Free The Billionaire Scoop: A BWWM Romance (Secrets & Deception Book 1) by Mia Caldwell Page B

definitely felt like an intruder at the moment.
    Lucy fixed her gaze on her, and Maribel felt it burning through her as she kept her eyes averted.
    “I’m sorry, what did you say she does again?” Lucy said in a different voice—casual, but in a higher pitch. “I don’t remember seeing her around before. Is she new?”
    “Well, you can’t possibly know all of the company’s faces. Like I said, she’s helping me sort things out. She’s a company advisor. And a friend.”
    Maribel briefly closed her eyes, ignoring the softened tone Jim’s voice took on when he said the word ’friend’ because James Daniel Craig had just stepped onto mine number one. 
    Unfortunately, one mine was usually all it took to blow everything to pieces.
    “ Friend? Really? When did this happen?” Lucy demanded, her voice climbing.
    “Lucy, calm down—it’s definitely not like that.”
    “Of course not! I know there’s no way you’d want her over me, and I figure a girl like her is low-hanging fruit for a night if you’re not ready to settle down and that’s fine, but how dare you bring some side whore along when you come to see me?”
    “Whoa! I told you it’s not like that—now you apologize to her.”
    Lucy laughed maniacally. “ I must apologize now? Me? You think I can’t see with my own two eyes something’s going on between you two? God, I can’t believe you thought you could get away with this. You want to go slumming before we get hitched, fine, but don’t rub my face in it!”
    She turned to Maribel, daggers in her eyes.
    “Listen, you gold-digging cunt, you might get him for a night but that’s it. You’re not getting your grubby hands on his money—there’s no way I’d let you; what’s his is mine. We belong together and…”
    Jim suddenly stood, cutting Lucy’s intended rant short as he surprised them both with the quick movement.
    “If it wasn’t already crystal clear, Lucy, it sure as hell couldn’t be clearer now.”
    The tone he used made Mari think it was what a dog’s warning growl would sound like in English.
    “Tell your dad and friends whatever you have to, but I’m not getting back with you. Ever . I’m sure my dad will reimburse yours for the ridiculous wedding expenses somehow. In the meantime, you will not bring Maribel into this; you won’t dare to drag her character into the mud, do you hear me? Or so help me, you will regret it.”
    Lucy looked absolutely stunned.
    Jim extended his hand to Maribel and she took it as she stood while Jim glared at Lucy.
    Suddenly, fire raged in Lucy’s eyes once more.
    “You’re actually threatening me?” She laughed again. “That’s rich. A little jungle fever has you feeling like your balls have dropped, has it? What the hell could you do to me? Not a goddamned thing.”
    She stood, collecting her purse as she prepared to leave as well.
    “Either way, now I don’t feel so bad about sleeping with your dad last night,” she said. “It was nice being with a man who knows what he wants; less talk, more action. And the man sure can fuck.”
    She turned on her heel and stormed off, wavy blond hair swishing with her quick steps.
    Maribel could tell Jim had tried not to look unaffected, but she had noticed his mouth drop open almost imperceptibly. Clearly, he was shocked by the revelation.
    She rubbed his arm soothingly and was about to say, “she only said that to hurt you,” but deep in her gut, she knew Lucy’s parting words were most likely true.
    All of a sudden, she knew there was no way she’d use any of the information she had been privy to over the past twenty-four hours.
    Maribel started to feel sick as she saw the scope of the story she was giving up.
    She felt even sicker after imagining Jim’s face if he found out she had planned to betray him—the hurt, the anger, the disgust.
    How much power did he have, really? Could he then go on to destroy her?
    But she knew it wasn’t the threat of possible repercussions from the man