East Bound by Nana Malone (big ebook reader txt) 📕

I have a solid idea and a solid lead. One you're not going to follow up on because you're dick whipped or whatever."

"Wow, that is supremely unfair. And coming from someone who saw exactly what Denning did, how could you even say that to me?"

"Hey, I was the first one in your corner, not wanting to think that you had any hand in that whole Denning situation. I'm your best mate, but you're not at all happy for me that I'm in this position."

"I am happy. This is my fucking happy face."

She slapped her hands on her hips. "Yeah, I noticed."

I ran my hand through my hair, snagging it in the tangles. "Amelia, I couldn't be prouder of you. I have pitched for you to be made a senior agent for years."

"Funny how that turned out. You pitched for me for years, but the moment you leave, guess who's made the senior agent? Which tells me that maybe you’re the one who held me up."

"Do you seriously believe that?"

"I don't know what I'm supposed to believe. Why won't you back me on this?"

"I'm telling you, it's not the right move."

"Now that I’ve made senior officer, I have some influence and more people listen to me. Why is it you of all people can’t be on board with this? After I have backed you on everything."

I blinked at her. "Wow, so you want to pull that?"

"Yes, I do. How many times have you had some hair-brained scheme where things have been dubious? Where we've all but crossed the line, on nothing more than your say so. And now, I'm not even bending any rules. I'm going by the book."

"Look, I know this is your assignment, and I believe in you a hundred percent. I absolutely do. I don't know why you don't see that. But you have got to see there's something else at play here, and I don't think it has anything to do with the London Lords. You claim to have trusted my gut all this time. I'm asking you to trust it again. I just don't want you to fall on your face."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I knew I'd said the wrong thing. Her mouth hung open.

"Fall on my face, is it? All this time, you said Denning was a twat. I believed you. Denning is a twat. All this time, you go on and on about how he took your job. And I believed you. He took your job. It was a twat move. But I'm starting to think that maybe he deserved it. Maybe the reason you didn't get the job was because of you and your choices. You and your gut. Did your gut tell you to shag East Hale too?"

This time, my mouth hung open. "Wow, we're really going there?"

"You're the one who brought us here."

"Okay. I see. My personal life has nothing to do with any of this."

"I don't see it that way. You need to excuse yourself from this case."

"I'm not shagging East Hale. East Hale is nothing to me."

She frowned. "So what, he was just a mark?"

Jesus Christ, that sounded worse. No way was I telling her what had happened. Not now. "All you need to know is I'm not shagging him. Even though, let's be perfectly clear, you encouraged me too."

"I did no such—”

I shot her a look. "I think if you want to stay friends, maybe we shouldn’t talk for a while."

"Easily achieved. I think some distance between you and me would be great right about now."

For some reason, the way she said that cut to the quick. As if I’d been bringing her down. "Wow, you've just been dying to say that, haven't you?"

Her shoulders sagged. "Actually, no. Never. I never wanted to be in this position, Nyla. I never wanted your job. Did I want my own team? Absofuckinglutely. Am I proud to have my own team? Yes. But I wanted a team that would support me. A team that I could grow and nurture. Not one that was under my thumb."

Was that how she looked at everything we’d done? All the time we'd spent together?

"Wow. So, that's how you feel?"

"That's how I feel."

I lost my appetite. My gut was churning. "Amelia, I love you. I want nothing but your success, but that doesn't mean I have to blindly follow you. When I think you’re making a mistake, I’ll tell you because I’m your friend."

“Oh, but I’ll do that too. When you’re being selfish, I’ll tell you because I’m your friend.”

"So now I'm selfish."

"Yeah, Nyla, you are. The world doesn't revolve around you. This isn’t your play, where we're all just characters hoping for some stage time. I'm going to follow my own gut now and see how that feels."

"Amelia."

"I think it's time for you to go."

"Wow." The burning in my gut only spread. The sheer pain of knowing that I was completely and utterly alone hit me like a raw burn. My father wasn't exactly someone I could go talk to. East? Not an option. And Amelia, wow. She was on a path of her own. One that didn't have room for me.

Are you sure that's what she's saying?

I was in no mood for rational talk. It hurt too much. I left the food where it was, but I took the wine. At least I could have a drink. Even if it was all by my lonesome.

So this was what it was like to be absolutely, completely alone.

Nyla

East had kept his word.

I was no longer persona non grata at the hotel, but I was escorted up, which meant East had given instructions that I was not to be left alone. Bloody fantastic.

When I was deposited at the penthouse and the bellhop rang the doorbell, it wasn't East who opened the door. Instead, it was a woman with dark curly hair, the petite one I'd met when East had introduced me to the gang. What was her name? Yes,