Total pages in book: 213
Estimated words: 202770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1014(@200wpm)___ 811(@250wpm)___ 676(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 202770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1014(@200wpm)___ 811(@250wpm)___ 676(@300wpm)
“Revenge?” I challenge. “That’s what you want? I thought you wanted answers.”
“Of course, I want answers, but there appears to be more players than I thought, as well. Do you really think York showed up when I did by coincidence?”
“That wasn’t about you, Jax. It’s about the secret he wants me to keep and if it gets out, and he ties it to me, he will lash out at me and my brother.”
He arches a brow. “Does your brother know this secret?”
“I don’t know,” I say. “I don’t think he does. I know. York thought I knew until I screamed that stupid comment about Marion at him. Now, he knows I know. Now, he’s going to think you know because of me, because I stupidly spoke about it in front of you. That means I owe you protection. And yes, I owe you a reason that he’s going to come at you. But don’t make this a mistake. Don’t make me sorry that I told you.”
His hands close around mine. “The only person I’ll make sorry is him. He might be vicious, but he has met his match in me, I promise you.”
It’s hard to feel comfort in a declaration of viciousness from a man I’m about to give a key to my future. And he promises. I’ve heard promises that meant nothing. York himself was full of promises, as was my father, but all that aside, there is something about Jax, something that makes me feel as if I’ve known him a lifetime when it’s only been days. “I’m going to tell you. I’m going to trust you.”
“And that is a good decision because I’m going to protect you, Emma.”
I don’t need a man to protect me. I don’t intend to let any man have that much control over my life ever again, but this particular vow, spoken after his prior statement of viciousness, and under these circumstances is one that offers some comfort, as much as I guess can really be possible. “Okay,” I say. “I found proof that Marion was having an affair with my father, which might seem small, but it’s not. It has a snowball effect, in so many ways, too many ways.”
“And why exactly does this worry York?” he asks cautiously.
“Marion is his aunt, and if her husband finds out, he’ll leave her, which would cost her a ton of money. Marion and her husband are investors in York’s yacht company. That means his family fortune is directly affected. And of course, I’m worried Marion’s husband would drop us as their airline’s partner should this news get out by way of our family. But more so, I’m worried about what York would do to pay me back.”
He considers this news a few beats, his expression hard, unreadable. He doesn’t speak, but he leans back and scrubs his jaw, sitting there another few moments, before he inches forward, his elbows settling on his knees. “Here’s the thing about affairs. They really are a poison that often leads nowhere good, often to revenge and nastiness. York showed up when I was at your apartment. More so than ever, I believe that was planned.”
“What are you thinking?”
“My brother was a savvy businessman. If your father came at him, he’d go after your father.”
“And that would lead to the affair,” I supply, following where he’s leading, far too easily for comfort. “You think you’re connected to this.”
“I think my brother might have been.”
My stomach knots with how dirty this is looking, how connected. My cellphone buzzes with a text message and I grab my phone where it sits on the coffee table next to me and check the screen. “Chance,” I say, reading the message and going cold inside.
“What is it?” Jax says, squeezing my leg but I’m still staring at the message in disbelief.
“He wants me to be in the office for a meeting in the morning.” My lips thin and I look at him. “A meeting with Marion. I don’t like where this is going. This is all about her intimidating me after York threatened me.”
“Can she?”
She can’t, I think, but York can, which is a rabbit hole I’m not going down with Jax now, maybe not ever. “York can find a way to hurt anyone. I was with the man for three years, two of which I thought he was a good man. He wasn’t. That’s how good at manipulation he is. She knows I know that.”
“What does he have on you, Emma?”
“He doesn’t need to have anything real, Jax. He’ll create it. I need to figure out what my brother knows.” I eye my phone and text him back: I’ll be there. That’s all I say. I set my phone down. “That was the point in telling you all of this,” I say, continuing with my prior point. “York is trouble. Don’t underestimate him.”