Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
“It’s not that I don’t trust you—”
“Then prove it.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing the fabric of her sweater as she stared at the food we probably wouldn’t eat. “Okay.” She lifted her chin and looked at me, her eyes still timid. “I’ll quit.”
It was what I wanted, but not in the way I wanted it. I didn’t want to have to fight for it.
“I don’t want to fight. I’m so happy with you.”
My anger still burned beneath the surface, a simmer after the boil.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, because I trust you more than anyone I’ve ever known.”
My anger started to ebb, to slowly dissipate because I could hear her sincerity.
“I didn’t fall in love with you because you’re rich or because you’re powerful.”
My eyes narrowed on her face.
But she didn’t seem to have any idea what she’d just revealed to me, like her feelings were so second nature she didn’t even register her words. “And the last thing I ever want you to think is I’m with you for the wrong reasons. Because if you lived in my old apartment and could only afford to take me to McDonald’s, I’d be perfectly fine with that.”
She really had no fucking idea what she’d just said. It was so far compartmentalized that she didn’t see the truth even when it stared at her right in the face. I couldn’t fight the grin that moved over my lips. The anger was long gone when I heard the words directly out of her mouth, words that Adrien had shared with me first without remembering it.
“What?” she asked, the confusion in her features fully sincere.
“Nothing.”
Her eyes flicked back and forth between mine like she knew that wasn’t the truth.
I changed the subject before she could ask me for a better answer. “All I want is for us to be together fully and completely—and you’ve finally given that to me.”
4
BASTIEN
She didn’t have to submit a two-week notice or formally quit, not when I was her boss, so she was just done. We didn’t talk about it again, and I was glad it was over. It was one of the worst fights we’d had, but it couldn’t have ended better.
I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face for days.
I worked mostly nights, leaving after she went to bed. When I came home, it was usually late morning, and she was dressed and ready to go even though she had nowhere to be. I kissed her and grabbed her ass like I always did, happy that she was the face I saw after a long night on the streets.
“How was work?”
“Fine.” I pulled the envelope out of my back pocket and opened the flap to reveal the debit and credit cards that were all in her name. I placed it on the table. “These are yours. Buy whatever you want. I have space in the parking garage under the building if you want a car.”
Her eyebrows flicked up at the offer, but she didn’t say anything.
I waited for resistance or argument, but it never came.
Finally, she said, “Thank you.”
I moved into her again, my hand squeezing both of her ass cheeks as I kissed her hard on the mouth. “Attagirl.” I gave her ass a hard spank before I walked away.
“Bastien?”
I turned back to her, dead tired and ready for bed, but she was always my priority.
“Could you do me a favor?”
My eyebrows furrowed before I walked back to her. “Anything.”
She hesitated before she made her request. “I still have a lot of stuff at Adrien’s. Stuff that I couldn’t bring to the apartment because I was in such a rush to get the hell out of there. I don’t think I can look at his face again and not punch him, so…could you get it for me?”
“Of course.”
“There’s the rest of my clothes—”
“You have more clothes?” She already took up eighty percent of the closet.
Her trepidation vanished as a sly smile moved over her lips. “And shoes…lots of shoes.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“You might want to rethink giving me your credit card.” The smile was still there, and it was nice to watch her tease me again.
I didn’t need to rethink it, not when that was the exact reason I gave it to her. “Good thing we have extra closets in this house.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“Or I’ll have to remodel one of the rooms into a closet.”
“Ooh, I like that idea.”
I smirked then reached for my phone to text Adrien. I’m coming by tonight to get the rest of Fleur’s stuff. I didn’t wait for his response, too tired to care about whatever nonsense he might say. “I’m going to shower and head to bed.”
“Alright. But how tired are you…?” Her hand absent-mindedly went to my arm, and she lightly grazed the skin, her fingers finding a tendon and following it down to the inside of my elbow.