Chapter 59

FREYA

"Lex," Chlor gave my hand a gentle squeeze. Chlor wanted me to bake a cake for her daughter's birthday. "Filbe sure to visit by the end of this week. My daughter's picky, but I bet she's going to love your cake." She was Connie's sister and the kindest woman ever.

I laughed. "Well, that's the hope."

"Freya, am I right?" A snobby voice interjected. A short woman in her mid-forties, with a fake smile and unkind eyes, appeared.

"You are."

"So nice to meet you, dear." I didn't even know this woman, but I had a bad feeling about her. Condescension dripped from every syllable.

"Your first venture, and you're already in the field with the big boys. Being Aiden Knight's girlfriend surely helps, huh?" Chloe inhaled sharply. I froze. She was implying I was only here because I was sleeping with Aiden.

"Excuse me?" I sputtered, disbelief coating my tone. Thinking it is one thing; saying it to my face is a whole different level of insolence.

"I'm just saying that it's wonderful how far personal connections can get you, isn't it?" She laughed, but the amusement faded when Aiden joined us. I recognized his aftershave immediately. It brought a strange comfort. He stood behind me, a palm on my belly. His warmth relaxed me.

I looked up to see his unforgiving eyes on the woman. He offered a dangerous smile.

"Julia, I heard about your interior design business. Wonder why it couldn't get off the ground. I wish I could help you with my connections, but Owen has already tried everything, hasn't he?"

Chloe smothered a laugh with a cough. Julia didn't look happy. Her face turned bright red. She deserved the humiliation for her outrageous accusations. Aiden hadn't gotten me here, and even if he had referred me, the reference would have been useless without my skills.

I was surprised by how this evening boosted my confidence. For once, I was admitting I had the skills.

"Good night, Aiden. Freya," Julia glared before leaving. Aiden's presence likely stopped her from throwing a fit. In every public event with Aiden, I've observed people trying to appease him or avoid upsetting him.

"That woman is a spiteful bitch," Chloe muttered. I chuckled.

"Yeah! Couldn't tell." From Aiden's words, this woman had a failing business despite connections. That explained her bitterness.

"Aiden," Chloe walked toward him.

"Chloe," Aiden responded.

"I haven't seen you in such a long time. How long has it been?" She placed her hand on his arm. "Ten years! All because of some stupid fight you two had. Connie wouldn't even tell me what it was about."

(Chloe was Connie's sister. She obviously knew his best friend. Their interaction suggested a raw relationship.)

"Don't. You're not getting it out of me." Aiden smiled.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. But you're grownups now. Just sort it out. You two were best friends for—" "Good to see you, Chloe," He purposefully modified her request, bringing a smile from her.

"Idiots," She shook her head and walked away after waving goodbye.

Chapter 39

"You two seemed awfully close," I noted dryly once we were alone. Aiden's lips twitched; amusement sparked in his eyes.

He gently grazed my cheek. "Do I hear jealousy, darling?"

"Oh please. I don't do jealous." I was lying. Their closeness made me think of the "best friend's sister" trope in books. Even if something happened in the past, it didn't stop my annoyance.

"Sure you don't."

"I'm not jealous," I emphasized, making him grin.

"Okay," He agreed, though his face said otherwise. "But just so you know, she and her husband have dated since high school."

"Good for her," I muttered, feigning disinterest. I was fake. Aiden knew it. He wiped the smile off his face, wrapping his hands around my waist. We were close. Most people were gone, and frankly, I didn't care who saw us.

"You were great today. People couldn't stop talking about your pastries," he murmured, brushing his lips against mine. The whispery intimacy hinted at more than pastries.

"Yeah, it went much better than I expected," I whispered.

"Told you. My wife's amazing," He flashed a lazy smile.

I hummed. "You told me something else too. I hope that wasn't just an empty promise."

I was provoking him; it made sex more exciting. His eyes flared with challenge and hunger.

"I don't make empty promises, sweetheart," My heart skipped a beat. "In that case, I'm ready to leave and go home." I mumbled, breathless. "Good. Say your goodbyes. I'll find Gia." He kissed me lingeringly before releasing me.