Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 78304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78304 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
She buries her face in my neck and sniffles, and I wrap my arms around her as she cries quietly in my arms.
While guys get a slap on the back for getting caught in a sex-tape scandal, women don’t have it as easy, and I’ve heard the way people are whispering about Ana behind her back. When we walk through the office together, people stare and judge. I’ve had to tell several employees to close their mouths when I caught them making comments.
“I was thinking that maybe I should quit.” She sniffles softly. “But who else is going to hire me after that video?”
“It’s going to pass,” I promise her, lifting her chin to look up at me. “I know it’s hard right now, but you’re stronger than this. You don’t quit, Red. You keep your chin up and say fuck you to anyone who tries to look down on you.”
“Easier said than done,” she mumbles, dropping her head back down to my shoulder and snuggling closer. “Even my dad is being weird. I asked him to have lunch with me today since it’s Wednesday, and he told me he was too busy.”
“In his defense, he rescheduled a meeting we had for today because he said he had an appointment and wouldn’t be in.”
“Really?” She lifts her head. “Did he say why?”
“No, but I don’t think he’s blowing you off.”
“Maybe,” she says noncommittally. “I still think I should go away. Out of sight, out of mind and all that.”
“And as I said, you’re not going anywhere without me. We’re in this together. Where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugs, still pouting. “It’s beautiful in Florida this time of year.”
I chuckle at how adorable she is. To everyone else, she’s a strong, stubborn badass, but with me, she lets that shield down and shows me her vulnerable side. And it makes me love her even more.
“We have the double date on Friday night,” I remind her, making her groan. “But we could leave Saturday morning.”
“And take a couple of days off?” she says hopefully. “Make it a long weekend?”
“We can do that.”
I’ve barely taken any days off in years. Nobody will blink an eye at me actually using a few personal days.
“Thank you,” she murmurs, reaching up and kissing the corner of my jaw. “I’ve been feeling so blah this week. I think I just need a weekend away to regroup.”
“Hey,” I say, palming her cheek. “It’s all going to be okay.” I lean down and kiss the tip of her nose, and her lashes flutter shut. “In a few months, nobody is even going to remember what happened.”
“I hope you’re right,” she says with a sigh.
We sit in silence for a few minutes, and I’m about to ask if she wants to order in lunch when I hear a soft snore coming from her. She’s fallen asleep.
Not wanting to wake her up, I pull my phone out and search for resorts in Florida. I find one on the beach with a gorgeous view, a kick-ass pool, and a spa that I know she’ll love.
After getting it booked, I text Samuel to make sure he’s okay if I use the company jet. When he replies, he asks if everything is okay.
Me
People are giving Ana shit about the video. She wants to go away, so I booked us a resort in Fort Lauderdale.
Samuel
She’s not going to quit, is she?
I glance down at my strong, determined wife. She might be down now, but soon, she’ll be back up, giving everyone hell again. A few months ago, I would’ve been hoping for her to quit, but things have changed, and I can’t imagine my life without her.
Me
We won’t let her. When we get back, I need to talk to you.
Samuel
You got it. Take care of my little girl.
Me
Always.
chapter twenty-nine
ANASTASIA
“Jesus, you look like walking sin, dressed like that.”
Julian strolls into our bedroom, dressed in a pair of black dress pants and a crisp white button-down shirt, tie loose and waiting to be tied. His eyes are filled with unadulterated lust as he takes in my little red halter dress that crisscrosses over my breasts, leaving my skin on display. The dress is short and tight, and I feel sexy in it.
“Is it new?” he asks, stepping over to me and running his fingertip along my exposed flesh just below my breast.
“Yep, I went emotional shopping this morning,” I admit.
With the whispers still running rampant, I took personal days yesterday and today. Yesterday, I sulked in bed, crying on and off all day while searching for the video of us and sending each one I found to IT so they could request for them to be taken down.
Julian came home with dinner and pretended like I didn’t look like an emotional train wreck while we ate and then spent the rest of the evening watching a movie I don’t even remember.