Page 94 of Beneficial Misfortune

I open my mouth to tell him he’s wrong, to argue that Oliver hates me, but he cuts me off before I can.

“If I get my way, I won’t need a surrogate. I won’t need to adopt, because one day I’ll have a beautiful wife who will carry my children and theirs as well.”

Chapter 29

Have you ever had something happen that makes you question everything you’ve ever known in life?

That’s what's happening right now because I’m pretty sure this conversation started with Nathan explaining that he doesn’t want a wife and that they had agreed to share to ensure there would be no split in the company should one of them marry.

So how the hell had we gotten to the point where he’s telling me he wants a wife…

And not just any wife, but possibly me, if I’m understanding him correctly.

“Kat.”

Nathan’s voice pulls me from my thoughts, and I blink hard, shaking my head when I realize I’d been staring off into the nothing outside the dark window.

“I’m sorry… What?”

I step back out of his arms as I attempt to make sense of what was just discussed, but I can’t. He lets me move away, but I can feel his eyes on me, and when I look up at him, I findhim watching me. Nothing about his face says he just dropped a bomb on me, but I assure you, it felt like one to me.

How is he so calm about this?

“What part didn’t you understand?” he asks as if I simply didn’t understand a word he said and needed it explained.

“I don’t know. Maybe it's the part where you didn’t want a wife, and now you do?” My voice is a few octaves too high, bordering on almost a shrill, panicked tone, but I can’t bring myself to care right now.

“Is that all?” he asks, still as calm as can be, and I swear I want to reach out and smack him. I probably would if I thought it would do a damn thing, but knowing my luck, I’d only hurt my hand. I’ve seen him without a shirt, I know how well built he is.

Regardless of how easy his question may be, I take a moment to think before I answer.

Is that all?

‘If I get my way, I won’t need a surrogate. I won’t need to adopt, because one day I’ll have a beautiful wife who will carry my children and theirs as well.’

Nope, that’s not it at all, but I’m not sure I can voice the rest right now.

“I don’t want to quit my job.” I settle on a safer topic instead of whatever else this conversation might be headed toward.

His eyes harden, and I see his jaw tick. I get the feeling he isn’t used to having anyone oppose him who isn’t his five-year-old daughter, but I don’t want to fall back into the arms of a man who I rely on for everything. I’ve worked hard for my freedom and independence.

He takes a step toward me, and I stand my ground, despite feeling like I should step back away from him. He towers over me, but I stay put, keeping my eyes locked on his as he reaches up and gently brushes a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

“Why?” His voice is gentle despite my attitude, and it makes me deflate.

Nathan isn’t Carter.

With a deep breath, I purse my lips and decide now is probably the best time to tell him. “I don’t want to belong to someone, to be under someone’s thumb and stuck.” I look down at my feet, unable to hold his gaze.

Iknowthey aren’t the same. Nathan and the rest of the guys have shown me that on so many occasions, yet I still can’t help but be concerned. Afraid I’ll fall back into the same trap and be stuck again.

His fingers are gentle as he presses my head up until our eyes meet, and I once again quickly look away. He doesn’t say a word; instead, he simply waits for me to be ready to meet his gaze.

Ultimately, he wins, and I relent, looking up to meet his eyes.

“Do you remember what I called you the day you and Addison went to the mall?” His question seems strange and out of place given our line of conversation, but still, I rack my brain trying to recall.

“No,” I say after a minute when nothing comes to mind. Usually, Alex calls me Cherry, and Desmond calls me Kitten, but Nathan calls me Kat or Katherine. I never really thought he was one for nicknames.

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