Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40554 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
"You know what? I don't have to do this with you." I stand.
"Sit down," he orders, a finality to it. Obey or else. My body obeys before my mind. I swallow, wondering what that silent "or else" means, but I might be about to find out either way. "We're going to be making a new deal." I open my mouth to respond, but the glare he shoots me has me pressing my lips together. "We are at a crossroads here." He leans back in his chair. "I want my wife, but she wants out."
"You can't—"
"I can do whatever I like," he says, cutting me off. I shake my head no. "Whose passport did you use to get here?" The conversation suddenly takes a left turn, or maybe not, as my suspicion starts to rise. "Both parties can be in serious trouble for such an act. It's a federal crime that carries prison time."
"Oh, you're going to toss your wife into prison?" I'll call that bluff.
"No, I have friends in high places now; for the friend, I'll have the embassy go collect her and ship her back here for the FBI to handle." My stomach sinks.
"I stole it from her," I blurt out in a rush.
"I'm sure the Feds will see about extracting that information from her. I can't believe what you say. You're not a woman of your word." I stare at him. I don't know this man any longer. "Are you not trying to go back on our marriage contract?" I suppose he might have me there.
"So you'll hold this over my head? You can't forever. Statute of limitations." I pull that out of my ass, but I'm pretty sure it's a thing.
"Maybe so, but that's going to be more than a couple of years."
"Don't do this," I whisper.
"You have given me no choice." I swallow. "But I'm not completely irrational." I bite the inside of my cheek. "And as you said, you're no whore, but you will still act as my wife. You will live in my home and act accordingly for the next year."
"And then what?” A year isn't too bad. I can do a year.
"Your debt to me will be cleared, and we can revisit the marriage." I chew on my bottom lip. "Tick tock, Truly. I'm a busy man running the company that has paid for your life. This deal will leave the table as quickly as I put it there."
"Okay!" I shout. I won't have Mable getting dragged into this because of me. Giving me her passport was hard enough for her. She adheres strictly to the rules. I tease she's a Goody Two-shoes, but I adore her for it. She is sweet and pushed against her own ways in trying to help me because she loves me.
"I'm glad you are now seeing reason." I grit my teeth so I don't dig a bigger hole.
A year. I can do that… or so I thought.
Chapter Four
BLAKE
My head pounds. I drop it back, closing my eyes as I rub my temples, trying to get my anger in check. I’ve been mad before, sure. I can snap out orders and be cold. It’s the best way to deal with a lot of people. But I need to get my anger in check before I head home. It’s not going to do me any favors with Truly.
After she agreed to my deal, I had my driver come and take her home. It was that or toss her over my desk and spank her ass until she understood she was going to remain my wife. That was another reason I had to get her out of here. I don't know where those thoughts came from. Is that what people mean when they speak of intrusive thoughts? Not sure it fits because intrusive thoughts are ones you don't want to act on, and I very much do.
Home. That one word does help me manage my anger. Things might not be going as planned, but my wife is back and now inside of our home. I initially thought the place we have now would be temporary, but I don’t foresee my wife wanting to shop for a new one anytime soon.
My hope was that when Truly finished school and moved home that she would be eager to start building our life together. That she would want to find a home that fit us. She loves history, and I knew the home she’d want to live in long-term would be rich with it. It’s not one I can simply build and be done with. In time she’ll be on the same page as me.
That’s really the only option. My wife may think she is just going to grin and bear our marriage for a year to appease me, but she should’ve paid better attention to the details. I told her in a year we’d discuss our marriage. I didn’t say I would agree to end it. This, however, does give me room to breathe and figure shit out. It goes without saying that there are more than enough things that I need to begin to work on.