Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 130414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130414 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 652(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
I didn’t even need to think about it. “Confident,” I said with conviction. “If there’s a way out in which my reputation can survive, I’ll take it.”
Madison bit his lip. “I can’t promise anything, but I think there’s a way to take him down.” Take him down? It all sounded so Riverdale. Desperate times called for desperate measures. I made a mental note to bail on Madison’s plan if he formed a red circle.
“When will you let me know? Every minute spent in his house is torture.”
Especially since he confiscated the carbs.
Madison sighed, plowing his fingers into his hair. “I’m sorry you got caught up in this mess, Dal. Trust me, I never thought anyone could be as spiteful as to seek you out like this.”
“Could you call me when—”
“First thing’s first, keep an eye on him for me, will you?” he cut straight to business. “I’m sure he’s monitoring your devices, so don’t send me anything sensitive in texts. Just call, and we’ll meet up. Anything you have for me that smells fishy. Whether business-related or regarding his personal life.”
Was he … recruiting me to bring Romeo down? I struggled to picture my husband getting caught red-handed doing something bad. He was more sophisticated than that. If anything, he was always stupidly in control. Even when he introduced Scott the Co-pilot’s face to the airplane’s floor, he seemed calm and collected.
Withdrawing my hands from Madison’s, I snatched a fruit tart and nibbled on it. “What if I find nothing? He’s not exactly an open book.”
Madison pretended to look tormented. He really wasn’t a good actor. I’d seen better adult productions at Sav’s sleepovers.
“Well … I mean, depending on how hard you want to nail the son of a gun, you can always … manufacture an issue.” He chewed on his thumbnail, an old habit I always found off-putting. “You know, bring to light the horrible way he treats you. Anything at all that can tarnish his reputation. This is important, Dal. If you want Romeo Costa out of your life, out of our lives—”
“My, my, don’t you two look adorable together.” Slow, sarcastic claps followed the sharp voice. “The Beauty and the Yeast.”
Madison did look a little like bread dough.
Out strolled my new husband, twirling whisky in a highball glass, his steps long and confident. He’d shed his blazer sometime during the event. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled all the way to his elbows, exposing tan, muscular forearms.
His hair looked slightly disheveled. Maybe Morgan had ruffled it while they disappeared in one of the twenty-three guest rooms together for a quickie. My heart began pounding out of whack after I remembered that, when we’d last parted ways, I’d shown off Madison’s engagement ring.
The latter remained seated beside me. Worse—he draped a hand over my knee, leveling Romeo with an undeterred glare. “I have my eye on you, Costa.”
“Your eyes are none of my concern. Your arm, however, is another matter. If you still want it attached to the rest of your body, I suggest you remove it from my wife’s lap.”
“Your wife.” Madison snorted. Still, he complied, dumping his hands between his legs. “All she is to you is a way to get back at me for strengthening our ties with the DOD and presenting an impeccable defense package that’s too hard to walk away from and twenty percent cheaper than what Costa Industries offers.”
“First, I suggest you use punctuation. That was one long-ass sentence.” Romeo blinked, as if Madison had spoken in another language. “Second, I wasn’t finished.”
“That so?”
Romeo spat his gum. It was the first time I’d seen him willingly part with the thing. “Consider this my first, last, and final warning. Each time you come close to my wife, I’ll break a different bone of yours. I’m thinking of starting with the femur, though subject to change.”
Madison shot up. A blush snaked up his neck. “You have some nerve. After all you’ve done to me and Dallas—”
Stealing Madison’s seat, Romeo flicked lint from the sleeve of his shirt. “Please. This past year, there hasn’t been one event we’ve both attended where you didn’t end the night inside a leggy blonde who charges by the hour.”
Madison’s jaw tightened. He moved it back and forth. “Dallas and I had an agreement.” Though no such agreement existed, I didn’t flinch.
“Interesting.” Romeo swathed an arm over my shoulder, his knuckles caressing the side of my throat, making my flesh warm and tingly. “Tell me, Mrs. Costa, are we going to have the same arrangement? Am I allowed to take on mistresses and parade them around town like prized horses?”
I’d rather die than give him permission to screw anyone else. Only because I didn’t want him to have fun. “No.” I scowled. “You don’t deserve a free pass.”
“Guess I’ll have to make do with you, then, wifey.” He returned his attention to Madison. “I’ll give you one thing, Licht. You didn’t exaggerate where her looks are concerned. She is ravishing.” Romeo twisted his face to me, dragging his hot lips across my jawline. “Who could’ve guessed she is as delicious as she is spirited? My wife tells me you’ve had your fill.”