Total pages in book: 225
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 218500 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1093(@200wpm)___ 874(@250wpm)___ 728(@300wpm)
“I already did, little bunny. Things are over with you and him.”
“Plant cameras in our house and have someone hold us at gunpoint because you don’t want me to have sex with my fiancé, and–”
“Cameras?” Hallman asks. ”Here?”
“Oh yeah. I’ve been watching and listening for a week. Had Kenny install cameras the night she used the hall pass on me. How’s this?” I suggest, “I don’t tell him what you don’t want me to tell him, baby, and I don’t tell her what you wouldn’t want her to know, Potato.”
Chloe winces.
Frowning, Hallman mouths, “Potato?”
I laugh. “But Chloe comes with me tonight. Marries me. Then, she stays married to me and all goes well. And I hate to say this but to make sure there’s no misunderstandings, I’ve got to. If either of you fuck me over in any way, shape or form, you won’t like what happens.”
“You’re a psychopath,” she whispers.
“You’re getting married just once in your life. Wearing the white dress only one time. For me.”
She looks at him. “Let’s take his power away, Adam. Right now. I’ll tell you everything. You tell me everything. Then he has nothing to hold over us. Forget the job opportunities. You’ll figure them out yourself. You’re very capable.”
“I can have him dealt with for you,” I tell Hallman. “You’ll never have to think about him again.”
The room goes dead silent.
Hallman stares with wide eyes. I smile.
“Who?” Chloe finally asks.
“Or I could pull some strings and things would go very public.” I shrug. “You can either make it easier on Chloe to walk away and get to have all the things I’ve laid out. Or I take Chloe anyway and you get nothing while your skeletons get leaked to the press.”
“Let me get this straight,” Hallman says. “You hook up with my fiancée, she tells you it’s a one-time thing, and how do we wind up here? You started spying on us the same night she slept with you? What the hell?”
“That night was perfection,” I tell him, kissing my fingertips. “She is everything I want. I’ve never, ever felt like this.” I look at my girl and my chest swells with feelings.
But she looks ready to crumble. I can’t wait to hold her, take her to my bed, cover her with my body while I whisper into her skin how I’m going to make it all better. She might not believe me at first, but I will.
“So it was more than just Thad Steele who was a maniac,” Hallman mutters. “It’s just a better kept secret with you.”
My smile disappears. “Be careful, Hallman. I’m offering you some incentives here. I can rip all that away and take my girl anyway.”
“Chloe and I need to talk about this,” he says. “Can you give us some privacy?”
“No. Take the ring off, little bunny. Give it to him, and come with me. I’ll send someone to pick up your things later.”
I stand and step up to Hallman. “She’s mine. From here on out. You have no more claims on her. Anything related to our agreement will be discussed via an email address I’ll send you. You don’t contact me directly. You don’t contact Chloe.” I lean toward him and add, “You don’t ever contact Chloe. Ever.” I wait and give him a severe look before I straighten up. “And you tell nobody, and I mean nobody about any of this exchange here. You tell your friends and family that you ended the relationship. She’s not the bad guy here. You’re just too fucked up from your accident. You need time to focus on yourself. Your career. Your healing. You realize you were being difficult to live with and you don’t want that for her. Nobody can change your mind.”
He blinks a couple times and then looks at her. I sidestep to block her.
“Make it easy. She’s not happy but she’d never abandon you, so you end things with her. She marries me and I give her everything she wants. You get the customized robotic exoskeletons, into any medical trial you’re interested in. I will pull strings to make your career go very well instead of doing the opposite. You get your fiction series published by one of the big five and you have your medical bills paid for life. I’m feeling generous here, Hallman, and I want my girl to feel good about walking away, knowing you’ll be all right, so I’ll sweeten the pot and if Chloe wants me to, I’ll hand over a million dollars on our one-year wedding anniversary. To you. She can decide when that time comes. She’s already been fucking me. Loving it, man. Loving it. I fucked her repeatedly, including in your bed.” I look to Chloe. “Don’t feel bad, baby. He knows it’s not your fault. He pushed you into it and I’m the one pushing the issue. It’s not your fault. It’s his. It’s mine. Hallman, she tried to stick to your rules. I wasn’t having it. Any of it. Because you’re a tool who doesn’t deserve her.”