Page 104 of Vengeful Lies

My mouth is dry, and my mind is whirling. “You set all of this up?”

“Well, of course. What better way to teach my son a lesson about depending on his men and not being so reckless as to head straight into an unknown situation, as well as test my future daughter-in-law to make sure she would give her life in exchange for my son’s?”

The man who tied me up approaches and undoes the rope, but when I go to stand, Jewel puts her hand on my cheek and shakes her head.

I lick my bottom lip, rage still consuming me.

“Had you looked at the folder where I provided you with suggestions of potential brides, you would’ve seen she was the only one in the folder. Your mother might be upset about this, but I only ever have your best interests at heart.”

He adjusts his suit jacket and stands.

Jewel slides off me as I stand, and I’m doing everything within my power to not lose my shit.

So, Dutton never told my father after all. My father was applying pressure to both of us all along and waiting to see how we’d react. This man and his mind fuckery.

“If I’m being entirely honest, it was fun to play one more game before my retirement,” he says, coming to stand by my side. “I might’ve played you both, but what you created together is genuine.” He glances around the abandoned warehouse. “I look forward to seeing what you do with the place.”

He walks out, and I see the hint of a smile as he does. His men follow behind him.

Motherfucker.

I let out a shaky breath, closing my eyes as I tried to push away all the fears that just devoured me. My father’s lesson has been learned because I never want to suffer through something like that again.

“Eli,” Jewel says, drawing me back to the here and now with her.

I grab her by her arm and pull her to me. “I thought I was going to lose you. Don’t you ever do anything reckless like that again.”

“I’m sorry,” is all she says as she hugs me, her arms barely able to wrap around my chest. “But when I thought of you being hurt… I just acted before I knew what I was doing.”

We remain there silently for what feels like minutes, and I just hold her.

“Your father is just as ruthless as the rumors suggest,” she says, a mixture of awe and fear in her tone.

“Does that make you uncomfortable?” I ask, pulling back to look at her. Does she have regrets now? Does she feel differently about us, knowing we were manipulated to be together?

“No,” she says earnestly. “No matter how much he tried to twist us indirectly, we made our own decisions. I don’t think even he could’ve planned this so perfectly. Well, actually, maybe he did.” She frowns with an uncertain laugh. “To be honest, it’s terrifying.”

My father is many things. Terrifying is definitely one of them.

“But I also see who you get it from now.” She smiles up at me. “Just don’t kill him over this, okay?”

A tic jumps in my jaw. “I won’t have to. My mother will the moment she hears about this.”

She laughs and hugs me again. “Well, yes, your mother is a force to be reckoned with.”

I tuck my finger under her chin. “Not as much as you, though.”

She beams at me. “We’re in this together now, right? No second thoughts?”

“You were mine from the very start, Kitten. You’re the only woman who was made to be my side. Even if you do torment me.”

She laughs then. “I think you like it, especially when I torment you.” She leans up and kisses me. I scoop her into my arms, stepping toward the closest pillar as desperation takes over, and I feel the carnal urge to reclaim her as mine and todissipate this restless energy from feeling like I almost lost her twice today.

“Only when you include knives,” I purr through our kisses, and she throws her head back and laughs.

Jewel Diamond matches my depravity and fires up my wildest fantasies. But most importantly, she feels like home.

CHAPTER 55

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