Paper Trails Led Brave Seekers by Peter Vaughn 174

Chapter 174 

Chapter 174 

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I paused at the door as I saw the two of them together. They were both conversing deeply, and there was a frown between 

Kade’s brows. 

My heart dropped to my stomach as I saw that look in his face and I marched to them, my heart beating so loud that I felt they would hear it. 

Kade was the first to notice me but my eyes were trained on Raines. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I asked as I stepped between them, my back facing Kade and I fixed a hard look on Raines. 

He simply stared at me with his expression looking… cocky. “What does it seem like I’m doing, Mrs. Varkas? 

“It seems like you were poking in where you shouldn’t,” I answered, my voice hard and cold. There was just something about this man that brought out the coldness in me. I didn’t like him at all. There was just something about him, something about him that made my guard stand on alert. 

“By congratulating Mr. Varkas on fixing this mess?” Raines asked, a teasing note in his voice but somehow, he managed to look serious. 

I paused, frowning. “What? If that’s what you were doing, then why was Kade frowning?” 

“Because I don’t like being praised for doing what I was supposed to do,” Kade answered and I turned to him, looking up at him to see him looking at me with an unpleasant expression. My heart dropped even lower. I fucked up. That’s why I was frowning. But you seem to think it was something else. And..” He raised his head and looked at Raines, his expression darkening. “There’s a weird vibe between you two. You know each other, don’t you?” 

“We-” 

“Of course we do,” I cut Raines off, looking at Kade and trying to fake a smile. “We’re business partners, aren’t we?” 

Kade looked at me before he nodded. “Of course.” 

I could tell he didn’t believe me, but was just letting this go. For now, at least. But he looked pissed. 

I fucked up big time. I shouldn’t have rushed in like that. But seeing them together made me lose my mind and all sorts of things ran through my head. I was scared. Scared that Kade would see me as someone who slept around and used sex as a coping mechanism. Scared that he’ll see me as someone loose and not worth his time. 

That was why I rushed into the situation, but I only made things worse for myself. 

I looked at Kade, but he didn’t even look at me as he moved to his seat. 

He had a short temper, that one. 

I turned to Raines, saying nothing, but I glared at him with all my strength so he could see the intensity of the hate I had for 

him. 

But the bastard still had that cocky look on his face. A look that says, “I’ve got you exactly where I want.” 

But this bastard was wrong. I was going to tell Kade soon. He wouldn’t be able to use that against me. 

I turned away from him and moved to my seat. I noticed that we’ve drawn attention, but I didn’t care. 

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9:18 pm 

Chapter 174 

Once I was seated, the meeting started. We discussed how the weapons will be shipped safely and without any problem this time. The meeting was held for thirty minutes and after that, they all left–including Kade. I had hoped he would stay and we could talk, but he left as soon as the meeting was done, and the one who I didn’t even want to see was who stayed, 

“Your husband doesn’t know, does he?” Raines said, still sitting, his legs crossed and his chin resting on his folded fist. “That’s interesting.” 

“What do you want?” I asked through my teeth, my gaze hard. “Money? A higher position in society? You’re a colonel, sure, but you only hold power in the military. Out here, you’re a nobody. You’ve come to the right person if power is what you seek. I’m at the top, you see, so that wouldn’t be a problem. All you need to do is leave me the fuck alone.” 

That seemed to strike a nerve and his expression darkened. He stood up slowly, walking to me. The expression on his face made a shiver run down my spine but I kept my back straight. 

Gianna was outside, so this bastard wouldn’t be able to try anything with me. 

“You’ve got it all wrong, Belladonna,” he said as he got close to me, his voice light. 

“It’s Mrs. Varkas for you,” I corrected, glaring at him, but he acted like I didn’t speak. 

“Power? I have that. Being a colonel in the military means I have more power than you can imagine. Even outside the military, I still hold power. I just have to wear my uniform and my badges, and I’ll be acknowledged everywhere I go. Everyone wants to be on the good side of the colonel, after all.” 

“Then what do you want?” 

The fucking bastard had the nerve to once again act like I didn’t speak. He stopped beside me and I had to turn to look at him. 

“Money?” he continued, his expression chilling as he stared down at me. “I have lots of that. What I truly want, Belladonna…” He held my jaw softly, caressing it, and bile rose to my throat. I turned my head away from his hold but he grabbed it again, this time, harder. “What I want is you, Belladonna.” 

I bared my teeth at him, my eyes filled with hate, my voice thick with venom as I spat, “Well, too fucking bad, Colonel, but I’m taken.” 

His hold tightened on my jaw and I winced, but I didn’t back down. “Yes. Unfortunately, you are, but no matter. That’s a simple problem that can be taken care of. Does your husband know that you enjoy being fucked so much that you’ll hook up with just anybody?” 

I couldn’t help but flinch, and Raines grinned. 

“He doesn’t know, does he? But I know. And what makes us so different?” He leaned down until his face was disgustingly close to mine. “Well, let me tell you.” 

Author’s note; Hello loves. So sorry for just updating. I had a media emergency so I couldn’t be on. Please bear with me right now while I work on this. And I promise I’ll be back as soon as possible. Thank you ** 

AA 

Chapter 175 

Chapter 175 

Raines caressed my cheek with a small smile on his face, but I was too terrified even to do anything. 

