Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 53052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
“Do you want to come in?” she asks as she swipes the key card in front of the door.
“Sure.” I’m not ready to head home alone, and I’m glad she’s not ready to send me there.
We walk into the foyer, and she tosses her bag onto the nearest counter.
“You said you’re close with your family, right? What do they think of you having the baby?” I ask.
She meets my gaze, but there’s none of her usual sparkle when she replies. “I haven’t told them.”
“Why not? Do you think they’ll be upset? Disappointed?” I step closer, reach out, and stroke her cheek.
“No, it’s not that. I think they’ll be overjoyed.” But she doesn’t look happy.
“Then what is it?”
She takes my hand in hers. “Can we sit? I need to tell you something.”
“Of course.” I can’t imagine what it is she has to say, but it’s obviously important.
I follow her into the bedroom where she kicks off her shoes and sits down on the edge of the bed. “This isn’t easy for me but here goes. I’m being blackmailed by my ex.”
“I’m sorry. Did you say you’re being blackmailed?” My hands curl into fists at the possibility that someone wants to hurt her.
She nods without meeting my gaze and rubs her palms against her dress.
Fuck that. I reach out and place my fingers beneath her chin, raising her head to face me. “Why don’t you start at the beginning?” I ask in as calm a voice as I can manage. “And take your time.”
She taps her foot against the floor, draws a deep breath, and begins. “My family runs in certain social circles in Charleston. Dad’s real estate development company is the biggest in the state and the charity he funded, where I work, does good things for the community. For underprivileged kids. As a result, we rub shoulders with people of influence, I guess you’d say. Which is how I met and started dating Chandler Cross, a South Carolina state senator.”
She gives me a brief glance, as if gauging the temperature in the room. I force a smile along with a nod, encouraging her to continue. But my jaw is tight, and I’m already furious on her behalf.
“Anyway …” She draws a deep breath and explains in detail how Senator Chandler Cross acquired power over her. She caught him selling votes for favors but he was prepared and when she threatened to go to the police, he explained how he’d set her up to make it look like she’s guilty of campaign fraud. Now they’re at a stalemate.
“So in public you’re his girlfriend?” The words taste sour on my tongue.
She nods, her lips turned down. “And in private we can’t stand each other. But he won’t free me from this ridiculous setup we’ve got going.”
“Shit,” I mutter.
“Exactly. If he turns those emails I wrote over to the police, I could lose my job because what charity keeps someone on the payroll who might have been involved in corruption? Not to mention how he’ll destroy my reputation in the community, which I can live with, but it’s not fair to my parents. The trickle-down effect will hurt them, too.”
I admire how she wants to protect her family, but she needs to come first and if they’re as good as she says they are, they’d agree. But this whole mess she’s in will explode when she starts to show with my baby.
“You’re pregnant.” I state the obvious, but I have a hunch she’ll know what I mean.
She lifts her shoulders and lets out a painful sigh. “Which means I have a limited window to get Chandler to back off. Once I’m showing? Who knows what he’ll do.”
“He’s not going to do a damn thing,” I mutter. I run my hand up and down her back, considering all options. “There has to be a way to neutralize him.”
“If there was one, I would have thought of it by now. And let’s not forget if he goes to the police and gives a statement, who do you think they’ll believe? I could be facing jail time.” She shudders at the notion and so do I.
I pull her into my arms. “I’m not going to let him hurt you.” That’s a promise I intend to keep.
“Can we just drop it?” she asks. “I have a short amount of time with you, and I want to enjoy it.”
It’s clear she’s given her situation a lot of thought, but I haven’t. Not yet, but I intend to. I lean in and kiss her lips. “Yeah, sweetheart, we can drop it.”
But I won’t. Her last barrier has fallen and she’s mine. Chandler Cross is going to regret the day he messed with my girl.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Taylor
With the truth shared, I feel like a thousand-pound weight has been lifted off my chest. Jack said we could table the conversation about Chandler and when he kisses me, all thoughts of my troubles flee. All I am aware of is Jack, his talented mouth, and the sudden rush of desire running through my veins.