Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 89953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Now I was even more intrigued. “How is that possible?”
“She must have changed her name.”
She was married? “People get married all the time, but their past isn’t erased.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. She must have acquired a new identity.”
I’d seen a lot in my lifetime, but I’d never heard of that.
“She has secrets—secrets she’s trying to hide.”
What a coincidence—I have secrets too. “Anything else?”
“She’s in serious debt. About three hundred grand deep.”
“How?”
“Student loans and the nonprofit she owns. She must dump a lot of her own money into it.”
Just on paper, this woman fascinated me. Judging by her natural strength as she walked across a room, I would assume she wasn’t afraid of anything—that she didn’t have skeletons in her closet. The fact that she had a double life, a whole other existence, made me wonder what she was hiding from.
“She’s attending the Governor’s Charity Ball this Saturday.”
That party was such a bore, but I had to attend because I was usually given the Philanthropist Award—but they really should give someone else the spotlight. My company did a lot of amazing things, but it wasn’t the only one. It was a great opportunity to get donations from other affluent people in the city. Free advertising. “She is?”
“Yep. And you aren’t the recipient of the Philanthropist Award this year.”
My eyebrow rose in interest. “Yeah?”
“Rome Moretti is.”
It was nearly midnight when I walked into Ruin and entered the back office. I had paperwork to deal with, payroll, and a bunch of other bullshit that made me hate being a business owner. When I took over the company, it was with excitement. But lately, I’d only been excited about one thing.
The door opened and shut behind me. “Asshole, I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all day.”
I didn’t turn around as I leaned over my desk and searched for the mail. “Congratulations. You finally succeeded.”
Jackson walked around the desk then plopped down into the leather chair—my leather chair. He looked up at me, his blue eyes identical to mine. They were piercing and cold, just like the icicles that hung from my roof in January. “I heard you broke it off with Isabella.”
I’m sure the whole fucking club knew by now. I opened the first letter, aware of his gaze still burning into my face like hot lava.
“Did you hear me?”
“Yes.” I skimmed through the bill and left it off to the side. Then I grabbed the next envelope in line.
“And?”
“And what? Is this gossip hour?”
“Just tell me what the hell happened.”
“I don’t owe you an explanation, shithead.”
He snatched the letter from my hand and slammed it on the desk. “What the hell happened? You were her Dom for nearly a year.”
“I’m aware.” I was there, after all. I leaned back into the chair and stared him down. “All things come to an end, right? It’s not worth talking about. I’ve had many subs in my lifetime, and she’ll have many Doms.”
His gaze narrowed on my face, his irritation seeping from his pores. “She said there was someone else.”
Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut? I didn’t deny it because lying wasn’t my strong suit. If a man couldn’t be honest, then he wasn’t a man at all. “Yes, but I’m not seeing anyone.”
Jackson gave me the most quizzical expression I’d ever seen. “What? You aren’t seeing her?”
“I met her a few nights ago in a bar. Haven’t stopped thinking about her.”
“Is she a sub?”
“Unlikely.” She had way too much fire in her eyes and too much strength in those sexy hips. There was no way she could follow a command without giving some attitude. Maybe that was why I found her so attractive—even though that was the exact opposite of what I wanted.
“Then what’s the deal? You asked for her number or what?”
“No.” She slapped me three times like a goddamn pro. “I only got her name. I broke it off with Isabella immediately afterward. It didn’t feel right anymore. Isabella trusts me, and I still want to be worthy of that trust.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes shifting back and forth between mine. “What does that mean? Are you going to make her your new sub?”
If I’m lucky. “I’ll see where it goes…” She wouldn’t be easy to break. I could tell. But I was always up for the challenge.
“Dude, Isabella is the hottest chick in this place. You’re going to give her up?”
When I first laid eyes on her, I wanted her. We started fucking, and the sex was explosive. Not long after that, we became an exclusive Dom-sub, which shocked everyone who knew me. Isabella did everything I asked, and she did it well. I was content with her, even happy. But when I set eyes on Rome, it was as if the past year never happened. I saw the world in technicolor, and she was neon green. I had to have her—at any cost. “Yes, she’s perfect. It’s time for us to both move on.”