His face grows red with anger before his eyes begin reading the words, flitting from one paper to the next. Then his head is shaking side to side, it’s supposed to be defiant, but I know terror when I see it. As the color starts to drain from his face like sands through an hourglass, I can’t help make the analogy…his time just ran out. He’s still shaking his head in denial when he looks at me. “What is all of this? What do you want?”
I tilt my head. “I want us.” That’s as simple as I can make it.
His face blanches. “No, I don’t think you do.” He points to the papers and stutters, “This…this isn’t love.”
I roll my eyes. “Who said anything about love?” The irony of us having this discussion naked with the scent of arousal still floating in the air around us isn’t lost on me.
He blinks several times. “Isn’t that why people generally get married?” He’s stunned. “Are you blackmailing me?”
I tap my pointer fingertip against my lips as I think over my answer. “Blackmail sounds so harsh. Let’s call it relationship negotiations.”
He walks to his pile of clothes and yanks on his dress pants before shrugging on his shirt. He stares at me for a moment; it’s disbelief, and then disgust. “Put some goddamn clothes on.”
I look down at my breasts. “You didn’t seem to mind me naked a few minutes ago when your mouth was between my thighs.”
He runs his hands through his hair in frustration before he pulls a handful of it and shouts, “A few minutes ago you weren’t a fucking psycho!”
I frown. “That’s no way to talk to your fiancée.”
His eyes lock with mine, and the fear is plain and transparent.
I begin gathering up the papers and putting them in a neat stack. “I’m filing for divorce as soon as I get home. Seamus will be served Monday. I’ll be moving in here the day the divorce is finalized. I’m going to hold off for the sake of appearance, we don’t need people talking.”
He huffs out a stunned laugh. “Well, aren’t you thoughtful? We certainly can’t have people talking. That’s the least of our problems, Miranda. You’re certifiable, and that’s the one I’m focused on at the moment.”
I wave him off. “This is all for the best. You just don’t see it yet. We’re good together.”
He scrubs his hands over his face repeatedly. “How in the hell did I get myself into this mess?”
“Hmm, let’s see…insider trading, money laundering—”
He cuts me off, “I didn’t do any of that. You obviously did, though, and forged my signature.”
I laugh. “I didn’t forge anything. You should know better than anyone that you shouldn’t sign anything you haven’t read over closely. That kind of oversight could lead to incarceration for the rest of your life. We wouldn’t want that, now would we?”
He’s shaking his head again. “My business dealings are clean. I’ve never done anything illegal.”
I cluck my tongue and raise my eyebrows. “I beg to differ. Your dick would probably back me up, too. Last time I checked, paying for sex in the state of Washington was still a no-no. I know this is a progressive state, but...” I trail off and then add in a mocking tone, “Especially the underage ones, pretty sure that’s still frowned upon.”
“The agency guaranteed me they were all over twenty-one.”
I smirk. “When did you get so na?ve, Loren? People lie.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose and blows out a breath, but I see by the set of his shoulders it does nothing to calm him. “They sure as hell do. What do you want? My money? I’ll pay you. Name your price.”
I shake my head. “I told you. We’re getting married. That’s what I want.”
He looks completely bewildered, but I can see the gears turning, he’s weighing his options. He knows his neck is in a noose. “Fine. But you’re fired. I’ll pay you a severance package. I don’t want you anywhere near my business. Are we clear?”
My heart shudders initially, but then I realize I can go anywhere and get a job after I move to Seattle. “Fine.”
“There will be a prenup.”
I nod, I don’t know how my ultimatums turned into negotiations, but if I’m honest I’m a bit surprised this is all going so well, so I’m participating in them. “Fine.”
“And I saw the paternity results in your pile of exploitation. I need your word that no one ever finds out Kira is mine. I don’t want children. Her father is raising her as far as I’m concerned. Your husband can have her. She’s better off with him.” He huffs. “They’re all better off with him. I hope you know that. You shouldn’t be a mother.”
I’m not a mother, I think, they’re my fa?ade. “Okay.” I’m agreeing today. Little does he know I’m just giving him time to adjust to the idea of marriage before I move the kids in with us. I don’t want them here, but for appearance’s sake it’s necessary. I still need to be surrounded by sheep. And no one loves women who abandon their sheep. I also need Loren to bond with Kira. Eventually, he’ll soften to her and claim her and then he’ll thank me for giving that gift. That’s how I’ll redeem myself in his eyes, by giving him the one thing he didn’t know he wanted. I’ll get to Loren’s heart through Kira. Who knew sheep would make such ideal pawns?
A lovely shade of I will annihilate your soul
present