Club Nova Vol. 4 (Brad Grayson) by Elizabeth Nelson Read Free Book Online Page A

upstairs in your room,” Philip said, pointing toward the stairs.
    Brad set down his briefcase, tossed his keys on the foyer table, and headed up stairs, taking the steps two at a time. When he entered the bedroom, he found Victoria on the bed. She sat with her back against the headboard, hugging her knees to her chest, her face wet with tears.
    When she saw him, she wiped at her face. “I take it the deal is done.”
    “No.” He closed and locked the door, not wanting any interruptions. It had been his intention to yell, demand answers, accuse her of lying to him and everything else under the sun he could think of, but the second he saw her tears, her sweet face contorted in pain, he froze.
    “No? What happened?”
    “I got a call from Philip.” Brad watched the color drain from her face and he wanted nothing more than to go to her, pull her into his arms and hold her. But he was too damn angry. “You lied to me, Victoria.”
    “Oh God.” She rested her forehead on her knees and her shoulders shook. She was crying again.
    Brad shoved his hands into his pockets and paced the room, forcing himself to approach this situation calmly. “Why?”
    “I didn’t—I mean—” She choked on her words and looked up at him, her lips trembling. “He said if I wanted help stopping this deal, I could reach out to him. But I didn’t, Brad.” Victoria got off the bed and faced him. “I never once reached out to him.”
    The muscle in Brad’s jaw ticked. “That’s really not the point. You knew how worried I was about something happening to you.” He stepped toward her. “You knew how much I wanted to find this asshole so I could make sure he never hurt you again.” He took another step closer. “You knew, Victoria, and you didn’t say a god damn, fucking word!” His barely controlled anger finally snapped and he hated himself for it as he watched the woman he cared so much for recoil.
    “I was hoping I wouldn’t have to,” she said in a shaky voice. “I was hoping you’d see for yourself how awful Peyton is, how bad of an idea this entire deal is. But I guess I should’ve known better.” Victoria hung her head. “The only things that truly matters to you is money and possessions and power.”
    A week ago, that was true. But not anymore. Not since he’d admitted his true feelings about Victoria. Now she mattered just as much, if not more, than those other things.
    He hated the fact that she had betrayed him. He should have known this would happen, right after he finally admitted how important she was to him. Now he didn’t know how he felt and what was important anymore.
    He dragged a hand through his hair and shook his head. “I trusted you, Victoria.” And she knew damn well his trust didn’t come easily. “How could you sabotage me like this?”
    “Sabotage you? I’ve been against this deal from day one. That’s been no secret, and I’ve never once hidden my feelings about it or Peyton.” She approached him so they were face to face, only inches separating them. “She’s the one you sabotaged you. She’s the one who had her son kidnap me. She’s the one who gassed your house and almost killed everyone.”
    “What did you say?”
    Victoria’s kidnapper was Peyton’s son? How was that possible? Peyton didn’t have a son. If she did, Philip’s team would have found out.
    “Philip didn’t tell you?”
    “No, I didn’t give him the chance. I came straight up here.” Brad moved away from her, needing space. He sat on the bed, propped his elbows on his knees, and hung his head. “What the fuck is going on around here?” he mumbled, unable to wrap his mind around everything being thrown at him.
    He knew he should be focused on Peyton, figuring out her secrets, finding a way to use this knowledge to his advantage. But all he could think about was Victoria. How she’d lied to him, betrayed him. How, despite all that, he still loved her. Stupid, fucking emotions. And how the smell of her