Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 113464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 567(@200wpm)___ 454(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
“If it wasn’t for me,” I tell him, “you’d be dead right now. I’m not kidding. So do yourself a favor and don’t approach me again for any reason. Got it? Forget I exist.”
“I can’t do that. You can’t expect me to do that.” When Tatum pulls me away, his hand shoots out and wraps around my wrist. “Listen to me!”
“Fuck all the way off, asshole!” Tatum shouts, which earns the attention of a few people passing by. “She said she’s through with you. Let it go and maybe take a shower while you’re at it. You stink like the shit you are.”
His eyes dart around before he lets go, and I know he’s doing it more because there are witnesses than because it’s the right thing to do. I don’t care. So long as he’s not touching me.
As we hurry to the car, where the driver has gotten out and is staring over our shoulders to where Lucas is probably still watching us, I rub my wrist against my jeans like that will help remove any trace of him from my skin.
“Damn.” She laughs as we get in the car. “He fell apart without you, didn’t he?”
“You have no idea,” I whisper, buckling my seat belt before the car rolls out of the spot.
Lucas is gone now and thank god for that. I’m not sure I could stand looking at him again.
Even though I know he’s out of his mind, I can’t help but wonder what he thought was so important.
CALLUM
How much longer is this going to take? When do I get to be with Bianca again?
Jack Moroni is droning on, unaware of my distraction—until he asks a question I didn’t hear. I only realize I’ve zoned out again when Romero softly clears his throat.
“Excuse me? Sorry, there are technical issues on our end, it seems,” I say.
Jack nods knowingly. “Technology. It makes life so much easier in so many ways, and we’re screwed when it decides it doesn’t feel like working.” He laughs like this is the cleverest thing anyone ever said, and all I can do is offer a tight-lipped smile. “I asked how your daughter is doing. I understand she was overseas for a while over the summer.”
“She’s fine.” I deliberately ignore the way Romero practically growls on the other side of the desk, behind the laptop screen and out of sight. “I’m glad to have her home.”
“If I were blessed with a daughter, I would keep her under lock and key.” He strokes his jaw, wincing. “I remember what it was like, a young man at that age.”
He’s overplaying his hand, but then he always does. This is supposed to be a video meeting relating to the business idea he wanted to bring me, but he insists on steering things back toward Tatum. The man is tenacious, I’ll give him that much, but that’s where the admiration ends.
It’s time to steer things back on course. “Looking back at your prospectus…” I flip through the pages of the document Romero printed out prior to the call. “I have to say I’m impressed. I would want to get a clear idea of where the shipping company stands on the terms you’ve laid out.”
“What? Is my word no good anymore?”
“Of course, that’s not how I meant it at all.” That’s exactly how I meant it. “But if you want to strike up a deal with me, you must know I believe in doing my homework. I think it makes me a stronger partner. I take nothing at face value.”
“Fair enough,” he replies in a smooth voice. “I’m sure we can set up something in the coming weeks.”
“Yes, I’ll have Romero reach out to your office.” I’ve already spent too much of my day faking friendship with this man, and I need a hit of my favorite drug. I know she’s home. I heard her voice floating my way, along with my daughter’s, not thirty minutes ago, when our call began. Since then, I’ve had a hard-on that won’t quit.
“In the meantime,” Jack continues, “I’m on my way to the airport in a few minutes. I’m flying up to visit family, with my son. In fact, not fifteen minutes from you. We don’t have any plans this evening. Would you and your beautiful daughter care to join us for dinner?”
And there it is. That’s what this is all about. Getting the two of them together. “Tatum has only been back for a few days,” I explain as gently as I can, evading Romero’s gaze. From the corner of my eye, it’s obvious his face has gone dark red, and I wish I knew why. He’s not the one whose potential business partner is determined to become an in-law.
“It’s only dinner. Please, I would be so happy if you would join us. Especially if we’re going to work together,” he adds, because, of course, he has to be heavy-handed about this. There is no such thing as subtlety where he’s involved.