Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 137144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137144 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 686(@200wpm)___ 549(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Well. He couldn’t blame them.
But things would get better for Clem soon. Rick’s life was going to implode.
And Lily would be his.
Fuck.
This was boring.
Time to make a move. Harvey was over pretending to be civil and a good guy.
Not that he wasn’t a nice guy. He was. When he got his own way. Rick and Roberta had been standing between him and Lily for too long. He’d held back from making a move because Ronan had wanted him to watch Rick closely.
But Rick’s life was over. And Harvey intended to take his prize.
Before he could make a move, though, Clem stormed into her mother’s living room.
This might be interesting.
“Hello, sorry we’re late,” Clem said, chin high.
Good for her.
“Clementine, what are you doing here? I didn’t think you were coming,” Roberta practically snarled.
Clem just smiled. Grabbing a few grapes, she ate them. “Ooh, juicy.”
“Here, baby, let me help you.” Jaret wiped a bit of grape juice off her chin.
“Clementine, perhaps you and your friend could come to my office with me,” Roberta said stiffly.
“Nah, I don’t think so.” She winked at Harvey.
He could barely hold back his grin. Finally, some entertainment. He’d been stuck here with Rick and his horrid mother and arrogant father for what felt like forever while Lily sat next to Rick.
“And Jaret isn’t my friend; he’s my boyfriend,” Clem stated.
“I think we might need to make that fiancé soon, baby,” Jaret told her.
Harvey glanced at Lily, but she was just staring off into the distance.
“That is not a proposal.” Clem pointed a finger at Jaret, who grinned and stretched his arms above his head.
“Damn, I have some kinks in my back. Thinking I might need a massage. You know, Senator, you look like you’d know where to get a special massage.”
Here we go.
“Excuse me, who are you?” Rick’s father asked angrily.
“Sorry, I forgot my manners. The name is Jaret Malone.”
Senator Sampson grew pale. Interesting. Maybe he should look into the Malones. He remembered Ronan mentioning a Malone family who lived in New Orleans a few times. Were they related to Jaret?
“Malone?” the senator said.
“Yep,” Jaret replied.
“You’re not part of the New Orleans Malones, are you?”
“Aw, you’ve heard of my cousins. How nice. I’ll be sure to send your regards.”
That answered that question.
“We need to leave now,” the senator said hastily, standing.
“What? Why?” Rick asked.
“It’s probably because he’s worried I know things about him that he wouldn’t want to get out,” Jaret said. “My family is good at ferreting out secrets. Like your gambling addiction. And your father’s massage addiction. Oh, and then there’s the fact that your family is completely broke.”
“What?” Roberta gasped. “You have a gambling addiction, Rick? You’re broke, Barry?”
“Don’t forget about the massages,” Clem said. “I didn’t even know that massages with a happy ending were an actual thing.”
“I’ll show you one later.” Jaret winked at her.
“Can’t wait.”
“Do you mind!” Roberta said.
“Nope, don’t mind at all,” Clem replied.
“We’ll be fine. Especially once our families align,” Barry said.
Stupid asshole had no idea how bad his life was going to be, did he?
The reason he was broke wasn’t just because of Rick’s gambling. Nope, it was because Ronan and Harvey had worked over the last year to systematically take the whole family down.
“That’ll be a bit hard considering mommy dearest is broke too,” Clem said.
“What? Clementine, what are you talking about?” Roberta said with a gasp.
“The fact that you don’t have any money left. What happened to all the money, Mother?”
“I think we should leave,” Senator Sampson said.
Roberta sat up straight, drawing her shoulders back. “Perhaps you should. I feel deceived.”
“No more than we’ve been deceived by you. Needless to say, the marriage is off.”
Roberta gave the senator a sneer. “You disgust me. I will make sure that everyone knows what was revealed here.”
“Not unless you want us to do the same.” This came from Rick’s mother. “We can both go down that hole, Roberta.”
Roberta smiled. “Perhaps you’re right. Best we all keep quiet.”
Hmm. He didn’t think so.
He watched as the senator dragged Rick out, his wife following.
“What the fuck have you just done!” Roberta screeched, grabbing hold of Clem’s upper arms. “You ruined everything.”
Before Harvey could move, Jaret pulled the old bitch away and threw her down on the sofa.
“Be careful,” Jaret warned. “I’ve never hit a woman, but after seeing the marks on my baby yesterday, I might change that rule for you.”
Marks? Harvey didn’t like that. He ran his gaze over Lily. Had this bitch touched her?
Roberta paled. “Clementine, are you going to allow him to treat me this way?”
“Mother, all my life you’ve ignored me or manipulated me. Why would I defend you? And trust me, Jaret is actually being very restrained. Where did the money go?” Clem asked.
“That bastard, Marc, stole it all! All the money your father left me. Your inheritance, Lily’s, it’s all gone.”