Total pages in book: 181
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171979 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 860(@200wpm)___ 688(@250wpm)___ 573(@300wpm)
When she was done, Kent placed them back into the yellow envelope, then returned that to his briefcase. Giving the briefcase to Mrs. Boward, he instructed her to take it back to his office and told her he would be there shortly.
“We’ll be taking off now. I need to make a quick stop to get Sage a wedding present.” Kent moved to stand in front of Victoria, his shoes touching hers.
“Let me make one thing perfectly clear, just in case it’s still cloudy in your mind. Any further attempt to hurt Sage will be met with force. Do you get my meaning?”
Bradford and Victoria nodded with terror in their eyes.
“I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of the day. I don’t want to make you late for your appointment in case you still wish to go. Oh … by the way, Mrs. Ashwood, just as a matter of interest … do you happen to know your blood type? In case, God forbid, one of your grandchildren needs a transfusion.”
“I’m AB positive.”
Lucky bitch.
Giving her a curt nod, he walked toward Ice.
“I’m B positive,” Bradford supplied helpfully.
“Good for you.”
He drew shoulder to shoulder to Ice. “What’d you do with the maid?”
“She’s making us sandwiches,” Ice answered. “You want her to make you one, too?”
“No, I’m good.” He nodded his head at the couple on the couch. “You know what to do?”
“When I’m done with them, they’ll be too afraid to tell their doctor when they shit last.”
“Then I’ll leave them in your capable hands.” Smoothing the front of his suit jacket, he tucked his tie back. “By the way, ask him where he bought his suit.”
“I’ll put it on the top of my list.”
“Isn’t your wedding anniversary next week?” Kent asked casually.
“Yeah, so?”
“Check between the cushions where Mrs. Ashwood is sitting. Grace deserves something for being married to you.”
FORTY-TWO
Self-consciously holding the small pink and white wedding bouquet, Sage couldn’t help but look out of the corner of her eye at the guests who had shown up to witness Creed and her wedding. Creed had texted her to ask who she wanted to invite, but she hadn’t bothered to reply. She didn’t want to invite anyone to witness a marriage she had no intention of lasting.
He had used her, so she would use him. She would stay long enough for him to find proof that Victoria had hired someone to kill her, find a job, and fall out of love with him.
Bringing her focus back onto him, she thought that may be easier said than done.
Wearing a tan suit, paired with a blue tie and brown shoes, Creed looked sophisticated and so handsome that he had jumpstarted her broken heart when she saw him waiting for her outside the small chapel he had rented.
Thankfully, Glory wouldn’t stop insisting she wear the dress she had worn to her bridal shower. The ankle-length white dress was a beautiful A-line chiffon dress. As she walked, the flowy material made her feel as light as the flowers Creed had given her when she met him at the door of the chapel.
Expecting only to find out who Creed had found to perform the ceremony and who he had chosen to witness it, she was surprised to find several people she didn’t know were waiting inside.
Tears filled her eyes when she spotted Twister sitting in the front pew. His happy expression when she walked down the aisle brought a sense of guilt that she was about to marry his son when she didn’t want to.
There were other guests sitting in the pews, whom she had no idea who they were. Most of the guests were men who appeared uncomfortable in their suits. A lone woman was sitting in the last pew, wearing a dark teal, sleeveless satin dress. The high neck accented the graceful curve of her tanned shoulders. Whoever the stunning woman was, their eyes met briefly as she walked past. There was a flicker of pain in her eyes, which Sage instantly recognized, and a sense of recognition connected them in that moment. Both were in love with the same man. Both had been hurt by him. The shared moment made her look away, or she would never be able to go through with the ceremony.
She didn’t expect to find any of her friends, so when her eyes fell on Tayla then Glenda sitting beside a man Sage surmised was her husband, it brought a brief surge of optimism. The feeling lasted only as long as it took for her to remember carrying lunch to Creed in his office, wanting to surprise him, only to find herself the one surprised.
Creed saying his vows was the hardest part. She didn’t believe he meant a word when he said to love and cherish. She wanted to use her wedding bouquet to hit him when he promised to be faithful. It took everything she could do to repeat her own vows, right up to the point where she omitted one part, rewording it to until we do part. She’d barely managed to keep her gaze centered on Creed at the snickers of laughter coming from the pews.