Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 89592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89592 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
“Are those—”
“My grandmother’s earrings,” Clayton cuts her off. “Yes, they are.”
“But…but you would never allow anyone to wear those,” she stammers out.
“Never,” Fran breathes, shock crossing her face.
My chest swells at the sweet sound of her feelings crushing. Although, I wonder who these women are that they have so much information I don’t. I had no idea these were his grandmother’s earrings. The significance of that tugs at the back of my mind.
“Correction, I would only allow someone I care about to have them,” Clayton grinds out. “You may leave now. My fiancée and I are none of your concern.”
“Your fiancée,” Fran seethes. “Does she know my sister was once on her way to being your fiancée?”
This time I stiffen at Clayton’s side. I look up at him and his face tells a million stories. I don’t know what happened between them, but it wasn’t pretty. At least, it must not have ended well.
“Leeann was never close to any such thing. Once upon a very long time ago, I thought she was a friend. Never once did I have intentions of marrying her.
“Our friendship and wanting to keep my father from up my ass are the only reasons we carried on for as long as we did,” Clayton bites out.
“Two years is a long time to date someone you don’t care about,” Fran tosses back, giving me a sly smile.
“Fran,” Leeann admonishes, looking to be on the verge of tears.
“I see the game you’re playing.” Clayton gives a dry laugh. “Sidney isn’t an insecure woman like yourself, Fran. She knows she doesn’t have to worry about my past.
“If you want to toss out and manipulate facts, share the fact that your sister turned her back on me not once, but twice. She turned into someone I didn’t even recognize. She became you.
“Share with Sid that the reason I loathe your sister is that not only did my father have her spying on me—her so-called best friend and boyfriend. She also fucked my security guard and twisted his mind until she got him to try to help her blackmail me,” he hisses.
Both sisters turn beet red in the face. Clayton just earned a new level of respect from me. Now, that right there is a new level of petty.
Fran wasn’t expecting that. Homegirl’s face looks like it just cracked in two and I didn’t even get a chance to throw a jab.
“You still can’t prove that,” Leeann says brokenly.
“You’re still always pleading with him,” Fran fumes in disgust.
Clayton throws his head back and laughs. Yet, there’s no humor in his eyes when he looks back at them. I feel a chill run through me.
“It’s not worth my time. Now, if you will excuse us. There are actually important people here to talk to,” he delivers the final blow.
We turn to leave, but Mrs. Thing isn’t finished. I’ve had enough of her and her big mouth. However, her words serve as intended. My interest is piqued immediately.
“She mustn’t know our history then,” Fran hisses, causing Clayton to pause in his tracks.
He spins around sharply, but I’m not about to let my man go down for losing it and hitting this chick. Not that I think Clayton would actually hit a lady, but this heifer isn’t a lady and I want to give her a good punch at this point.
I step forward, getting all up in her face. Well, as in her face as my small stature will allow. It doesn’t matter that she’s taller than me, I still look at her as if she’s beneath me and I’m the one who has to look down.
“You don’t know what I know,” I hiss at her. “But what you need to be crystal clear on. I don’t give a shit about the garbage you have ready to spill out your mouth. You’ve reached your quota for words to say to Sid and Clay. Button up those lips, before I rip them off your face and feed them to you. Understand?”
I don’t wait for her reply. I turn, lacing my fingers with Clayton’s and allow him to lead the way. Although, my mind is burning, wondering what secrets she has that I don’t.
Chapter 26
Troubled Family
Clayton
I can’t release the smile from my lips as I watch Sid across the room. I didn’t want her anywhere near that pariah, Fran, but watching her defend me as her man almost made me call it an early night. I wanted nothing more than to bend her over and fuck her senseless.
Sid doesn’t even begin to understand the things she does to me. I’ve taken her every chance I can and it’s still not enough. I think I’ll forever want more of her.
Just the sight of her glowing face makes me ache to be near her. She looks stunning tonight in her navy-blue gown. It forms to her body like a second skin. I will have to talk to Ashley about the amount of skin this one shows. Especially the split showing off one of those brown thighs I love so much.