Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15924 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 80(@200wpm)___ 64(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
“Yeah, okay. Give me a few minutes.” Nodding, I rub my finger down her face.
“Take your time, beautiful.” Lingering just a second longer, I pull back and walk out of the door. Taking a deep breath, I walk into the living room. “You are no longer allowed to come as you please. From now on, a phone call will be needed before you visit,” I tell her, walking toward the faucet for some water. I would much rather have a stiff drink right now, but clearer heads and all.
“I most certainly will not announce my intention to see my only child because he is entertaining insignificant…”
“You will watch your tongue. She most certainly is not insignificant.” She scoffs and turns her back to me like I just told a dirty joke at the country club. “Mother…” Knock. Knock. It's a regular fucking gathering in here.
Annoyed and unsure who is at the door, I open it without checking and immediately regret it. “So sorry I am late, darling. I was…oh, I see you were waiting for me,” Heidi Monsur, daughter of Hotel Magnet, Francois Monsur, says. She sees my bare chest as an invitation, placing her hand on it. Immediately my skin rejects the touch of someone, not my Taui.
I place my hand on her wrist to remove it when I hear a gasp behind me. I close my eyes in anger because I know what my woman is seeing right now and what is going through her head. I watch her face grow from confusion to horror. My mother and Heidi hone in on her vulnerability, and I know the moment they both intend to strike. Not fucking having it, I turn to my angel and see the chaos in her mind swirling around as she tries to make a decision about what to do. She has only been standing her seconds, but it is too long for the agony in her, and I won’t have it a second longer. “Who's your little friend?” Heidi asks, walking to stand beside my mother.
“She is not my friend.” I move beside my future and grab her hand. Pulling her close to me, my heart breaking at the question in her eyes. I see the self-doubt she has while comparing herself to the women she sees in front of her. I wish I could make her believe how her beauty outshines all overnight, but it will take time. Until then, I won’t allow her to doubt long. “This is my fiance, Sassy. Sassy, this is my mother and a family friend.” I don't bother giving my mother’s henchwoman a name. Let her feel the insignificance.
“Fiance?” My mother spits out, turning her nose up.
“You heard me. She is going to be my wife.” Sassy’s expression cannot be missed, and I wish she were less readable right now because she is giving these two more ammunition than they need. The feistiness I could see building inside of her in the last couple of days is diminishing right now, and it is pissing me off.
“What kind of name is Sassy, anyway? Are you one of those unfortunate farm kids he is always trying to rescue?” Heidi laughs more like cackles before I score her with a glare she reads instantaneously.
“Fine. I get it. You want me to stop interfering. Your point is received, dear. No need to keep this girl disillusioned about whatever this is,” my mother says, so sure she has hit the nail on the head.
“You are the one not aware of her place. You are my mother, nothing else. You are not my advisor, matchmaker, confidante, or anything else and unless you get on board and quick, you won’t be a grandmother either. This is going to be my wife, no matter what you or any of the air for brains gold diggers you prance before me and call prospects have to say. So, I am going to ask that you both kindly get out of our apartment. Mom, leave your key on the table by the door.”
Sassy squeezes my hand as they walk out the door and releases it when it closes. I can read the relief in her eyes, but I also know we have taken three steps back. One day, she will believe everything I say to her, and when that happens, the real Sassy will stand up.
Thank fuck I will be the one to see it.
CHAPTER 11
SASSY
I may not be the ideal wife for a man like Bolton, but his mother didn’t have to look at me like I was dog shit on her Jimmy Choos. As far as I know, no one has ever hated me, and if they did, certainly never let me know it. I have decided to chalk her instant hatred of me up to the fact that she had a specific woman in mind for Bolton, and he thwarted that by picking me. When he called me his fiancee, I almost choked on my spit. Before he saved and fixed me, I used to dream about being his perfect wife. I used to dream about the babies we would have and the kind of husband and father he would be, but they were just dreams.