Page 41 of Ruthless Intent

I give a careless shrug. “I could tell you that it’s open to negotiation, but I’d be lying, and I have no intention of going into this without you knowing exactly what you’re signing up for. I don’t give a fuck what you agree or don’t agree with. You sign or you don’t. There won’t be any changes made. If you don’t sign, the evidence I’ve collected against your mother will be delivered to the authorities within an hour. Your mom will be arrested before you get home tonight.”

“You’re blackmailing me.”

“We’ve discussed that already.”

“It doesn’t stop it from being the truth.”

“Does it matter? Surely, fourteen months of captivity is better than fourteen years? And I guarantee that your prison cell will be a lot nicer than mine was … mostly, anyway.” I lift my glass and take a sip. “What’s it going to be, Ashley? Your freedom or your mother’s?” I repeat the same question I asked her earlier in the day.

She takes the envelope with a shaking hand, and rips it open. Her face pales as she reads the pages inside.

“You’re not serious. This is a joke, surely?”

“At which point did you see me laughing?”

“But if I sign this, it gives you complete control over my entire life.”

“I’m aware.”

“This can’t be legal.”

“Take it to a lawyer, if you like.” Unlike the other times, I am bluffing this time. Any lawyer worth their fee would be able to tell her most of what’s listed is not enforceable. But I don’t think she’ll check. Not when everything else I’ve told her has been proved to be correct.

“If I sign this, you get to dictate when I sleep, what I eat, what I wear, who I see … everything.”

“That’s what happens in prison.”

She shakes her head. “No. I can’t sign this. I have to go home. I have friends, a job, a boyfriend.”

“And a mother. Don’t forget about her. Somehow, I don’t think she’d survive very well in prison.”

There’s a sheen coating her eyes when she looks at me. “Please don’t make me do this.”

“I’m not making you do anything. You have two options. All I’m asking you to do is to choose one.”

“Here we are!” Our server appears to my left with the appetizers. “The Arancini for you, sir. And Funghi Gorgonzola for you, ma’am.” She puts the plates in front of us. “Can I get you another drink, sir?”

“I’m fine for now, thank you.” I don’t take my eyes off Ashley, and as soon as the server is out of hearing, I speak again. “What’s it going to be?”

“Does your family know about this?”

“No. So, you’ll need to put on a good act when we see my parents. I don’t want them catching wind of the truth.” I tilt my head. “Although, if you carry on reading, you’ll see a section for what happens if you let the truth slip to anyone without my agreement.”

“How are you going to explain it to them?”

“The same way we’ll explain it to everyone else. We met to clear the air, sparks flew. It was love at first sight.”

“No one is going to believe that.”

“I don’t care. Do you need a pen? Our appetizers are getting cold.”

“You don’t care that you’re about to ruin my life, do you?”

I snort. “You didn’t care about ruining mine.”

It’s clear on her face that she wants to bring up the fact that she walked in on me standing over her brother’s dead body. I’m a little impressed by her self-control when she doesn’t. Instead, she holds out a hand.

“Give me a pen.”

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