Page 147 of Theirs to Corrupt

“If he is smart, he’ll plead guilty. If he gives up anyone else in the organization, he’ll need witness protection to survive more than twenty-four hours.”

I shudder.

So it reallyisover.

All of it.

Including my reason to stay married.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

The Next Day

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“The actual fuck is wrong with you?”

I glance up. I’ve been so obsessed with thoughts of my wife that I didn’t notice that Pax entered my office.

Without an invitation, he closes the door and crosses the room to drop into a chair facing me.

“Make yourself comfortable.”

He ignores my sarcasm.

“She deserves the very best you have.”

I scowl. “The hell does that mean?”

“Stop being so damn selfish and think about someone other than yourself for once.”

Fuck you.

Since the day I met Tessa at the Rusty Nail, my whole life has revolved around her, from giving her hundred-dollar bills for tips, saving her from Axel and Emiliano’s clutches, showering her with every worldly good that I can, including a fairy-talewedding and now, a new car to replace her old heap of shit. There is nothing else I have to offer anyone.

“She needs compassion.”

In frustration, I toss my pen onto my desk. God knows I’d given everything I was capable of last night, which included my restraint. I’d kept my mouth shut, and that required considerable self-control.

When Pax notified me that Tessa’s brother tried to abduct her, I died a thousand deaths.

I should have refused to let her leave the house yesterday, should have insisted she take a dozen agents with her.

When I finally saw her at Natalie’s apartment, sitting there on the couch, pale, seemingly lost, my whole world collapsed.

I wanted to shake her senseless for scaring a decade off my life. But more, I yearned to cradle her, carry her home, fuck her hard enough to chase away her demons and the ache inside my soul.

Once I knew she was okay, anger raged through me.

I’m terrified to think about the possibilities had Pax not followed her to Natalie’s place.

Though I wanted to tear Ariella limb from limb I believe Pax when he says she followed all protocols.

She had stopped the delivery guy when he exited the elevator and verified he was wearing clothing that matched the name of the restaurant Natalie had ordered from. Axel’s hoodie had been up against the weather, and the pizza boxes were damp from the rain.

Not only that, she’d made him lift the lid to ensure the pizza was in there.

The moment she realized something was wrong, she’d acted swiftly.

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