Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
My goodness. I could barely catch my breath. Not just from the lovely things Baird had said but because he was right. Will had thought he was doing me a favor being with me. And he had come here to shame and gaslight me!
My ex seemed as stunned by Baird’s speech as I was.
Baird stepped into Will’s personal space with an air of crackling intimidation. “See, you’ve got a problem there. Not just because Maia’s wise to your bullshit now, but because you’ve got me literally standing in your way. And I’m not better for Maia than you are because I’m good-looking, fantastic in bed, a successful national sportsman.” He smirked cockily. “I could go on … but the point is, I’m better for Maia because I know I don’t deserve her. No one deserves all the tremendousness that is Maia MacLeod. And knowing that, I’m going to work my fucking arse off to make sure I never lose her. So, why don’t you go back to your college sweetheart who you probably don’t deserve either … because Maia no longer exists for you.”
Will swallowed hard but stupidly replied, “Are you threatening me?”
“Nah, mate, if I was threatening you, I’d have stuck the head in you. This is just your first warning.”
My body was confusingly hot and languid, and I refused to acknowledge that I might be turned on by Baird’s protectiveness. Not a very feminist response.
Will stepped back nervously and then shot me a look of disgust over Baird’s shoulder. “It’s all words, Maia. He’ll be screwing around behind your back before you know it.”
“What? You mean like you were?”
“I never cheated on you.” Will gave me sad puppy-dog eyes. “I wish you’d given me more time.”
My patience snapped. “The fact that you can still say that after everything Baird just laid out tells me that you actually are a narcissist. I didn’t want to give you more time. I didn’t want to be a choice you had to make between me and someone else. I am worth more than that.” Correction: I had to convince myself I was worth more than that, and I hated him for making me doubt it. “What aren’t you getting about that?”
Will looked away, the muscle in his jaw ticking. “I do. I do get it. I’m … I’m sorry.”
At my silence, he looked back at me. “But this … this Neanderthal … he’s going to hurt you too,” he warned before marching out of the flat.
I flinched at the sound of my door slamming.
“I hope he didn’t just chip my doorjamb.”
Baird whirled to gape comically at me.
Then we kind of stood there staring at each other, Baird’s expression softening into concern as my heart rate increased. His words swam in my mind and caused an ache in my chest.
Because I wished he’d meant them.
“You’re a good actor,” I finally said. “For a second there, I almost believed everything you said.”
He swallowed hard, his gaze searching. “My—”
The loud ringing of his phone cut him off.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
BAIRD
My ringing phone was a blessing and a curse. I swore under my breath and yanked it out of my pocket. “It’s Ainsley.”
“Answer it,” Maia said. “I’ll get changed.”
I nodded, my eyes following Maia out of the room as I put the phone to my ear. “Ains, what’s up?”
I’d been on the verge of blurting the truth to Maia about my feelings, to tell her that everything I’d said to her arsehole ex was true.
It was too early. Too soon. We’d only just gotten over our argument at the shoot. I still had a lot of foundation to lay before she was truly ready to hear that I was in love with her.
“Eh, I’m calling about the campaign going live,” Ainsley replied. “It went viral. Mum’s freaking out a wee bit. I don’t think any of us were expecting it to take off in such a big way. Even the media is talking about it.”
Aye, I’d talked with my agent on the way to Maia’s because interview requests were coming in. I told her to turn them down because My and I had already agreed we only wanted to do the campaign and not make a huge deal about it. We’d laid down that law with Pennington’s too, when they’d tried to sneak obligatory yeses to media requests into the contract.
“Aye, I know.” Day one and it already had two million views.
“I hate to be a superficial cow, but it’s because you’re hot. Together, I mean. You two look right together, wee bro.”
“I’m at Maia’s right now,” I said so she’d know I couldn’t respond directly.
“Ah, okay. Tell Maia I’m asking for her and that she looked beautiful in the video. And good luck cracking that hard head of hers because if she doesn’t realize she’s into you after that fucking kiss, you’re going to need a nutcracker the size of a Range Rover.”