Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 36007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36007 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 180(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
I can’t do this. I’m not sure why I ever thought I could. This is all too tempting to the girl who never had a family of her own but always longed for one. It’s why I kept people at bay, knowing I would be easily sucked in. I let my guard down with Vincent. It was stupid that I ever thought I wouldn’t end up getting hurt. We've barely been married, and I’m already attached.
“I need a moment.” I put my hands out to make it clear I’m going alone. Vincent’s eyes narrow on me, and I know he’s about to object when Lauren grabs his arm. The second his eyes drop from me, I turn and make my escape, knowing there is no going back now.
15
Vincent
“Get your hand off me,” I grit out between clenched teeth.
Lauren quickly drops her hand and takes a step back, her eyes going wide. All that irritation and anger that Jules had tempted comes roaring to the surface. It doesn’t help that I’m watching Jules move farther away from me, getting lost in the crowd of people.
“I’m sorry. I just—”
“Just what? Are you here with Richard?”
When my mom told me about Lauren being a bit snippy when she’d met Jules, I’d immediately fired her. Mom pointed out that Lauren has been harboring some crush on me for a long time and that maybe having a female assistant that ran my home wasn’t a good idea now that I had a wife. I agreed with her.
Out of respect for Jules, I let Lauren go. I have no tolerance for any disrespect for my wife. I'll do whatever it takes to make her as comfortable as possible. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? I want her to stay… forever.
I’d never sensed Lauren having those kinds of feelings toward me, but then again, I never paid her much mind. She did her job, and that’s all I gave a shit about. She was efficient.
I knew Richard Newman was looking to hire a new PA, so I’d pretty much passed her over to him. If she wanted the job. She could even have the possibility of moving up the ladder within his company. Everyone I have is pretty solid and in place. Someone would have to die or leave in order for anyone else to advance.
He’d even given her a pay increase, and she’d taken the job. That was the last I’d heard of it. Aaron handled the details. Seeing Lauren now and the expression on her face, I know my mother hit the mark. Then again, she always does.
As my mind always does, it starts to backtrack to the story mom told me about finding Jules and Lauren outside the front door. I hadn’t thought too much about it. But now I’m starting to think that maybe Lauren said something to her, and that was one of the causes of her sudden mood change. That it was more than me going in to work that day. Actually, it makes much more sense now that I’m seeing the jealousy written all over Lauren’s face. I’m betting she said something to Jules.
I know the look. Jealousy has been all over my face since Jules walked out in that damn dress and we got to this event. Every single person in this room has had their eyes on her.
Who am I kidding? I’ve been jealous over everything when it comes to her since she started to pull back from me. Anything that can get her attention over me. It could be a damn spoon she was eating ice cream off of. My obsession with her has no real bounds. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to get that part of me under control when it comes to her. I doubt it.
“Richard is here, but I came to speak to you.”
“Why?” She stares at me, her eyes still wide. “I don’t have all day, Lauren. Speak now or I’m leaving to go track down my wife.”
“You just married her. I don’t understand.” She shakes her head, looking utterly confused. It’s even more clear now that her emotions have gotten the best of her. Lauren is a smart woman; I wouldn’t have hired her otherwise.
“It’s not for you to understand. What I’m trying to understand is why we’re having this conversation at all. You’re not my confidant or even a friend. You were an employee. I don’t owe you an explanation.” I try and snap her back to reality. To be logical.
“That’s all you see me as? I ran your home?” What the fuck is happening here? “I thought that maybe one day we’d—”
“No. Don’t finish that sentence. I don’t currently see you as anything, and I never saw you as more than my employee. You ran my home because it was your job. One that I paid you an exorbitant amount of money to do.” Her lips purse, and I can see the anger she is trying to hide behind her watering eyes. It’s bullshit. I think Lauren is mad because she thinks someone else got her toy. She worked for me for years. Never once was there even a moment between the two of us.