Fake-Married to My Billionaire Boss

Chapter 54 : Gamble

Raul

"Fifteen minutes," says the police officer who escorted me to the visiting room.

I nod and turn to see Olivia looking up at me with a hand over her mouth and a horrified expression in her eyes.

"You should see the other guy," I say, grinning. The facial movement made the bruise on my temple throb a bit, but I've had worse. Granted, I hadn't been in a fight since college, but it's a good reminder that I'm not as invulnerable as I sometimes think I am.

"Does..." Olivia says, lowering her hand. "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore." I sit down, resting my handcuffed wrists on the table in front of me. "Are you all right?"

She starts to reach across the table but stops, likely remembering the rule about no physical contact during jail visits. "I'm okay, I'm just worried about you."

"I'm fine. This was all just a misunderstanding." I shake my head. "The cops will realize they don't have enough to charge me and I'll be out of here soon. You know I didn't kill Saldana, right?"

She looks like she's about to cry. "I believe you, Raul. This is such a nightmare."

"It's going to be all right, I promise. But look, are you sure you didn't see anything before you found Saldana? Because I feel whoever is responsible thinks you did, which is why they broke into your apartment."

"Even if I did, why would my apartment..." She trails off, then her eyes grow wide. "You don't think they were there to search my place. You think ..."

"Yes, they either wanted to question you, threaten you, or kill you. Which is why I need to keep you safe. Kate will take care of you until I can get out of here."

"Do you ... think that's a good idea?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

She lowers her gaze. "I ... Well, when Kate saw me earlier, she seemed to think that you and I were ... you know."

"Having an affair?" I smile. "Why would she think that?"

She shrugs. "Maybe because you've been visiting me? I tried to explain that you were just making sure I was okay, but she said you didn't have to spend the night with me, but you did."

"Isn't that what you want?"

"What?" She snaps her gaze up at me.

"You want Kate to think you and I are having an affair." My tone is cool, almost bored. "Isn't that why you tried to drug me the other night?"

"Raul, I swear I don't know what you're talking about." There are tears in her eyes. "I never..." She stops, then blinks. As much as she tries to control her expression, I can see that realization just hit her.

"You probably thought you'd mistakenly doped the wrong wine glass. You didn't. I switched our wine glasses." I study her face, wondering how long she intends to keep up her deception. "At first I thought it was the same sedative you put in my drink during your first night in the apartment, the one that made me fall asleep before I could leave to go home. But your behavior after taking the drug was unusually erratic. You used a roofie that second time, didn't you? Were you hoping I'd have no memory of the night and you could pretend we were in bed together?"

Olivia is quiet for a long time before she finally speaks again. "Why would I do that, Raul?" Her tone is cooler this time, but she asks the question as though she's genuinely curious.

"I just assumed that's what Bianca told you to do." I furrow my brows, as though thinking hard. "Or maybe she just wanted you to seduce me and when you couldn't, you decided to just use drugs." I smile. "How much did my cousin pay you?"