Page 60 of Deceit

“For how long?”

My vital organ clenches tighter. “Two years.”

“He’s an idiot.”

“He has issues.”

“Is that you telling me that I shouldn’t kiss you?”

“I…I don’t know. I don’t think it’s fair.”

Alexander stares at me. “To who?”

“You.”

“I already told you…I’m completely intrigued.”

“I mean, isn’t that always the case with things that are off-limits?”

“Maybe.” He leans back in his chair. “But I’m adamant on what I want, and I am spoiled like I said.” He reaches over and grabs my hand. “And hardworking. We don’t have to rush this, Emmy. I’m not looking to score just yet.”

“You suck at this,” I say off a teasing scoff.

“I know.” The sound of the movie in front of us goes on to play as he shamelessly continues to look at me. “Wanna leave?”

I bob my head.

Alexander rises, plucks my boxes of candy out of my lap and pockets them. Then he reaches out for my hand, offering me something I haven’t had in years.

Someone who’s interested in me and isn’t afraid to let me know.

When I worked for Wade and helped him become president, he was my only goal. Then Bishop came along, and he terrified me.

And when he drunkenly asked me to marry him, I stupidly agreed because my heart spoke over my mind, and I believed that things would slowly change.

I’m just as much to blame as him because I did keep it hidden from B723. I didn’t want them to know because he couldn’t even give me an emotion besides wishing to spend a little time together and fuck me at any given moment.

Shit, he wouldn’t even tell me about his family like I was some noisy stranger or co-worker he barely saw.

I was his wife.

And I wasn’t about to throw myself on the chopping block and proclaim my love for a man to my second family when he couldn’t even divulge in a thing. He wanted to take and allow me to just give.

He loved to screw me against any hard surface—that was it.

And down we fell.

Alexander drove me home, allowing me to ponder in my own darkness of fear and what I’ve needed to force Bishop to do for a long time but never found the strength to let blossom.

I can’t move on when he’s still mine on paper.

Just paper. Nothing more.

“I’m sorry that our date sucked,” Alexander conveys as he turns into the parking lot of my condo. “If you’ll give me a second chance, I’ll make the next one better.”

A second chance.

This man doesn’t know me, and he wants another opportunity. It’s been such a long time since I’ve opened myself up to hope for love again that I don’t even remember what it feels like.

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