Beauty for the Beast Chapter 05

Beauty for the Beast Chapter 05

Vivian’s perfume was suffocating up close. “With all due respect, Sullivan, no caregiver in that estate has ever lasted more than a week. You’re the first.”

She paced a slow circle around me, her eyes taking me apart piece by piece.

“You’ve lasted longer than anyone, and now you’re on his private jet. So tell me — what exactly did you do to get into Julian’s bed?”

“I didn’t—”

“Didn’t what?” Her laugh was ice. “Didn’t use that mangled face to seduce him?”

My hand snapped up before I could stop it, pressing flat over the scar on my cheekbone.

Vivian watched the gesture, and a slow smile spread across her face. “Pathetic. Covering it up doesn’t change what you are. But I have to wonder — what’s so special about you?”

“Julian doesn’t let women near him. He won’t let anyone touch his wheelchair, his things — nothing. Yet here you are — fetching his coffee, wheeling him through meetings. Does that sound normal to you?”

“I’m just doing my job.” The words came out tight. My throat closed up.

“Your job?” Vivian’s smile sharpened into something ugly.

“Since when did your job include knowing he takes his coffee black — no sugar, no milk? Knowing he can’t stand jasmine? Knowing he reaches for your hand when he’s drunk?”

She leaned in until her breath was hot against my ear. “I’ve looked into you, Sullivan. Or whatever your real name is. Before three years ago, you didn’t exist. No records. Nothing. That’s not normal.”

I said nothing. She wasn’t wrong.

My past was gone — wiped clean. The debt had made sure of that.

“So tell me the truth.” Vivian straightened, all pretense gone. “Who sent you?”

“The Romanos? The Costellos? Which family sent you to poison the Don from the inside and bring the Thornes down?”

“I’m nobody!” The words ripped out of me. “I’m not — I’m no one.”

“Nobody?” Vivian’s eyebrow arched.

“Then prove it. Show me your ID.”

I stepped back. “That’s private.”

“Private?” Vivian almost laughed. “You work for the Thornes. You lost the right to privacy the second you walked through that door.”

She turned to Julian. “Julian, aren’t you the least bit curious?”

Julian’s voice sliced through the silence. “Give it to her.”

I froze.

“Give it to her.” Slower this time. Each word final.

Triumph lit up Vivian’s face. She closed the distance. “Hand it over. Now.”

I didn’t move. One of the Boss’s men grabbed my arm and wrenched it behind my back.

Another tore through my bag until he found my wallet. The driver’s license went straight to Julian.

Julian looked at the photo. Then the name.

“Elena Rossi.” He said it out loud.