Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107660 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
But I was done with anything that came from that corner of my mind. I ignored the warning and slid into the arrogant businessman, who made sure to get what he wanted.
“And what do you think he’d do if he found out?” I asked coldly. “Do you think if Daddy found out his princess was marrying for anything other than love, that he would step in and save you from marrying the old monster just so you could get your way?”
Aspen recoiled as if I’d hit her. “I don’t need saving, and I would never expect anything given to me that I haven’t worked for myself.”
She paused, her gaze assessing and coming to a conclusion that relaxed the pinch between her brows and curved her lips. I braced myself, catching the rebellious glint sparking behind the golden depths that warned of retaliation to my comment.
“However…” She dragged the word out like a taunt, her smile turning more challenging. “Maybe that’s all I need to do; go to my dad, and he will see how much I’m willing to sacrifice to ensure that our company remains in control of the family. Maybe he’ll realize how much it means to me, and I won’t need to waste five years of my life with you. Maybe he’ll realize the error of his ways and change the contract into what it should have been from the very beginning.”
Her words hit their mark, fueling the doubt and igniting my anger, sending us back to the angry animosity of when we first met. As if the last couple hours of easy camaraderie never existed. As if we never reached a level of trust between a Dominant and a submissive. As if we didn’t know what each other sounded like when they came.
All of it vanished, leaving us back at each other’s throats.
“By all means. Go run to Daddy and ask him to save the day,” I said with a casual shrug. “However, not that I’m sure you care beyond getting what you want, but it would most likely create a hell of a debacle for your father. One that might even stretch into his retirement and make him sacrifice those leisure years he’s worked so hard for. But who cares as long as you get what you want, right?”
Her jaw hardened. “What the hell does that mean?”
“It means exactly what it sounds like, princess. That you’ve probably made it this far without caring what your father wants, so why start now?”
“Of course I care about what my father wants, you asshole. I’ve always cared,” she snapped. “And frankly, I’m sick and tired of your incorrect, asinine assumptions.”
“Good.” I gave her a wide smile while keeping the threat in my gaze. “Then you’ll have no problem ensuring that when we inform your father of our marriage, it’s only because we can’t imagine living our lives without each other. You’ll have no problem making him believe that our marriage is everything it’s supposed to be so thoroughly that he won’t bother digging for information that could lead to him finding out about our behind-the-scenes negotiations.”
“Or what?” she asked softly, still holding her head high.
I leaned in, my smile slipping to match my eyes. “Or, if you do ask Daddy to change the contract, then I would be forced to make certain that he can’t. If he still tries, then I will happily take him to court, and ensure that I receive what is mine despite his efforts. Even if it takes me years. Even if it takes up every day, every hour, every second of that poor man’s retirement.”
Her jaw dropped, releasing a huff of disbelief. She shook her head while her eyes bounced between mine, looking at me like she’d never seen me before. The look tugged against my chest, stirring whispers of regret and worries about going too far. But I shoved it aside, unwilling to go back and allow her any openings to renege on our deal, leaving me with nothing.
“Wow. You really are an asshole willing to fuck over whoever necessary to win.”
“And you’re not?”
She didn’t answer immediately, and I watched her mind work as if running through a list of names that she might be willing to screw over to win. In the end, she raised her chin, appearing resolute and self-righteous.
“Obviously, I’m not willing to do whatever it takes to get what I want. Otherwise, I would’ve done exactly as you accused me of and gone straight to my father to inform him of your offer, giving him the chance to enact the morality clause of the contract even if it is a thin argument. But, like you said, that would take time—even more with you fighting him—and I don’t want him to sacrifice any more than he already has for me. Especially when I can handle it myself.”