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Courtney flipped around to glare at them "I alanced at Alyssa, then they both looked at the glass of wine as Courtney finished it

"I give her an hour," Marty stated, taking her seat before turning and giving the hostess her drink preference

"I give her less than that, actually," Alyssa said, as she shook her head, her blue eyes somber, her expression as carefully composed as always It was rare for Alyssa to show emotion at all She was the most carefully coht, I aal stature spoiled by the frown on her face as she looked at Marty "And you are late"

"So sorry" Marty almost rolled her eyes "I was busy today"

Courtney narrowed her eyes at her "I was by your parents’ home today I saw your car, and Khalid’s, and I have been dying of curiosity Ian has refused to tell ly "Tell ossip, Marty"

It was all Marty could do to keep the flush froged "No gossip there, sorry, Court"

Lying to Courtney wasn’t easy Most people couldn’t e it Marty had about a 50 percent success rate Which wasn’t that good, considering how many questions the wobeatifically "You are such a liar, ive you if you tell me the truth this ood friend Khalid"

Marty arched a brow quizzically "If you’re such good friends, then he would have already told you any gossip there was to tell," she pointed out "Now stop interrogating ht"

Courtney sat back in her chair and crossed her arlared, first at Marty, then at Alyssa "Why do ood friends want to withhold the juicy details froh I ask formore spoiled or what?" Alyssa stared at Marty inher"

"I think she’s the pot calling the kettle black" Marty turned back to Courtney with a sweet smile "Tell me what you know and I’ll tell you what I know"

And, of course, Courtney couldn’t agree to that one Marty watched as her friend glared at her once again, before huffing and picking up her drink

"Are you still investigating Mustafa?" Alyssa asked Marty seriously "You know Courtney won’t give you any infored "The investigation is over It’s personal now"

Courtney perked up "Personal?" She propped her elbow on the table and cupped her chin in her hand "How personal? Merely friends and concerned or ’wanting to jump that luscious body’ personal?"

"She’s alanted to jump his body" Alyssa spoke low, in a too serious voice, as though afraid someone would hear her "I believe ere fifteen at the time" A smile almost tipped her lips

"Almost sixteen" Marty frowned back at her "And that is really beside the point"

Courtney rubbed her hands together gracefully, her s her pert nose "Ahh, the downfall of Khalid I could get into this I really could"

Marty si closer "Who is his latest liaison?"

Courtney blinked back at her "His latest lover? I don’t believe I’ve heard"

"Who is he playing a third to?" Marty sih considering the question, before sighing heavily "That inforive if you do not already have it You kno this works, Marty The rules are clear, and as a child of this world, I know you understand them well"

Marty hated the rules There were times she hated the world she was born into The club That damned club that her fathers were part of, that Khalid was part of They guarded their privacy like A part of the club, no one ever confirmed anyone else’s membership, and no one sure as hell revealed relationships Especially Courtney, the wife of the too-arrogant, too-secretive owner of the club

"Look, it’s not as though he’ll get involved with anyone else if he does start a relationship with you, Marty," Alyssa stated then "Khalid is very well-known; his reputation as a man who keeps his word is beyond reproach While you’re with him, he wouldn’t be involved with anyone else"

"That’s not the point," Marty told them, as she leaned closer to the table "To catch him, I first have toin my way Why make a fool ofhold in her mind Could she do it? Khalid was more experienced than she was by far Other than the lapses today, he had ed to keep a careful distance between them

"Trust ht away "The path is clear, my dear, and I’m certain we could help you if you were of a mind to truly capture our elusive Khalid No other wo his heart before You may be the first"

She would be the only Marty was detered it, her intent was to seduce more than his body She wanted his heart To reach the heart, she just h

"How do you capture a hed "More than ten years, Courtney, and I’"

"Men are stubborn" Courtney shook her head in confusion "They know they want us, want to possess us They want the heart and the soul of a woman The more they want it, the harder they run from it Trust me, if he hasn’t taken you up on the invitations you have thrown at him, there could only be a few reasons why One of which could be how h it were the only logical explanation