Page 52 of David's Chase

“I can’t tell you everything about my past. Maybe I will one day… I don’t know. Maybe we’ll never get to that point. If we do, you’ll know everything about me. Honestly, I never thought I’d get with someone to the point where I’d even consider giving them the whole story. The only things I can talk about right now are the ones Rain tangentially mentioned in her book. I was married when I met her, and she had no idea. We didn’t discuss that. Not in the beginning, anyway. My marriage had already become an attrition war, and its days were numbered.”

He pauses, gauging my reaction.

I look at him, stiff, trying not to judge.

“At that point, my wife and I were fighting for money and business assets more than to protect our feelings. There were no warm feelings between us. She had blackmailed me and tried to make me change my mind. I wanted a divorce. She didn’t. Nothing seemed to work with her. Not refusing to share the bed with her. Not living a double life. And then Rain Morgan came along. And she became the woman I had on retainer. She was more than the random hookup I had in the past. My ex must’ve known about the others. And she probably knew about her too. I don’t know how much she knew or if she was interested in meeting Rain in real life and understanding what was going onbetween us. Oddly, meeting Rain in real life had finally pushed her over the edge.”

8

LIZ

I stareat him while he continues.

"It wasn’t like she had finally come to grips with the fact that we were over, and I was at the point where no matter how much money she wanted from me, I still wanted a divorce. No. It wasn’t that simple.”

He sucks in a long breath and goes on.

“She became enraged with the idea that Rain was in my life. Period. Something about her made her reconsider her strategy and plans for the future. She wanted me to pay for being with Rain, and what better way to do that than agreeing to a divorce and taking as much money as she could from me? She got a lot,” he says softly with no regret in his voice. “And it was all worth it, I have to say. We were two people wrapped in a story about to deliver some harsh truths and long lasting life lessons. She wanted what she wanted and thought she could get it from me. And I was foolish enough to give in without thinking about the consequences. That’s how I learned not to ever make a life–altering decision under the influence of vile emotions.And that’s how she learned that no money in the world can change someone’s feelings toward her. We were even. We made mistakes and paid dearly. And then we moved on.”

A few moments pass.

“Rain knew nothing about it because we weren’t in that kind of relationship. She wasn’t the person I had confided in. There was no need to bring that up. I paid her to have sex with her, and that was it. She didn’t ask any questions. And I didn’t feel the need to give her the scoop on my life story. She didn’t give me the scoop on her life story either. I didn’t know about her connection to James Sexton. Sure, I’d heard about him. Who hadn’t? But I had no clue he and I were more than just acquaintances. So, in a way, Rain and I helped each other out. She helped me regain my freedom, and I helped her get back with James. Life has its strange ways when it comes to helping people out.”

He smiles at some old memory before talking again.

“That’s my story,” he says, looking at me. “It’s not some epic tale that you can put into a book,” he adds, and I can’t argue with him.

But there must be more to him than his failed marriage and penchant for paid sex.

With that being said, I’ve learned a lot about his past this evening, and I’m eager to move on.

I’m sure he feels the same.

“Speaking of money…” I murmur with a smile, shifting to a different topic. “Are we doing the money thing again?”

He flashes a knowing grin.

“Yes.” Slowly, he lifts an eyebrow. “Did you buy something nice for yourself?”

Biting my lip, I crush a smile and nod.

“Yes,” I say. “This.”

I point to my outfit.

“I love it,” he says. “You look beautiful,” he adds quietly, a candid smile on his face, his mood shifting.

He no longer feels cold and guarded.

Our conversation has made the tension dissipate and helped us get a little closer.

He’s my friend with benefits again.

Or my first client.

Or the fictional husband I’m doing naughty things with.

He is everything to me right now, and I want to make him aware of that.

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