Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
She stops in her tracks and looks like I punched her in the stomach. Her hand drifts to her midsection like she’s holding in her guts or maybe reaching for a baby I’ll never give her.
Because I’m nothing but a curse. I’ve known it all my life, ever since I was old enough to think. My parents abandoned me, the state did its best to get rid of me, and even Shawn eventually found out exactly what happens when I get close to someone.
Nothing good happens when I let other people in.
I can’t do that to Valentina, and I sure as fuck can’t do that to her children.
“Why did you do this to me?” Her voice is very small. She’s pale as she turns her back on me.
“I didn’t think—“
“It’s her, isn’t it?” I barely understand as she leans against the vanity, fingers curling into the pages. “I saw the way you treat each other. The way you look at her. I didn’t mind, you know. I wouldn’t mind if you wanted her too, so long as you stuck to the deal. It didn’t bother me, but now—“
“Who are you talking about?”
She looks back at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Get the fuck out. I’m done with this.”
“Valentina—“
“Get out, Prime. Why are you even still here? You must love twisting the knife. You’re even more sadistic than I thought. You want to call this off? Then you deal with the consequences. I’m getting my stuff and I’m leaving. You figure out how to clean up this mess.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Fuck you! Get the fuck out!”
I turn and go. Valentina’s fury washes over me, but it barely melts the frost forever ruining what passes as my heart. I pause in the hall, breathing hard, teeth gritted, wondering how I managed to wreck yet another person’s life. I embarrassed her for no god damn reason and how will this reverberate through the rest of her days?
She’s right. I’m a sick, sadistic piece of shit.
But something else nags at me. A question I don’t know how to answer, but now that it’s been asked, I can’t stop thinking about it. Even here, when I should be mortified and begging for forgiveness, it’s all I can obsess over.
It’s her, isn’t it?
CHAPTER 11
DEANNA
“Don’t worry, they’ll be ready soon!” I beam at the fifth guest to ask if there’s a problem, an older woman here for Prime’s side, though I have no clue who she is. All Prime’s people were invited by somebody else and I was told not to stress about it. The old woman looks concerned, but I don’t know why, as if they care we’re running a few minutes behind considering the amount of booze and food they’re putting away.
But something is definitely off. It starts as a ripple. People in the crowd murmuring to each other, a few angry comments, a flood of guests heading to the door. I don’t understand what’s happening, but I’m running damage control, trying to reassure everyone that the sky isn’t falling.
“Deanna. I need you. Right now.” Prime’s voice edges past the commotion.
I keep my best smile plastered on my face. “And now the pushy groom demands my attention. Please, have another glass of wine, I’ll make sure it’s all sorted.” I pat the old lady’s hand and slip away, striding over to where Prime’s waiting near the back hall.
He holds out a hand. “We have to talk.”
“What the fuck is going on?” I hiss at him.
“It’s Valentina.”
I grip my clipboard and consider beating him to death with it. “What did you do?”
“Come with me.”
I reluctantly follow him back to the groom’s suite. The room is kind of sad. When I saw him sitting in here earlier drinking all alone, I felt bad for him. Prime’s handsome, funny, and outgoing. He’s charming and has that magnetism about him like everyone wants to be near him. But today, on the most important day of his life so far, there’s not a single person close enough to sit in this room with him while he waits to get married.
He shuts the door behind us.
“I called it off with her.”
And all my pity instantly evaporates.
“You did what?!”
“It couldn’t work.” He pours himself a drink and begins pacing. “It was foolish from the beginning.”
“And you’re just figuring that out now? Prime, what the hell is the matter with you?”
“Too much.” He stops and looks at me. “I know how hard you worked finding her, and I know how much you did to set up that agreement. You went above and beyond what anyone could’ve reasonably expected. I appreciate what you did.”
“That doesn’t really help. I have a few hundred guests out there, most of which were here for you—“
“It isn’t over yet.”
“Your freaking bride is leaving! And I’m pretty sure her family’s storming out too!” That explains all the frustrated muttering and the guests heading for the doors. “God, I can’t believe you, but I shouldn’t be surprised. This is classic Prime, isn’t it? You come up with some big idea and you hang me out to dry when you decide it isn’t perfect enough. You flake on everything, and here I am forced to clean it all up.”