Madly Yours (Nora Reed) novel Chapter 263

The sight of the cash made the girls' eyes light up with greed, and they immediately perked up.

"Ask away, handsome."

Arnold grabbed the pack of cigarettes off the nightstand, lit one, and took a deep, greedy drag. He exhaled a thick cloud of smoke through his nose, watching it swirl under the dim lights.

He flicked his ashes. "You girls know about the Reed family? The ones handling the construction business in San Francisco."

The girls exchanged glances. The oldest of the bunch nodded. "Sure we do. The Reeds, right? The ones who just married into the Lancaster family. They're the biggest news in the city right now."

"Though, I heard the man she married, that Mr. Lancaster, has some kind of terrible illness. They only agreed to the marriage to bring him good luck and ward off death. Otherwise, the eldest Reed daughter would never have scored a match like that."

Arnold frowned deeply. "I don't care about that crap. Tell me about the Reed family's madam and the daughter she brought with her."

"Madam Reed?"

A younger girl chimed in. "I heard she used to be their maid. She crawled into the boss's bed, forced out the first wife, and took over. She's ruthless, but the old-money socialites can't stand her..."

"And the daughter she dragged along? Is she married?"

"No idea. Everyone only cares about the eldest Reed daughter. Nobody gives a damn about a useless tag-along..."

Arnold's frown deepened. He crushed the dying cigarette into the ashtray.

"Enough talking. Get to work."

The squeaking of the bed echoed from sunset all the way into the dead of night.

Arnold leaned back against the headboard, lighting another cigarette. He inhaled deeply, letting the bitter nicotine explode in his lungs. Only then did the savage, boiling heat he'd suppressed for fifteen years finally begin to cool.

He grabbed the rest of his cash and tossed a few extra bills to each girl as a bonus.

Clutching the money, genuine smiles finally broke across their faces. They practically tripped over themselves thanking him before filing out of the room, the last one clicking the door shut behind her.

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Arnold finished his cigarette, ground it into the ashtray, and slowly got dressed.

He walked out of the neon-soaked alley, standing on the curb as he hailed a passing taxi.

"Driver, take me to the Reed Residence."

...

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