Page 109 of Sweet Wicked Vows

Frederic’s cold laughter sent a shiver down my spine. “Why? Because you love her?”

“I told you to watch your tone.”

“No, I’m done with this,” Frederic seethed. “The only reason you are married to her is because of me. The only reason you are where you are today is because of me. All I asked of you was to do one simple thing, and you can’t even do that properly? Instead, you fuck it all up for your meal-ticket bride.”

Darkness swept into the corners of my sight.

“I don’t know what else you want me to say.” Jaxon’s voice remained level. “I understand your frustration, but I’m telling you that moving forward with this piece of information isn’t going to bring you what you think you want.”

“WhatIwant? Don’t forget, this was whatwewanted.”

“I still don’t believe the file Reynolds is talking about is the answer.”

Frederic pushed on. “We’ve already leaked the information on the harassments and mob shit, why keep this final thing secret? She’s never going to forgive you, might as well finish the job you started.”

Oh god.

A thunderstorm exploded behind my eyes. The honey porridge I had for breakfast rushed up and scorched the back of my throat.

It was Jaxon who leaked the information to the press.

He stood by my side, pretending to give a shit and helping me clean up the messes those leaks created. All the while, he was the reason they were public.

I was definitely going to be sick. Or pass out. Or maybe both.

“You’ve let yourself get blindsided by a woman,” Frederic sighed. “You had one job. One fucking job. Marry the girl and use her to take down her piece of shit father. It’s not rocket science. Evelyn is a means to an end, nothing more.”

“A means to an end,” Jaxon repeated calmly. “Nothing more.”

“Exactly. Destroying Lexington and making him pay for what he did to our family. That is and always was the mission.”

“I understand that…”

“Then why are we still talking about it?” Frederic interrupted him. “The man’s dead, not much we can do about that now. Shame, I would have liked to see his face when he realized you were the one destroying his company. Ruining his daughter at the same time is an added bonus.”

This wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be real. Jaxon wouldn’t do this to me.

Was I so blinded by love that I missed the wolf in gray sheep clothing, waiting for the opportune moment to strike?

“But you still have your chance to lay waste to his life’s work. Tear it down brick by fucking brick like we always wanted.”

“And what happens to Evelyn after all of this?”

“Why does that matter? You surely realized that you’d never be able to keep her? I said it before, love comes and goes, but the chance for revenge? For justice? That’s rare.”

“It’s a simple question. Once this is done, once I choose justice and revenge, what happens to Evelyn?”

“You shouldn’t care!” Frederic snapped. “You’ll be divorced soon enough. She won’t be your concern. She’ll have served her purpose, and you won’t have to think of her again. You can goback to your happy bachelor life.”

I reeled back in horror.

A means to an end.

I didn’t know what to do, but I knew I couldn’t listen to the man I loved reveal that I was nothing more than a pawn to him.

I ran away from Jaxon’s cruel words.

I ran away from the pieces of my broken heart lying outside my husband’s office.

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