Page 37

“Apologies. Not today,” Jo said softly. “I think Selena needs me.”

Richard frowned and looked toward her friend. “I think she looks quite well.”

Just at that moment, the woman disengaged herself from a group of ladies and moved toward the exit.

Jo touched his hand. It was just a fleeting graze; blink and you’d miss it. She did it on purpose, too. She knew the reaction that would entice. Need, want, desire. But it was also meant to soothe his injured pride. She didn’t want to refuse his invitation. And yet she whispered, “I have to go.”

Jo smiled apologetically and gracefully moved away from him.

Richard grimaced inwardly. They had agreed on a short affair. And the time of their affair was ruthlessly ticking away with each second.

* * *

Jo’s heart slammed against her chest as she left Richard in the parlor. There was no time for regret, and neither was it the time to cry with need. She wanted him, yes. But at this moment, her friend needed her more.

She looked around the corridor before spotting a door slightly ajar a few feet away. She walked toward it, peeked in, and heard sobs coming from inside.

She stepped inside. “Selena?”

“Who’s there?” came Selena’s frightened voice.

“It’s just me, Jo.”

“Oh,” came the soft reply.

Jo walked farther into the room and found Selena sitting by the window, wiping her face with a handkerchief. Jo sat by her side silently, then placed her hand over Selena’s. The view from the window led to the patio. She couldn’t see people there from the angle of the window, but she knew they were there.

“I am so sorry,” Jo said quietly.

“About what?” Selena’s tone was frosty.

“Mick. I am so sorry that I didn’t see your feelings toward him developing.”

Selena wiped her cheeks and laughed softly. “I don’t know what that was, Jo. He wasn’t gentle with me. He wasn’t… nice. But for some reason, I felt excitement at the idea that he chose me.”

Jo grimaced. “I understand.” And she did.

Selena looked up sharply, her gaze filled with surprise. “You do? But you loathe him!”

Jo let out a soft laugh. “I do. But I understand what it feels like to crave the attention of a man who is… well, not good for you.”

Selena studied her silently, then sniffed and wiped at her face again. She folded her handkerchief and blew her nose. “It’s the damnedest feeling, isn’t it? He didn’t make me feel good. In fact, I always felt this shame after we were intimate. But um… I don’t know. Now I feel worse than before.”

“Did he hurt you?” Jo asked suspiciously.

Selena shook her head. “Not on purpose.”

“Those bruises on your arm,” Jo said as gently as she could.

“He held me… tightly,” Selena confessed. “I tried to twist away from him. I told you that I didn’t want to… not at first.”

Blood inside Jo boiled as her face heated. “Did he force you?”

“No!” Selena let out a nervous laugh. “I mean… he accosted me when I was alone and I said no at first. But then he insisted and insisted again, and it was just easier to agree than fight him.”

“Selena…”

“I know, I am horrible—”