“The difference between your husband and me,” he continued, his voice soft and low, “is that I know it all, Belladonna, I know how slutty and shameless you are.” 

“I’m not shameless,” I snarled when I finally regained my ability to speak, my eyes hard on him. 

He just tilted his head. “You aren’t? Someone who sleeps with a different man every night isn’t shameful? Someone who isn’t satisfied with one round? Let’s be for real, Belladonna. You’re a slut who needs to be drilled every night to be able to hold on to her sanity. Correct me if I’m lying.” 

“That’s in the past,” I corrected, but my voice was low, weak. 

Raines seems to find my weakness a delight, because his smile widened even more. “Oh, Belladonna. We both know that’s not true. The past and the present are the same. You’re just enduring; you haven’t changed.” 

“I have,” I said again, but those were just empty words. They weren’t true. Because deep, deep down, I know I haven’t changed even for a bit. I know if I got a chance with Kade, I would jump on him, consequences be damned. I would suck him dry if he let me. I would be on his dick till it fell off. 

I haven’t changed. Not even one bit. I was just holding on… Hanging on. 

Fuck… 

Raines, seeing as he got to me, his expression turned soft, and his touch became tender. “See? I know you more than he does. I know what you like and how you are. He doesn’t know anything. Who do you think is better? A man who knows everything about you or a man who only knows what he sees?” 

My head dropped and his hand slipped away from me, and breathing came easier to me. 

“You’re right,” I muttered. 

“Of course I am,” he gushed. 

I raised my head so I could look at his face. “But I’m selfish, Raines. More selfish than a human should be. So what if he doesn’t know all my dark secrets? What if he doesn’t know all the parts of me? That’s my fault, not his. I hid all the parts of me. I stayed in the closet with my skeleton. So it isn’t his fault at all. It’s all mine. I would tell him. I will, and if he sees that I’m not worth his time, I still wouldn’t let him go. I will hold on to him. And I know he would let me still hold on, because he’s Kade. My husband. You don’t stand a chance, Raines.” 

Raines‘ expression grew so dark, that I feared he might pull out a gun and shoot me in the face, but he didn’t do any of that. Instead, he pulled away from me, putting some space between us. 

“I see you’ve already made your mind,” he said, his voice unnervingly soft. 

I nodded. “Nothing’s taking me away from Kade. He’s mine, and I’m his.” 

Raines went back to his seat, picking up his hat, and he turned to me, looking polite and professional. “Have a nice day, Mrs. Varkas. We’ll definitely be seeing each other again.” 

I watched him as he left, an unsettling feeling in my guts. That man was weird, sure, but he looked like someone who wouldn’t give up until he had what he wanted. 

I had to tell Kade. I couldn’t let anything come between us. We’ve been through a lot already, we couldn’t have any more 

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9:19 pm P P PO 

Chapter 175 

problems. He said he would wait.. He did, but that didn’t mean I would just sit still, and do nothing. 

Raines was a threat to our relationship, so I had to make sure he didn’t get what he wanted. 

I stood up, leaving the room, and Gianna was waiting outside just as I thought she would. 

“You heard everything?” I asked as I headed to the elevator without looking at her. 

BE Vouchers 

Gianna has seen all parts of me that I wasn’t proud of showing anyone. She has seen me in my lowest low, and when I’ve hit rock bottom every time, but she still stayed even after seeing everything. She still chose to stay even when she could get any job that she wanted. 

She was a woman of many talents, and a lot of people wanted her to work with them. If she left, it would be my loss. not hers. 

“I did,” she answered as we entered the elevator. “But like I’ve always done, I would mind my business.” 

“I don’t want you to,” I said, looking ahead, my hands clasped together. “I want you to interfere in this, Gianna, because I’m Jost.” 

She was silent for a while, the air heavy between us. Then, “Tell him. Everything. Don’t hide anything from him, Belladonna. That man has been through enough.” 

Somehow, it felt like she was pleading with me. I rested my back on the wall, my chest tight. “I was planning to.” 

“Good.” 

“But what do you think his reaction will be? Do you think he’ll hate me? Think I’m just a slut and get tired of me?” 

“Belladonna,” 

Gianna’s voice was so soft that I couldn’t help but look at her, a lump in my throat. 

“Kade loves you. If you haven’t noticed it, then I would say you’re the biggest fool that ever existed.” 

A laugh burst out of me, but it was wet, too thick to be a cheerful laugh. It was full of emotions that I didn’t want to let out so I wouldn’t shatter, 

“He does, doesn’t he?” I asked softly, looking away from her with a small, sad smile on my face. “Why am I so scared, Gianna? Please tell me.” 

“It’s understandable,” she answered. “You’ve already opened your heart once, and the end result wasn’t good. So of course you’d be scared. Opening your heart twice won’t be easy. But I know you can do it. I know you can heal. Because you deserve 10, Bella. You deserve happiness and love. That’s only-” 

I hugged her before I could even think, wrapping my arms around her and placing my chin on her shoulder. Gianna and I were the same height so I couldn’t place my head on her hair even if I wanted to. 

She hugged me back without hesitation, holding me tightly as well. 

“Just.. Just stop overthinking,” she said softly. “Stop it, and go with the flow.” 

“What will I do without you?” 

“You probably would have fallen into despair.” 

9:19 pm PP 

Chapter 175 

I chuckled softly. How true those words were. 

AD