Page 15 of Bitter Confessions

“I could say the same about you!”

“There was still hope for me before Maximus came into my life, but what he put me through made it impossible for me to be the good guy. To survive I had to be ten times more aggressive and ruthless than him. He taught me how to manipulate, control, and demolish anyone who got in my way. Thanks to him, I know how to bring the world to its knees.” When she pushed back, he leaned into her, so the counter cut painfully into her waist. “Your father couldn’t beat me. What makes you think you can?”

His jeer made her lose her head. There was nothing on the countertop aside from a fancy knife block. Jasmine lunged for it and managed to snag an eight-inch chef’s knife before Roth seized her wrist.

“Let it go.”

Her fingers tightened around the cold hilt.

He nuzzled her. “Want to stab me, Jasmine?”

The blade vibrated as she strained against his hold. Sunlight reflected off the hammered finish.

“You think you have what it takes to end someone’s life?”

“Let me go, and we’ll find out together,” she spat.

He squeezed her wrist, grinding muscle and bone, until her hand loosened around the blade. She let out an enraged bellow as it clattered to the counter. Roth brought her wrists to her chest before he bear-hugged her from behind.

“You don’t think I’d make it that easy, do you?” he whispered darkly, and then he sank his teeth into her shoulder.

CHAPTER 4

Her jacket offered little protection from his fierce bite. She went rigid and then let out a piercing scream.

“Roth!”

He released her abruptly, muttering something under his breath, before he whirled her around and tossed her over his shoulder.

“Let me go, you evil son of a bitch!” she shouted as he strode out of the kitchen.

“I’ll let my mother know what you think of her,” he said placidly.

“I’m so done with you! You said we wouldn’t fight and look at us! Reaching for knives and biting? We bring out the worst in each other!”

“Passion is an essential ingredient in a marriage. We’ve just veered off course,” he ground out. “That’s what happens when you put off a talk for five years.”

“What would you know of essential ingredients in any relationship? You don’t have any! You have no friends, no family, and we never had a real marriage! Put me down!”

He strode swiftly down the hallway. As they passed the formal dining room, Jasmine made a desperate grab for the doorjamb. Roth didn’t slow, but he smacked her ass hard enough to stun her into letting go.

“You didn’t just...” Ass stinging, she pummeled his back and thrashed, which made him stagger before he clamped her legs to his chest. “You hit me one more time, I swear to God, I’m going to find a way to ruin the rest of your life! And you have the nerve to wonder why I went to my father instead of talking to you. Why would I try to reason with a psychopathic, manipulative fucktard?”

“If I did then what I’m doing now, we wouldn’t be in this situation.” He dumped her on the couch in the great room and loomed over her as she sat up and glared at him. “Your running days are over. We’re having this out.”

“Having what out?”

“What we should have discussed before you walked out and sent me divorce papers.” His bad-tempered gaze raked over her flushed, disheveled appearance. “Maximus said you begged him to get you out by any means necessary. Is that true?”

“Why does it matter?” she cried, pounding her thighs with her fists. “All of this happened a million years ago! Why do you insist on dredging up the past when you won? You’re a mogul, you’re getting your revenge on everyone who’s wronged you, and have my family at your mercy. You got everything you wanted and more!” Her voice became shrill as frustration bubbled over. “And despite Dad’s best efforts, you managed to force your way back into my life to punish me for having the gall to leave you before you were through with me.”

Lightheaded from stress, she buried her face in her hands. “You claimed all my firsts and robbed me of my self-respect. What more do you want? I don’t have anything else for you to take.”

His fingers brushed over her hair, featherlight and so tentative she thought she’d imagined it, before his hand settled on the crown of her head. “I told you in Lisbon, you still have much to give me.”

When she shook her head, his fingers burrowed into her hair, easing the screaming tension holding her body rigid.

“I thought it was best to ignore our past, but after years of wondering, I need to know the truth.”

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