The MC President's Forsaken Wife (Zara and Knox) novel Chapter 64

Chapter 44-1

Zara

Four days later

Claim

By the time we reach my apartment door I’m already regretting every teasing comment that I’ve made to Locke during the drive over from the clubhouse. Not because they weren’t funny (they really were, if I do say so myself), but because now Locke has thaNook. The one that means he’s quietly waiting for the perfect moment to get revenge.

Unfortunately, I keep handing him opportunities:

“My lease is still valid, you know.”

He leans one shoulder against the wall while I dig through my bag for my door keys. “So I’ve heard.”

“I’m just saying.”

“You’ve said it six times.”

“Seven.”

His mouth twitches. “My mistake, baby.”

“My whole place would go on the property market for less than one of your paintings,” I say, finally finding my keys, and unlocking the apartment door. “Actually I bet this whole building would earn less than one of the fancy sculptures in your entrance hall.”

His mouth twitches. “Probably.”

I consider his agreement a victory, but it’s the only one that I’m getting from him. I don’t know how he’s done it, but the man has thoroughly evicted from my own apartment.

The truth is, neither of us has ever actually discussed me moving into his penthouse. It’s simply… happened. One night there together became two, then four, now a week. A toothbrush for me appeared next to his, skincare products for me appeared in his shower, my favourite cinnamon coffee appeared in his kitchen.

And now here we are. Returning to my apartment so I can collect the rest of my clothing and shoes, completely empty out the fridge, grab whatever else might be needed over the next few weeks.

I glance at Locke as I walk through my apartment door and think about his sweeping penthouse, the ocean view, the marble kitchen, the wine collection. I shake my head, and look around the tiny space, the bathroom off the kitchenette, the sofa that doubles as my bed.

“You know,” I say thoughtfully, setting down my empty duffel bag. “I fully understand why you weren’t desperate to spend another night in my shoebox apartment.”

His laugh is immediate. “Your apartment’s fine.”

“Locke.”

1/3

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Chapter 44

It’s fine.”

“It has one room. We’re standing in it.”

“Two rooms.”

“You’re counting the bathroom?”

“It’s a room, is it not?”

“Nope. The listing clearly said ‘one room, one bathroom”.”

“See? Two rooms.”

“I’m just saying, I understand why you were so determined to rescue me from this sad little shoebox.”

“This shoebox had enough space.”

Clam

Something in his voice – something dark and dangerous – makes me turn around. His eyes meet mine: gray, and totally focused, and entirely too warm. I know this look… and I know what usually happens after it’s directed my way.

“Enough space for what?” I ask, a bit unsteadily.

The smile arrives first, then he starts walking toward me. My pulse immediately forgets how to behave.

“Locke.”

“What?”

I take one step backward. He takes one forward.

“You’re doing that thing.”

“What thing?”

“The thing where you pretend not to know exactly what you’re doing.”

His laugh is low and rough. The sound slides through me like heat.

I take another step backward, and my shoulders hit the wall between the sofa bed and the window. And suddenly there’s nowhere else to go, not that I want to. God help me, I most definitely don’t want to be anywhere but here, with him.

Locke stops directly in front of me, and now he’s close enough that I can feel the warmth of him, close enough that my breath catches. One large hand settles on the wall beside my head, while the other slides to my waist, his body pressing me into the wall behind me. Not trapping me, never trapping me. Just holding me here while he looks at me.

“Like I said, Zara, this shoebox was plenty big enough.”

My stomach does an alarming little flip. “But you still haven’t told me what it was big enough for. So… for what?”

(Chapter 44-4-

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