Page 100 of Negotiating Tactics

I looked at him, trying to gauge his reaction. But I stopped, deciding that was a road I did not want to go down.

“I haven’t confirmed it,” I finally said, “but I know.”

He nodded.

“Okay. We’ll make an appointment to get things confirmed and go from there,” he said.

“So, you’re backing off this getting married thing?” I asked, knowing I sounded suspicious but unable to hide it. The Noah I knew never backed off of anything, so I had a hard time imagining he’d do so now.

Noah locked eyes with mine, his eyes glinting with stubbornness. “Call me when you make the appointment,” he said.

Then he stood and looked around my small apartment.

I desperately wanted to know what he thought but was too much of a coward to ask.

“Get some rest, Alex. And call me.” He said the last with a firmness that promised retribution if I didn’t do as he asked.

“Okay,” I responded.

He pulled me up from the couch and hugged me tight before seeming to remember himself and letting me go.

But not a second later, he put his hands on my shoulders and locked his eyes with mine.

“We’ll get through this, Alex. Together,” he said.

Then, after a hard kiss on my lips, he left.

Twenty-Five

Noah

I left Alex’s apartment, everything—everything—inside of me demanding I go back.

I didn’t know how long I stood outside her building wrestling with myself.

Not believing I had fucked up so royally.

Unable to accept that I had been so close to having what I had never known I wanted and fucking lost it.

I was so angry, I was stunned, knew that I needed to do something.

It was that or I would much back into the building and not let Alex go until she promised to be mine.

If I were stronger, I would have done just that.

But instead, I found myself in my car, not all surprised when I ended up at Dominic’s.

The doorman waved me in, and Dominic was there, the front door open, as I stepped off the elevator.

“You don’t look surprised to see me,” I said.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” he responded.

His expression gave away nothing, and I couldn’t stop my mirthless laughter. “News travels fast.”

“In this family it does,” he said.

Family.

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