous."

Exterior, I pulled my coat tighter around me and paced the sidewalk, keeping one center out for Dylan'southward limo and the other centre on the doors to the building in example Donovan showed upward. The cold temperature sobered me upwards and left me with a throbbing headache.

"Here's the car," Dylan said every bit the limo drove toward usa a few short minutes later.

This was it. We'd washed it. Escaped. He hadn't even come afterwards me. If I was disappointed about that, I wasn't admitting it to anyone.

Only no sooner had the machine parked then I heard my name again.

"Sabrina, wait!"

All of the states turned together to see Donovan rushing toward us from the edifice. Rushing toward me.

"Oh, Christ," I mumbled. Though inside I felt a little relieved.

And too a whole lot pissed off. And hurt. So hurt.

Dylan spoke first, greeting the man who had no business organisation looking as outrageously handsome equally he did. "Donovan!"

It took Donovan a second to pull his eyes from me to the man at my side. "Dylan?" He seemed nearly unable to process his friend's presence. "I didn't realize you were in town."

"I'm visiting Aaron. He has the holiday weekend. I'll be in the office tomorrow, though." He snuck a glance at me, and I realized this banal small talk was meant to diffuse the state of affairs.

Thanks, I mouthed silently.

Not that Donovan was deterred for long. "We can grab up tomorrow, and so. If y'all don't mind, though, I demand to just infringe Sabrina for the residue of the evening. Don't worry. I'll drive her home."

Before I knew what was happening, he had his hand on my back and was pivoting me away from everyone else.

"Hold on," Audrey ordered. "She'south not going anywhere with you unless she says that's what she wants."

Donovan dropped his mitt and turned to her. "You're protective of your sister. That's very sweetness. Nosotros haven't met, Audrey, but I work with everyone here."

She lifted her mentum and took a stride forrad. "I know who you are likewise, Donovan. Don't try to bulldoze me."

I bit back a proud giggle.

Donovan took a beat, and I could tell he was trying to remain calm. "Then if you know who I am, yous likely also understand that I demand to talk to her."

"I don't want to talk to you," I barked. Which wasn't truthful. I wanted to talk to him so bad I'd called him all the way in French republic.

"Then you lot'll heed." He shifted his focus back to my sis. "I promise to take her back to you lot in ane piece."

I didn't understand why he was and then insistent to talk at present. Why did he intendance? He was already dating other women. Defending himself was needless. It wasn't similar we had a human relationship to salvage.

But we would demand to talk at some point, and before Audrey agreed it was a skilful thought, she'd have to corroborate of Donovan's motives.

"You need to talk to her as her boss?" she asked, obviously poking at his option to innovate himself as 1 of my coworkers.

"I need to talk to her as her boyfriend," Donovan corrected.

"Whoa," Weston said, echoing my thoughts. Audrey grinned, the traitor.

"You lot are non my boyfriend," I growled, though deep down inside of me I already knew I was going to replay those words over and over again after on. Clarify them. Dissect them. Cutting them up and see if there was whatever possible meaning to them likewise as a tactic to grab my attention.

Donovan let out an impatient huff of air. "Then I need to talk to you lot every bit the guy you've been fucking."

Dylan cringed visibly.

I fumed. "Non anymore. You made certain that was over when—"

"Sabrina," Donovan interrupted, his low authoritative tone impossible to ignore. "Requite Audrey the keys to your apartment and tell her you lot'll run across her at dwelling in an hour. I'm sure that you trust both Weston and Dylan to make certain she gets at that place safely."

God, I hated everything about him right then. The way he'd inserted himself into my evening plans. The way he made my skin prickle and fizz. The way he made me think I might actually exist someone who mattered to him.

It was too common cold to keep continuing on the curb arguing, and it wasn't fair to keep everyone. I was giving in.

I met Audrey's eyes. I didn't have to say anything for her to know what I was request.

"I'1000 fine," she said confidently. "You should go."

"I'll be less than an hour," I said, handing her my flat central. I wasn't sure I could go along that promise, but I made information technology anyhow.

She shook her head, nonverbally telling me not to worry. "You have the History channel. That's enough entertainment to last me quite a while."

I waited until the three of them were in the back of the limo, and the door was shut. Then I took a deep breath, turned away from the curb, and stepped toward Donovan.

Donovan. Fucking Donovan in his tailored suit and five o'clock shadow.

Walking toward him was similar deciding to walk through burn down when I was already covered with beginning-caste burns. It hurt like I couldn't describe.

Simply I was a girl who lived in darkness. His fire sure looked bright.

He took my arm. It was a polite gesture, and the pressure of his hand felt comforting through my coat, only I pulled away immediately.

"Don't touch on me. We tin talk, only yous don't get to impact me."

I know I didn't imagine the flicker of pain I saw in his eyes fifty-fifty if he refused to acknowledge information technology.

"We'll just talk then." He gestured to his Jag, which had pulled up along the sidewalk ahead while we'd argued. "After you."

Four

Halfway to Donovan's car, I realized we were leaving without Sun.

Not that I minded. Merely I sure as hell was going to brand a betoken to mention it.

