Bait for a Gentleman novel Chapter 43

The haze in Audrina's eyes slowly faded away. She looked down at her ruined red dress.

Then she leaned over, picked up the glasses from the couch, and slid them back onto Sebastian's nose, perfectly concealing the lingering lust behind the lenses.

He stood in front of her, adjusting the zipper of his trousers, seamlessly slipping back into his cold, untouchable persona.

He was waiting for her answer.

Audrina lifted her gaze to meet Sebastian's. "Mr. Hawthorne, I believe you've forgotten our arrangement."

His lips curved. How could he forget?

But he simply said, "Rules are rigid. People aren't."

Audrina looked up. The corners of her eyes were still slightly red, but her gaze was completely sober.

She walked over to the door, resting a hand on the handle.

She locked eyes with him, scrutinizing him. "Is this how a lawyer honors an agreement?"

"There are exceptions to everything," Sebastian replied smoothly. "Besides, you and I never signed any formal paperwork."

Audrina was speechless.

Did they really need a written contract for this sort of thing?

He took a step closer. "You still haven't answered me."

The first time she'd told him his performance was "just okay," it seemed to have genuinely provoked him.

Which was why he was so unusually fixated on getting an answer now.

Audrina turned as cold as a stranger. "I'm under no obligation to answer that."

Sebastian's eyes darkened for a split second.

Audrina reached out, grabbed his tie, and yanked him down toward her.

Then she opened the door and stepped back into the hall. "From now on, don't ever call me Drina."

Audrina had no interest in figuring out where he had learned that name, but he had crossed a line.

Drina was her pet name. Not just anyone was allowed to use it.

She felt genuinely offended.

The long corridor was dead quiet, and she didn't want to linger any longer than necessary.

Sebastian tried to say something else, but she pressed a finger to his lips.

How had he gotten so trashed?

Last night he had specifically wanted to...

Zachary felt a twinge of frustration.

Seeing exactly what was on his mind, Audrina's lips curled into a faint smile.

"You were so wild last night after drinking," she said, her cheeks flushing as she feigned a coy pout. "My dress was completely ruined, I had to throw it away. Good thing I packed two more evening gowns, but what am I supposed to do about these marks?"

She looked down at her chest, her collar slightly parted, and muttered softly, "I can't even cover them up."

Zachary's eyes instantly dropped to her chest.

Her bathrobe was tied loosely at her waist, revealing delicate collarbones and several highly conspicuous red marks.

He froze for a second, his brain going into overdrive.

Had he slept with her last night? But why couldn't he remember a single thing?

Then again.

He got drunk, blacked out, was dragged back by his buddies, and then slept with her.