Page 111 of Knotted

With no more fight left in me, no more breath, and no more reasons to stand here, I do. I slide into the car, damn near certain I’ve just lost everything.

CHAPTER 50

Brian

The next morning, after a shower, six hours of sleep, and enough coffee to keep my homicidal tendencies at bay, I’m ready to tackle the day.

I need to let her call the shots. If there’s one thing my Peach Pop will not appreciate, it’s a big Alpha bull like me charging at her china shop of emotions.

But Trent Mercer?

Yeah, that bastard’s on borrowed time.

Tick. Fucking. Tock.

By the time Trent Mercer strolls into his office, arrogance personified, I’m already there.

Sitting at his desk.

Enjoying the thought of how long it’ll take him to find all the shrimp tails I’ve hidden in the back of every single drawer.

Still, it takes everything in me not to leap across the room and lunge at his throat.

His eyes widen for a split second, then his cool, practicedsmile returns. “Bishop.” He clocks my death stare, my hands gripping the armrests. “Truce?”

“Depends. Got plans with my wife, do you?”

“She’s free to do whatever she wants,” Mercer replies, his voice infuriatingly steady as he slowly takes the seat across from me. The one meant for guests. “Look, I might be an asshole, but I’m not the one who fucked her over in front of five hundred reporters.”

Shit. Is that what he saw? Of course, it is. That’s whateveryonesaw.

“I don’t give a damn if the whole world thinks that,” I growl, my grip tightening on the armrest until it snaps with a sharp crack. I barely register the sound as I jab a finger toward his chest. “It’ll be a cold day in hell before you date my wife.”

“What?” He chuckles—actually chuckles—like he has absolutely no value for his life. “I’m not dating your wife.” He blows out a breath. “I know what it’s like to need a little space. And I like Jules.” He quickly corrects, “Not like that. I felt a little responsible for what happened—with Richards and Voss on my books, and me asleep at the wheel. I figured I owed her.”

I glare at him, my patience thin. “So, what? You spent an hour with her and gave her a pep talk?”

“I gave her a job. A writing job. In Korea.”

I freeze. “She’s going overseas? For how long?”

He blows out his cheeks, puffing air. “Six months.”

“When does she leave?”

He glances at his watch, wincing like he knows the blow he’s about to deal. “She’ll be heading to the airport soon.”

I get up in an eager rush to the door.

“You might want to drop by and chat with her social mediamanager,” Mercer calls after me. “She’ll be in soon. On the third floor, keeping tabs on Jules’s itinerary. Though she’s a bit of a vault when it comes to your wife’s whereabouts.”

“Thanks,” I mutter, already halfway out. Just as I pull the door shut behind me, I add, “And sorry about your chair. And the tails.”

“The what?” I hear him sputter as the door clicks shut.

CHAPTER 51

Jules

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