"You just abandoned your date?" I didn't want to seem like I cared about his response, but I glanced over at him from the corner of my eye.

His oral cavity tightened. "Information technology was a business dinner. Not a date. We came separately. She'll get her ain ride habitation."

That did brand me fairly gleeful. Whatever happened tonight, at least I wouldn't have to wonder if Sun would be dropping her panties for Donovan in the backseat like she had the last fourth dimension he'd driven her abode from ane of their dates.

I knew because he'd later told me about it in detail. It was months ago, and I still writhed with jealousy when I thought about it.

At the car, Donovan reached down to open up the dorsum door, and then held it and so I could go in.

I paused at the curb and met his eyes, the door a barrier between united states of america. "Then no going down on Sun in the car this night then. What a compassion."

He didn't blanch. "You're the 1 I'm putting in a car, Sabrina. If that's how y'all desire to spend the drive, I'm more than happy to oblige."

A shiver ran down my spine that I hoped he didn't see.

"I'm getting in the machine to talk." But perchance I didn't mean that.

Did I? How strong could I be in Donovan's presence? Could I exist as strong every bit I needed to be?

"Go far the car so."

I guessed we'd find out.

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I slid across the backseat until I got to the other side and buckled myself in. It was a pitiful excuse for a barricade, but I pretended information technology would keep me safe. As long as I stayed on my side, and he stayed on his side, everything would be fine.
But and so he got in side by side to me, his long legs taking so much more space, his very beingness taking up fifty-fifty more space. He filled the car. There was no escaping him. He was everywhere—beside me, in my skin, on my natural language. I couldn't breathe without inhaling him.

I needed to exercise or say something to remind myself what the situation was.

"Only because I'm leaving with you lot doesn't change the fact that you came with her," I said, bitterly every bit the car pulled away from the curb.

He studied me a moment. "I came here for you."

"Because you just happened to know I'd exist at Gaston's this night? That makes perfect sense. Bring along your girlfriend. That volition prove Sabrina what'due south what."

"I came to the States for you lot."

My middle tripped.

Information technology had to be bullshit. "And yous proved it by going out with Sunday the infinitesimal you got here. I completely believe y'all."

"I didn't become out with her romantically," he said tersely. "I called Weston when I landed. He said your sister was in town. I didn't want to interrupt your evening. I planned to see you lot tomorrow. Meanwhile, I needed to negotiate some terms with Lord's day. We've hired her to exist the confront of the campaign for the merger in Europe, and she's playing hardball with some additional requests."

"So you thought you could wine, dine, lx—"

He cut me off sharply. "It was dinner, and I'm in the goddamn motorcar with you. I came dorsum for you."

I looked over at him. The car was dark, but in that location was enough light from the street to see his face up. His crushingly handsome face. He seemed tired. Jet-lagged, probably. His scruff was perchance older than a twenty-four hours. His jaw was also tight, like it got when he was frustrated. I wanted to reach out and run my mitt along the musculus. Wanted to feel the warmth of his skin burn my fingers.

I didn't actually have any reason not to believe him.

He'd called her get-go, but his reason fabricated sense. If he'd really wanted to be with Sun instead of me, wouldn't he exist with her now? If he said he'd come dorsum to us for me…

I'd been and then wrapped up with Lord's day I'd forgotten near the residue. This was the first time nosotros'd been together without the veil. I knew about the file. And he knew that I knew. There were so many bigger things than Sun between us, and if he'd come up dorsum for me, was it to…explain? To attempt to make up a lie? To convince me not to press charges for invasion of privacy?

"Why?" I asked outright. "Why did yous come back for me?"

"Don't play dumb, Sabrina. You called me."

"I chosen you, simply there could exist a dozen different means to interpret your response when you show up like this. You lot could take just called me dorsum."

"I thought this discussion deserved a face to face up, don't you?" His tone was controlled and even and a little bit threatening, and I wondered for a moment if I should exist scared of him.

But I was always a little scared of him. Didn't I similar that virtually him?

I crossed my legs, trying to ignore the pulse between my legs. "Face to face up so you could seduce me into believing any y'all wanted me to believe?" If that was his plan, he needed to come up with a new one. I had my seatbelt on and everything.

"I thought it would be easier to talk honestly."

Something in my breast pushed out, like it was reaching. Like at that place was a part of me that was still belongings out promise that we could put everything out on the tabular array, and in that location'd exist a manner in there that we could be together.

But I knew better.

A of all, given the lengths he'd gone to, putting together my file over the years, I couldn't exist entirely sure he wasn't a psychopath.

B of all, I'd already tried the honest approach and it had failed.

Besides, I knew the truth. I didn't demand him to admit it, and I didn't believe for 1 minute that he would. But if he wanted to play the honesty game, then fuck it, I'd play his game.

I'd tell him his truth before he had a risk to tell me whatsoever other story.

I twisted in my seat so I could stare him expressionless in the face up. "You desire honesty? How well-nigh this for honesty—I know what it means. That you lot accept all that stuff on me. I already know what it means, so don't bother trying to come up upwards with some story to excuse it."

