Page 69 of Taming Her Temptations

He doesn’t look very entertained by that last part, but at least it seems to be enough to get him to stand up and leave.

I’ve recently often wondered if Steven is a psychopath. But I’m not so sure anymore. Is he entirely fucked up? Yes. But he does seem to deeply care about his child. I’m not sure a psychopath would be able to do that.

So at least there’s that to keep me warm and fuzzy when I’m taking him to court for our divorce.

He goes to head out the door, but then I realize I don’t know the most important part of this arrangement.

“Steven?” I ask right before he leaves. “When should I expect this all to happen?”

He shrugs. “I’ll call them back tonight now that I’ve talked to you. So it could be anytime.”

“What would you have done if I hadn’t said yes?” I don’t know why I ask.

His eyes grow dark and he looks away from me.

And I realize, like many things with Steven, there are some things I don’t want to know.

“Nevermind,” I quickly say. “Just get ready to face the consequences of your actions. You’ll get through this.” I’m not sure why I’m comforting him. “And Madison and the baby will, too.”

He nods and then leaves.

I was half-expecting him to give me assurance, saying I’ll get through it, too.

But Steven has told me too many pretty lies for one lifetime, anyway.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Ruby

“Gemstone, delivery for you!” My dad shouts from the doorway to me in the bathroom. I hustle to the door and imagine that the delivery driver’s life will probably flash before their eyes when they see me. I look like a terrifying sea creature escaped from the deep. I have teeth whitening strips in, a bright red acid peel mask, and a creamy green deep conditioner hair treatment in my hair. Just about every part of my body is receiving special treatment at this very moment for the gala tonight.

“Dad!” I yell when I see who’s at the door. “Not a delivery!” My voice is barely understandable with my white strips.

Levi, Asher, and Dean all wait in the entryway looking like polished perfection in their black three-piece suits, already ready for tonight. They grin widely when they see me.

I bring my hands up to my mouth. I can’t take the white strips out now or they won’t be effective. “What are you doing here?” I say, but it sounds more like, “Ah ah you oin hee?”

“Say that again, please?” Levi asks with a little too much enjoyment.

“So this is what happens when you come back to the cottage?” Dean grins.

I throw my hands up in exasperation.

“You can relax,” Asher laughs. “We came to shoot the shit with your dad while you get ready. Don’t let us interrupt.”

I check my watch. Still two more hours until the gala. That’s a lot of shit shooting. But whatever, as long as I have the bathroom to myself.

I wave goodbye and head to the bathroom.

After my first shower of likely many, I apply phase two of beauty treatments. This time I slather a thick pink hair removal cream all over my legs. I find this makes them shinier than shaving them, but I just have to be careful to not leave it on for too long. While I wait, I tweeze my eyebrows.

“Ruby,” I hear my dad yell my name again. I wrap my robe around me and open the bathroom door. “Can you come here please?”

“Nice try, dad!” I yell back. They probably just want to bear witness to all the ridiculous preening I’m doing to myself now.

“Ruby!” He yells.

I huff and pull my robe tighter to go see what they have in store for me.

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