Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“Sure, we’ll pay you under the table.” Not like Conlan minds breaking laws, after all. “Have fun, really, just stay on the hotel grounds. Spoil yourself, go nuts, see you later!” I yank Conlan out of there before he can say something stupid.
In the hall, he’s seething. I can tell he’s pissed off as hell. Allison’s attitude pushes all his buttons in a bad way, and it’s like he wants to explode.
I shove his arm, giving him a hard look.
“That girl is driving me insane,” he says through his teeth. “I’m serious, Isabel. She’s going to give me a heart attack.”
“No shit, I noticed. What is with you? She’s nineteen and you’re a full-grown man. Why are you bickering with her?”
He rubs his temple. “I know you’re right, but she’s baiting me.”
“Get it together.” I put a hand on his chest for emphasis, and find his heart is racing. My eyes widen and he’s looking at me, head tilted to the side, studying me closely. I don’t understand why that girl bothers him so much, but it’s obvious that sleeping with her was a huge mistake and one he deeply regrets.
Which isn’t like Conlan.
All the years I’ve known him, the guy’s never given a rat’s ass about anything except for himself.
There have been plenty of mistakes, but never any apologies.
So why care now? What’s different here?
“I’ll do better,” he says softly. “I know you’re right.”
“You better.” I lick my lips and breathe through my nose. “Do you want to, I don’t know, talk about it?”
“There’s nothing to say.”
“Clearly, she touched a nerve. I know sleeping with a girl her age is gross, but you’ve never seemed to care about that sort of thing before.”
“I don’t do teenagers.”
“But twenty-year-olds are fine?”
“The line has to be somewhere.”
I sigh and pull my hand back. “Right. Naturally.” For a second, I thought he had a heart, but I’m just fooling myself.
“Isabel.” I glance up at him again. “Thank you for taking control in there.”
“It’s fine,” I say, surprised for a second time. He’s never thanked me before. “Your idea about the party planner was pretty good. She seems excited.”
“She’ll get bored of it sooner or later, but for now—” He shrugs and turns to the elevators. “Let’s just make sure she doesn’t ruin the hotel.”
“Can’t promise that,” I mutter, following him back to his office.
Chapter 19
Conlan
I distract myself with work. It’s what I do best. I don’t like the way I let Allison get under my skin and I need to do better in the future—but she reminds me so much of all the ways I’ve fucked up in the past, and I can’t stand it.
At least Isabel doesn’t fight me when I boss her around the rest of the day. I catch her on job boards a few times posting new listings, and I’m aware that means she’s mentally checked out, but still. I need some stability at the moment and treating her like I always have helps a little bit.
On our way home from the hotel, I get a call from Adler. “Pictures leaked,” he grunts at me. “Better be ready with your story.”
“We’re prepared.” I glance over at Isabel. She’s frowning at me with those pretty lips of hers. How do I manage to work so closely with that girl and not stare at her all day? I’m always struck by how pretty she is—her effortless hair, her big eyes, her lips. “My wife’s right here, actually.”
“Great. Keep her close. I suspect those private detectives will start digging around once Leyland’s people start planting their counter narrative.”
“Anything I can do?”
“Kiss your wife in public. Hell, put out a sex tape. Get her fucking pregnant. I don’t know. Just make it look real.” He hangs up the phone.
“What’d he say?” She tilts her head, studying me.
“He said we should make a sex tape.” I slip my phone into my pocket. “He also thinks I should get you pregnant.”
She looks annoyed. “Can you be serious for once in your life?”
“He wants us to make sure we’re playing husband and wife in public for a while.” I lean forward and rifle through my bag. “Speaking of which, here you are.” I hand her a pair of small boxes.
She takes them, looking skeptical. “What’s this?”
I open my own little box. Inside is a simple gold ring. I slip it onto my finger. “Costume.”
She sucks in a breath when she gets a look at the engagement ring. It’s an enormous diamond worth at least double her little house. “Conlan. What the hell?”
“I wouldn’t give my real wife anything less. Consider it a down payment.”
“This isn’t mine.” But I watch her slide it down onto her finger. “I mean, it’s too much.”
“I’m going to pay you a lot more. The other one is your wedding band. Don’t worry, it matches.”