Page 41 of Kylie

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, I had a very strong suspicion of why I was there, but I pretended not to.

“Assistant?” I prompted.

His eyes narrowed infinitesimally. “Yes.”

“So you’re not the BMOC?”

Again, he squinted. “I don’t know what that means.”

“Big man on campus.”

He didn’t answer, but I saw his irritation in the thin line of his mouth and the way his jaw ticked steadily.

Kylie: 1

Martin Calloway: 0

“How does staging my death and kidnappin’ me further your agenda, Mr. Calloway?”

He stared at me, surprise etched on his rounded features. Martin Calloway was not what I would call attractive. Perhaps he could’ve been if he hadn’t been responsible for upending my life. He didn’t know it yet, but his life was as good as over. After all, I had learned a thing or two from my husbands over the years.

“Who said I have an agenda?” he prompted, sliding his hands into his pockets.

I got the sense he watched himself in the mirror, practicing his movements to ensure he looked formidable.

“Let’s not play games,” I told him, holding his gaze. “I’m not here because you’re tryin’ to protect your daughter.”

His eyebrows dipped low. “Protect her?”

“You said people believe I’m dead. Since Juliet was the one who ran me down in the street, I assume she’s been charged with murder?”

“Juliet’s dead,” he stated without even a hint of emotion.

That was interesting news. And while I didn’t feel an ounce of remorse, I added a sliver of sentiment to my tone. “I’m sorry to hear that. How’d she die?”

“Your husband.”

Ice formed in my veins. I could practically feel the icicles elongating throughout my body. I never considered what Travis might’ve done if he believed I was dead. Did it surprise me that he would destroy the woman responsible? No. Did I wish he hadn’t? I wished I could say no to that as well, but the truth was, I was glad he had. The bitch hadn’t deserved to breathe after the living hell she’d forced us into when she had kidnapped Kate.

However, the thought of our kids growing up without him … it made my chest ache.

“Don’t worry. He didn’t do the deed himself. He had help.”

I inhaled deeply, realizing I had been holding my breath. Relief swamped me. At least he wasn’t in jail. The thought of my babies growing up without me was hard enough. I didn’t want them growing up without their fathers.

Because I could see fury glittering in his eyes, I decided to shift the topic. “Were you and Juliet close?”

That question seemed to surprise him, if the deep groove on his forehead was anything to go by. I got the feeling Martin Calloway didn’t know what to expect from me. So either he hadn’t done his homework, or he merely hadn’t cared enough to dig into my life. He had another thing coming if he thought I was going to sit here and let him run roughshod over me. I hadn’t been raised to be a wet blanket, and I damn sure didn’t intend to start being one now.

“I didn’t know her,” he stated firmly.

That wasn’t the answer I expected.

“But you said…”

“I knocked up a whore. When Juliet was born, I arranged to have a nice couple adopt her.”

The way he spoke … there was a coldness to his tone. A complete lack of empathy whatsoever. And I didn’t think he was simply masking his emotions by relaying the information without allowing himself to feel. No, I was pretty sure Martin Calloway didn’t feel anything. For anyone. He wasn’t just cruel; he was flat-out dead inside.