Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
She smiled brightly and extended her hand. “Well, Max. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Finally, I found my tongue. “The pleasure is all mine.” I reached out and enclosed her hand in mine. Electricity flowed through our skin. She must have felt it too, because her beautiful eyes widened.
For the rest of the evening, I had to catch myself several times because I was staring so hard at her. Admittedly, there were a few times when I caught her staring back. I could tell Robert was irritated and wanted me to make myself scarce, but there was no power on earth that could have made me drag myself away from that delightful creature. As the night began to wind down, she looked directly at me and said she needed a software upgrade for her laptop.
Robert fumed, but I snapped up the dangled bait.
The following morning, being a weekend, I showed up on her doorstep. The problem with her device was something I solved in less than five minutes. After that there was nothing left to do, but invite her out to lunch. The rest, as they say, is history.
Robert gave me the cold shoulder for a couple days before getting over it, and we went back to business as usual, or at least, I thought we did.
As for Savannah and I, we moved on to the next level. I had been in awe to know I was her first. For the first time in my life sex was sacred. I held her as if she was a delicate piece of china, and made sure she suffered as little pain as possible. I knew exactly how to please her and taught her how to please me. We were perfect for each other. If I had not been framed, I had no doubt we would be married with at least one child already. Maybe child number two or even three would already be on the way.
Considering how much she loved a big brood of kids, I found it surprising she was not married and fretting over a few already. Maybe Robert had changed her mind. He was not the paternal type. Or maybe she had only pretended to want what I did.
No. She was a woman who was driven by her passions and knew exactly what she wanted. There was no way Robert would have been able to impose his childless, fancy-free mentality on her.
I ordered another drink and let my mind drift back to that summer. It seemed like a blissful dream now. Then I had decided to venture out on my own and started working harder, twice as hard actually. I still had to keep my end of the bargain to Robert and could only develop material for my own business afterwards. I knew Savannah was unhappy with the state of things, but I kept most of my plans to myself as I wanted it to be a surprise.
Lo and behold, the surprise was on me when Robert managed to concoct the whole embezzlement scam. My lawyer told me that all the evidence Robert’s side had was circumstantial, but at that point I also found out that the gentleman’s agreement contract with Robert trapped me intellectually to his company for a lifetime. If Savannah had been there for me, intellectual property be damned, I knew I would have fought harder to stay out of prison. But she wasn’t and I knew I had to break his hold over me. Through my lawyer I made an offer to Robert. I would plead guilty if he would release me from our contract.
His answer came back lightning fast. Yes. My lawyer drew up the papers and we both signed it. Even though I was going to prison, I had actually bought back my freedom.
I ordered a burger and fries to go with it.
The first week of my incarceration was not the nightmare I thought it would be. Well, maybe the nights were. I kept waiting to wake up in Savannah’s arms. For her to tell me I was just dreaming, but I was now back in the land of the living. But morning brought the same hard mattress, the metal toilet, and the stained gray walls.
Still, the day was preferable to the night. There was a pecking order in prison and I quickly learned my place. I was not there to remain indefinitely like some other inmates, and therefore did not need to prove anything or attain any ranks. What I did need to do, though, was not become a target or punching bag for others.
As soon as I gave out my fair share of black eyes and busted lips, they learned the computer guy could pound more than just laptop keys. They stayed out of my way and I stayed out of theirs.