Page 45 of Imprisoned Obsession

She tries to weasel her way out of being punished by looking at me with her infamous pout.

It makes me turn into a bad guy every time.

“I do apologize for not sending a gift for your wedding; I was not informed of it.” The man laughs over a rush of crashing waves.

“It was a private wedding,” I say. “Just the two of us.”

The man nods in understanding as he sips his champagne. “I do wish to congratulate you on your marriage. Please allow me to present you with a gift.”

I want to decline and avoid needing to repay him for a gift. Rich people have a different outlook when it comes to generosity because they always want something in return.

“Pardon me,” I utter blankly. “I believe it’s best to consider doing a favor for me as the wedding gift.”

The man seems to have expected this when he laughs boisterously, causing Willa to look over as I smile to assure her that everything is alright.

She grins prettily and turns away to look at the orange horizon.

“What payment do you propose for your legal services if money doesn’t suffice?” he asks.

The man in prison is not innocent of wrongdoing and will get a life sentence for his crimes. I merely cashed in a favor from an arsonist I defended before to frame the imprisoned man for that fateful day.

My darling has broken out of her shell, blossoming into a new person—one with a black soul and a glass heart.

The framed man declared his innocence, but no one paid attention to his case. He had “harmed” a well-loved couple and their “children” by burning them alive. He was the most hated man around at one point.

Willa felt guilty, but not as much as I had expected. She didn’t care that someone else went down for something she did or that she put her victims through a blazingly torturous death.

I set the champagne glass down and press a hand over my lips. My lips twitch harshly as a repressed smile escapes.

I inhale deeply and square my shoulders. Not many people can stomach seeing an evil man enjoy pain at another person’s expense.

“Burn the scapegoat.”

The man makes a disinterested sound and finishes his champagne. “We will be even then.”

“Only when it’s completely taken care of,” I stipulate. “One loose end, and you will remain indebted to me.”

I know what I have over each of my clients, and I know how to play my cards. They think they have the upper hand because they have wealth, power, and access to immoral people.

Many of my clients could destroy my career and my life without lifting a finger, but that would only bring the harbinger of death to them. I don’t take lightly to anyone messing with me, and I take personal offense at disruptions of the life I have created with my darling wife.

The man reckons sneeringly, “I knew I saw something in you.”

He laughs again as he turns to leave. His voice is muffled by the crashing waves as high-pitched dolphin sounds screech through the air.

I find myself by Willa’s side, wrapping my arms around her small body and taking in her sweet scent. The smell of salt is somewhat nauseating, and I notice the tension in my shoulders from my increasing impatience.

I lean towards her temple and lay a soft kiss there. Her cheek turns as she tries to dodge it with a small whine in her throat.

My hands close tightly around her arms to keep her from fidgeting. She mumbles under her breath as her voice is muted by the awe-filled chatter at the front of the boat.

“No!” she whispers.

Willa jerks away and spins on her heel. Her dress flutters innocently over her thighs, and the edges tease her knees. Modest and breathtaking, her dress doesn’t outperform the bride’s wedding dress as it enhances her delicate features.

“Not the neck!” she gripes as her pout deepens.

She puts her fingers to my lips and stops me from advancing. I clench her waist and successfully rip a melodic giggle from her pink lips. She arches into my chest to avoid my hands, but I dig my fingers into her ticklish waist.

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