Page 175 of Perfect Satisfaction

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Sula.”

Intent on fixing this part of my wife’s heart, I board the elevator.

It’s long past time to get in Joshua Basset’s face.

Helen’s waiting for me at the entrance of JB’s office the next morning, her hands outstretched. “It is good to see you again.”

I grip both of her hands before placing a kiss on her cheek. “You as well. Sula sends her love.”

“Mine back to her, of course.”

My eyes drift over her head. “He’s here?”

She brings me toward her desk. “He believes he has a call about one of Sula’s projects in just a few moments. Of course, since he decided to cancel Sula’s contract, it won’t be long before all her projects are off schedule. Serves him right.”

That stops me in my tracks. “She never mentioned that.”

“She wouldn’t. Couldn’t.”

“The blasted NDA,” I curse.

“What a clever boy you are.” Helen pats my cheek. Then her face hardens. “Now go in there and kick his arse.”

“Oh, I plan on it.” With a courtly bow, I ask, “Shall I wait for you to announce me?”

A furious male voice says, “No. That will be all, Helen.”

I turn around and am confronted with my wife’s eyes in a face I actively dislike. Yeah, I’m not going to have a problem kicking his ass. The bigger problem is going to be not tearing him limb from limb for hurting her.

His face registers surprise before it drops into an impassive expression I’m very familiar with. As I approach him, I mock, “Drop the facade, Basset. Your sister does it better.”

The fury registers again when Helen snickers. “My office. Now.” He spins on his heel and storms inside.

I follow at a much more sedate pace. Once inside, the interior door slams. He storms over until he’s behind the desk Helen said was West Moore’s. “Feel better? Got your little tantrum out?”

JB is about to blast me, but I shoot first with perfect accuracy. “I bet that’s exactly what your father did to you and your sister. Right here in this very office.”

“Christ. Liki was right. You don’t play, do you, Ronan?”

I bare my teeth in a facsimile of a smile. “When it comes to my wife, no.”

He gestures to the seat behind me. “I can’t believe she told you.”

“Yet, you told Liza?”

“We were talking about something personalat the moment when it all came out.”

“What was that?”

JB shakes his head.

“Does my wife know?”

He nods. “She was there for the event.”

I lean forward. “See, this is where I have a problem. You berate her for her choices, yet she still keeps your secrets.”