Claire: The Forced Virgin Of The Billionaire
Chapter 95

Azriel walked in as she said this and he obviously heard her.

I shook my head, “I’m fine. Please tell Nonno and Nona I’m so sorry. I will try to visit soon.”

“I am happy to reimburse them the rent Claire would have paid until they replace a suitable tenant,” Azriel offered softly. He’d obviously found out I planned on staying with Lily’s grandparents if everything didn’t go as I’d planned….. which it didn’t evidently.

“That won’t be necessary,” Rose bit off without looking in his direction. She looked at me skeptically, “I’ve been keeping Lily and the girls in the dark a little. Lily is getting impatient. I’ll have a talk with her.”

I nodded, “I’ll call her as soon as I can.”

“She won’t understand and —”

I saw the alarm on Rose’s face but then as she glanced in Azriel’s direction her stare hardened, “I’m not going to tell her anything that will upset her.”

She smiled, “You’re a good girl. Don’t be a martyr, though. Okay? No one is above the law. If you need help, we will replace a way to help you. And carry an epi-pen, okay?”

I nodded.

“Call in a few days?”

I nodded again, “Azriel has a business trip and I’m going with him. When we get back I’ll call.”

She squeezed my hand and left, giving Azriel a dirty look as she passed him.

I hadn’t sold them very well, I knew they were doubtful and worried but I guessed it was enough. For now.

As she left, Azriel looked like he was trying to soften his hard expression, “What

is

that?” He looked down at my bowl.

“Cream of something soup. But of what, I don’t know, and I highly doubt this is even cream.” I lifted the spoon in the bowl and let some soup fall off the spoon and it was runny, gloopy, and filmy at the same time.

“Don’t eat that slop. I’ll get food for us on the way back. The doctor’s releasing you. You can get dressed.”

“My father?”

“Escorted him out. I need to make a call while you’re getting dressed. I’ll be back in 10.”

I nodded and watched him leave. He looked super pissed. Dread worked its way through me.

After directions and a prescription for the epi pen, which had been filled already, I was on my way out the door with Azriel.

He clicked the button to unlock the door to his Jeep and we got in and he let out a big breath, “How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” I told him, “Can you stop at the store?”

“Yeah, I was already planning to get something for us to eat later. What do you want me to stop for?” he pulled out of the hospital parking lot and onto the main road.

“Graham crackers and chocolate bars and marshmallows,” I told him, “Since you got me poisoned, you at least owe me some s’mores,”

He caressed my cheek and looked like he visibly relaxed.

“And worms,” I added, “For more fishing.”

He rolled his eyes, “I’ve created a monster.”

“So…” I said after a moment of silence.

His jaw tightened, “Your father said a few things about his history with my uncle. And he’s got an ulterior motive giving me the information. I’m going to give my PI the info.”

It was painfully obvious that everything had been deliberate uptill my meeting with Azriel…. it had all been orchestrated by Azriel’s uncle with my father’s knowledge. Calling him my father seemed like a real f*****g stretch now. My head hurt from trying to wrap my head around the fact that nothing was a coincidence…. I was just a pawn being played with the illusion of control looming over me. But not anymore.

“And that information is…” I asked.

He shook his head, “No point bringing it up until I know if he’s bullshitting or not.”

He had a point. “Azriel, there’s something I didn’t tell you. You may know about this but you may not…”

He pulled over to the soft shoulder with a squeal of the brakes, startling me.

“What?” he spat.

I grabbed my chest and I must’ve blanched because his hardened expression softened, marginally, and he motioned with his hands for me to speak.

“When I sorted through some things in your basement I found a photograph of my mother with your uncle from when they were like teenagers in one of my albums. They looked like they might’ve been together.”

His expression was unreadable to me for a moment, then he said, “Anything else?”

I shook my head.

“Why didn’t you tell me this?”

“I didn’t know what the connection was, what the truth was, and I… didn’t trust you.”

“No more secrets,” he said and then put the jeep into drive and merged back in with traffic.

“But you get to have secrets.” I mumbled.

He didn’t answer me. I didn’t push it. I didn’t feel strong enough to argue with him. He didn’t say anything until we got to a grocery store.

“Let’s go,” he told me gruffly and we went into the store. He grabbed a shopping cart, “Whatever you want for later and tomorrow morning before we head back,” he motioned to the empty cart and I nodded and he followed me up and down the aisles while I grabbed tea bags, instant coffee, sugar, milk, marshmallows, graham crackers, Hershey bars. Then I asked, “What’ll we do for dinner? Microwave food?” I made a face.

“I have a grill in the barn. I’ll bring it out,” he mumbled, clearly still in a foul mood.

“What’s with the farmhouse? Is there a usable kitchen?” I asked, thinking there may be appliances in it.

“Gutted,” he answered and picked up a bag of charcoal and lighter fluid and putting it in the space under the basket of the shopping cart.

“Steak? Chicken?” I asked him when we got to the meat section.

He shrugged, “Whatever.”