Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107115 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Madison related.
Jack motioned to the door. “You’re coming with me. Pierce and I will make sure you find your way back to your hotel.”
“That hillbilly hovel?” Todd sneered like dealing with his lessers and their trappings exhausted him. “No, I’m going back to civilization.” With a last dismissive glance, her husband looked her over, his eyes narrowing when Matt stepped between them again to protect her from his raking gaze. “It’s fitting that my backwater bride is getting railed in the swamp by her cowboy lover. You two deserve each other.”
Then he was gone. Madison didn’t even bother being offended. She was too relieved to see him go. But she had no illusions. She’d negotiated a few concessions and a temporary reprieve. Todd would have her under his thumb for the better part of three months. And she had no doubt the experience would be hell. She just hoped that she and Matt got out of it alive—and still together.
The second the door shut, Matt spit some choice curses and paced. He had to get his shit together. If he didn’t, he’d punch the wall since he couldn’t demolish Todd’s face. As his footsteps ate up the floor, he did his best to swallow down anger—good practice for the next three months—then faced Madison, who looked apprehensive as hell. She was his biggest concern. Though her husband hadn’t touched her, the son of a bitch had gone straight for her emotional jugular.
“You all right, honey?”
“Fine.”
Matt didn’t believe her subdued murmur, but he gave her credit. She’d defended herself well, despite having zero time to brace for the asshole’s cruelty. He wished he could have protected her more, but anything he could have done would have made her a bigger target.
Todd was playing a long game. He’d been willing to make a minor concession or two in today’s battle, but he’d been awfully fucking confident he would eventually win the war. What did the cockbag have up his sleeve?
“You sure?” Matt asked her.
“Yeah. The good news is, Todd is usually more vile, but knowing he had four highly trained operatives willing and eager to kick his ass and throw him to the gators constrained him. The bad news? Once we’re in DC, Todd will do everything possible to discredit and torment me. And he’ll try to pit us against each other. You watch.”
That had already occurred to Matt. “If we refuse to take his bait, he can’t cause us strife.”
Deke approached, shaking his head. “He won’t make it that simple, kids. He ignored you for so long, Madison, because you were his. He didn’t question that. No one did, so losing you never concerned him.”
“It shouldn’t now. He doesn’t want me.”
“But he doesn’t want to lose you to any other man, either. Seeing you with someone else, looking so obviously well pleasured… That rankled his pride. Over the next few days, the possibility of his ‘backwater bride’ slipping through his fingers will gnaw at him. Over the next three months, he’ll do whatever necessary to chain you to his side. Since he grew up in DC, he only knows the dirty way to play the game. From what I observed, he’s shrewd, and he has no qualms about using coercion or deceit. Most of all, he refuses to lose to someone he thinks is beneath him. His ego won’t tolerate it.”
“You’re right. Todd was livid when he lost a sous chef to a junior congresswoman from the other side of the aisle last year. So he found some of her college classmates willing to say she liked group sex, the kinkier the better. She’s currently down five points in her reelection bid.”
“That was Todd’s doing?” Deke looked reluctantly impressed. “Damn…”
Matt scowled. “Is it true?”
“Does it matter? The damage is in the accusation. No one waits for the truth before they judge.” Madison wrung her hands. “I can only imagine what Todd will do to me. And to you.”
Matt wished like hell he could erase her anxiety. Impotent fury beat at him.
“She’s right,” Deke added. “Start thinking underhanded and put countermeasures in place, or you two will never defeat Todd. He’ll be ruthless. And he won’t stop coming at you until he succeeds…or he’s forced to relent. You have to be smart every moment of every day. Don’t give him any ammunition, for fuck’s sake,” Deke warned before he addressed Madison. “Don’t wear your emotions on your sleeve.” Then he turned to Matt. “Don’t be all caveman and let your protective instinct flatten your self-control. When you’re there, you’re her bodyguard, not her lover. You can’t shield her from every snide stare and degrading comment, so learn to let them roll off your back.”
Rage roiled in Matt’s gut. “I’m supposed to do nothing while he hurts her?”
But he knew the answer.
Deke raised a brow. “If you were bodyguarding someone you weren’t fucking, how much would you do to stop a nonthreatening verbal punch?”