The Covenant (The Billionairess, #3)

Chapter 6: Hello Old Friend

Rose made a couple of phone calls while I waited in the living room. I heard her speaking to a woman named Claire Malone. Apparently, she was a private investigator, one who specialized in cases for the filthy rich. I listened in on their conversation in the kitchen. I heard the names "Eddie and Belle" and my stomach dropped.

Could they be behind this? It wouldn't surprise me. It wouldn't be the first time they skirted the law in an attempt to control Rose. It disgusted me to think that even after everything that went down on our cruise, they would still be persistent.

"Okay, thank you, Miss Malone," I heard Rose say. She emerged from the kitchen.

"Eddie and Belle," I said, standing up from the couch. "Are the involved in this?"

"I had Malone track them down and speak to them," Rose said. "They're apparently living in London now. Far from us. And there's no evidence to suggest they're behind this. In fact, Malone told me that as soon as she mentioned my name to them, they nearly hung up. They seem to scared to ever talk about me."

I nodded.

"Okay then," I said. "Do you really think it's someone from your past who's blackmailing you?"

"I can't know for sure just yet. But it's a good a place as ever to start." She disappeared into the bedroom, and emerged tugging a coat onto her shoulder. "And there's one particular person from my past I want to speak to directly."

I was a bit confused at first, but then my memories clicked the pieces together.

"Oh..." I said.

Rose nodded and grabbed her keys.

"Get your coat," she said. "We're going to Tristen's apartment."

~
I had never been to Tristen's penthouse before. And to be honest, I was nervous going. Given our last interaction—in which Rose fucked me in front of him while he was handcuffed to a chair—I didn't expect him to be a very gracious host. But the only thing that override my fear was my desire to not let Rose visit him alone.

Rose called her chauffeur and I joined her in the backseat. As we made our way downtown, I glanced over at her. An unpleasant thought hovered in my mine.

"Mistress," I said.

Rose turned to me.

"Yes, Thomas?" she said.

"You say you think this blackmailer may be someone from your past. Eddie and Belle...Tristen...and..."

My mouth went dry. I tried to think of how to ask this delicately.

"Yes?" Rose asked.

"It's just...you promised me on the cruise ship that there would be no secrets between us. And you've told me all about your past and the people you've known since then, and I believe you, but...is there any one at all from your past that, maybe, you've never told me about?"

A look crossed her eyes. For a moment I thought I had upset her, and I would get a punishment. But instead she clasped her hand on mine.

"Thomas," she said. "Look at me."

I looked her right in the eye.

"I promise you that I have nothing more to hide from you," she said. "I've told you every detail of my past, every lover I've had. I've hated myself to you so I have nothing to hide. I promise you, if there is anyone from my past who could be doing this to us, I would've have told you about them a long time ago. I swear by my heart as a mistress."