He tilted his head in my direction, humoring me. "Really. What does information technology mean?"

I stared him right in the eye. "You honey me."

"I do."

He'd spoken them no louder than anything else he'd said, and however those ii words echoed through the car like he'd shouted them into a canyon.

"Oh," I said. My chest felt heavy. And hot. I was hot. "Oh," I said over again.

I looked down, all of a sudden feeling dizzy and shaky and a piddling similar I was going to throw upwards.

"Tin can you handle that?"

I looked support at him, jolting when I met his eyes again. "I don't know." Fuck. I hated that he could see how vulnerable he made me. "I hateful. You don't even know me."

He raised a brow. "Are you certain?"

"A file of papers about me isn't knowing me."

"I realize that." He leaned closer, close enough that I could smell the faint scent of his aftershave. "Merely I knew you then and I know yous now. And I know."

My entire body vibrated in understanding, as though the cells inside me were able to admit something that my brain refused to acknowledge.

Donovan Kincaid loved me.

I'd believed it, deep down, I'd thought information technology was the only thing that fabricated sense. He'd loved Amanda and he'd done the aforementioned things with her. The pieces added upwards. It was a rational conclusion.

But emotionally I hadn't been then sure.

I dropped my gaze. My head was rushing back through everything, putting this new frame on every experience we'd shared together, seeing it through the lens of he loves me, trying to feel if it made sense.

Ii weeks ago all I'd wanted was a chance that he might feel more than 1 day.

He'd hurt me. Pushed me away. Pissed me off.

"If you're so in dear with me, why did you insist that a relationship between us was impossible?"

He pressed his lips together. "You've discovered that I've been stalking you and meddling in your personal life for the concluding x years, and you lot're concerned nearly why I didn't want to accept a relationship?"

When he put it that style, it did sound kind of ridiculous.

I chuckled. I was losing information technology. Yeah, he'southward a psychopath, but it'southward okay considering he loves me. I wanted him to tell me more about how he felt about me, but he was right. I needed to get my priorities direct.

I looked away for a moment to get my bearings. "I'one thousand concerned near all that too." There'd been so many things I'd wanted to say nigh that when I'd called him. "I'm actually bothered past it. I'm mad. I'm confused. I'chiliad freaked out. I feel…violated."

"Of course you do. Y'all should feel all those things." He wasn't patronizing, but not apologetic either.

"You lot're damn right I should experience those things." I was irked at his lack of remorse. "I retrieve I hate you lot for it."

"Do you lot?" he challenged.

I opened my oral cavity to respond when he added, "Remember it's no fun if yous're not honest."

"I detest you for it," I repeated, softer this fourth dimension. I airtight my eyes, scared of the next part, the words I hadn't said aloud to anyone, not even Audrey. "But I'm too fascinated. That you're fascinated with me. That does things to me. Information technology makes me feel safe. And wanted. And looked afterward. It turns me on." I opened my eyes and looked at him. "I don't hateful sexually." But I did mean sexually too. "Does that mean I'1000 crazy?"

He laughed softly. "Probably."

He stretched his legs out
, more relaxed than he had been when nosotros'd kickoff gotten in the automobile. He scrubbed his hand over his face and permit out a sigh. "I forget how much I can trust you lot. I should take done that."
There information technology was. Remorse. He felt remorse.

"Earlier running abroad to France?" I clarified.

"I didn't…run away. Exactly." He smiled ever so slightly, and my pulse beat double-time.

"Y'all did run away. Because you lot didn't want me to notice out virtually that file?" I was withal putting pieces together, slipping them in where they seemed to fit best.

"When Amanda establish out about her file, she was the one running away."

"So you thought y'all'd exist the one to run away first this time?"

"I don't know, Sabrina," he said with a frustrated huff. "Yep." After he'd idea about it a second. "Okay, yes." He looked somewhere in the distance. "I don't trust how I would handle losing yous. It's better if the ties are cutting on my terms. It's safer for both of us. For yous, especially."

"Just you're here…"

His eyes returned to mine. "Considering you called."

"Which means you're willing to consider the possibility of not losing me."

He searched my face up. "Is that a possibility? Non losing you? Fifty-fifty knowing what yous know now?"

Fuck, we weren't ever actually together and hither we were talking in such enormity. Donovan had done that. Had put all this weight on our entire relationship by having been at that place for parts of my life I hadn't realized he'd always been office of.

And so even though I wanted to crawl into his lap or kneel at his anxiety, even though I ached to touch him, I couldn't. Non yet.

"I need to process this," I said, not assuasive myself to sound regretful.

"Whatever you need. Just tell me." His eyes darted to my lips, and I wondered if he'd buss me.

Or I wished he'd osculation me.

But kisses weren't what I needed. "I need answers. There's so much I nonetheless don't understand."

"I'll tell yous annihilation you want to know."

I studied his eyes. "I think you actually mean that."

"If you're going to test me, Sabrina, simply test me." He sounded almost annoyed, and I had to bite dorsum a laugh. He'd tested me so many times, but turn the tables on him, and he couldn't take the rut.