Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77309 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“How the fuck could getting married help right now? Wouldn’t that only make the gossip worse?”
“This is about plausible deniability. Find a woman that’s willing to speak out on your behalf. Muddy the waters.”
“You mean, find a woman willing to lie for me.”
Adler gestures as if that’s no big deal. “Throw questions all over the situation. If you’re married, and your wife’s saying nothing happened between you and the general’s daughter, that might be enough to make the whole issue go away, or at least enough to make people sick of trying to parse what’s true and what isn’t.”
“Messy it up, make the mainstream media ignore the whole thing.” Conlan leans back in his chair. “It’s not a terrible idea, but I don’t love the marriage angle.”
“Marriage shows you’re serious, and we need you to be serious for once in your life.”
“You know I take this family seriously.”
“You have to convince the general to go along with it, which means a big fucking gesture. That’s going to be on you, Con. Sell the fucking story.”
“That’s the only thing I’m good for these days.”
“You’re right about that.”
Conlan stretches his back and sits up straight. “Problem is, where am I going to find a wife? One that will lie for me? One I can trust? Assuming I’m even willing to make this stupid gesture.”
I stand very, very still.
I’m a statue. I’m made of stone. I don’t breathe, I don’t move, there’s no reason to look at me.
Both brothers slowly turn and stare in my direction. Adler seems thoughtful and Con’s face is twisted into a mask of distaste.
The fucking prick.
He’d be lucky as hell to marry me.
“No,” I say. “Absolutely not.”
“She was there that morning,” Conlan says, touching one finger to his chin. “That adds to the story.”
“No,” I say again, taking a step backwards. The statue act isn’t working and I really don’t like the way these two men are considering me like I’m a prize cow. “Why can’t I just come out with a statement? Instead of marrying Conlan? I can just be his assistant and say that I didn’t see anything. Hell, it’s kind of the truth, right?”
“Would you do that?” Conlan asks, glancing back at his brother.
“If you pay me enough, I’ll hold my nose and say whatever you want.” Just don’t ask me to marry you.
“She’s certainly amenable,” Adler says. “But can you trust her?”
“I trust her,” Conlan says with so much sincerity it makes me pause.
Why would he trust me? I’m his employee. I’ve done nothing but my job, never more, never less.
Yes, I’ve covered for him in the past, and yes, I’m constantly cleaning up his messes, but that all falls firmly into the purview of an exceptional assistant.
This is way more than my job description.
Why would he trust me?
But no, Conlan doesn’t trust me. He’s just used to me hovering around. There’s no reason for him to see me as anything more than an efficient employee. Whatever he thinks, he’s just confused.
“Think you could convince her?” Adler asks, talking about me like I’m not ten feet away. “She doesn’t look like she wants to be your wife.”
“Can’t blame her,” Conlan mutters.
“I’m not marrying you,” I say with an edge of hysteria. “Why are we back on the marriage thing? Seriously, find someone else.”
“You’d better start fixing this,” Adler says, already turning away. “If she won’t do it, find someone else, and find her fast.”
“Isabel,” Conlan says, and hell, I love the way he says my name. With a little bit of yearning. It scares the hell out of me.
“No,” I say, shaking my head rapidly. “I won’t do it, Conlan. Absolutely, positively, no.”
“The hard part will be lying for me, and you seem willing enough to do that. The marriage bit is just a little more smoke in the room. It’s just a grand gesture, like Adler said. You know what I mean?”
I reach the office door. “Conlan, listen to me. I’ve done a lot for you already. I’ve done way more than I ever should have. Honestly, sometimes it feels like I’ve been enabling your bad behavior for years now, and maybe none of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t been so good at my stupid job.”
“Maybe, or I would’ve fired you,” he says, standing up. “Isabel. Think about it. This can work, and the general will take us seriously if we go so far as to marry each other.”
“Will you two do this somewhere else?” Adler asks, sounding bored.
“I’m sorry,” I say, sweat dripping down my back, my palms shaking. “I’m not marrying you, Conlan.”
I turn and yank open the door, running out of there before he can say something to make me stop.
Chapter 6
Isabel
I follow twisting hallways until I reach a set of elevators. They spit me out back down on the gaming floor and I travel through the crowd, ignoring the flow of humanity all around me, until I find a bar.