Page 38 of The Marriage Agreement (Agreement)

“Yes,” I answer.

“How’s that going?” I look away, hoping he takes the hint. I don’t want to talk to him.

“It’s going good. We’re having fun,” I say.Ain’t that the truth? He smiles and gently touches my thigh. What the fuck? I move my legs away from him. He does it again.

“Please, don’t touch me,” I snap at him.

“Come on, I’m sure he won’t mind.” My hand is already in my backpack, reaching for my knife.

“I mind. I don’t like being touched by strange men.” He grabs my thigh before I can get my knife out.

A fist is thrown at his face. Luke grabs him and punches him again.

“Do.”Punch.

“Not.”Punch.

“Fucking.”Punch.

“Touch.”Punch.

“My wife!”Punch. Luke yells before tossing him onto the sand.

“Fuck, Luke! You broke my nose.”

“You fucking touched my wife!” Luke yells back.

“I’m pressing charges. This is assault.”

“Yes, please do that. Give me the opportunity to fucking destroy you.” He stares at Luke, bewildered. I can’t see Luke’s face, but I can sense the tension and anger radiating from him.

Chase moves closer to Luke as though he’s about to punch him; instead, he says, “First you mess with my sister, and now this…” He wipes at his bloody nose and walks away. Though he doesn’t finish the sentence, the threat and anger in his words can’t be missed.

Luke turns to me. “Let’s go,” he says, anger oozing from him.

I don’t question him; I pack up and follow him. He’s walking fast, and I try to keep up with him. In the room, he heads to the bathroom, and I sit on the bed quietly, unsure of what to do.

Chapter 26

LUKE

Fucking Chase made me lose it. I was already on edge from his crap last night. Dele and I had a good night, despite Chase poking me. Then Lily woke me up this morning. I didn’t want to answer her call, but the non-stop calling was annoying. I decided to answer. I should have stepped onto the balcony, but I didn’t, and that was my mistake because I know Dele heard, though she pretended like she was asleep. I went for a run to clear my head, only to return and have Dele throw my own bullshit contract in my face.

In anger, I responded with, “What happens here stays here.” Not my smartest answer, because I seem to lose all control and sensibility around her. As I showered, I thought about my stepfather’s words:

Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to woo your wife.I figured all I needed to do was make the next few days count, so she wouldn’t question my feelings for her.

On our way down, I could tell she was doing everything to avoid touching me. I let it go. I decided to take a walk on the beach to strategize how to get through to her, only to see Chase from afar, sitting next to her. I fucking lost it. Chase and I never liked each other. His sister was the first girl I dated, which really upset him more. When she broke up with me, I didn’t argue or tell him she broke up with me. I just let him turn his anger toward me. The worst part was when a sex tape of her was leaked, and he thought I did it to spite her. On that, I told him it wasn’t me, but he didn’t believe me. Declan told me to let it go and avoid him. Which is what I’ve done most of our lives—and avoided dating since then. Now, I’m racing to protect Dele from him. I can tell he sees Dele as a tool to destroy me.

I went behind the cabana, then I heard Dele saying, “I mind, and I don’t like being touched by strange men,” and the asshole grabbed her thigh. The audacity.

I reacted fast and punched him. Not only was he stomping on my territory, but he’d also ogled her last night, and this same asshole called my brother the N-word. Time to let out all the bottled anger.

I tossed him once I felt some semblance of satisfaction. Idiotic Chase had the guts to say he would press charges; he better try it so I can have a good excuse to destroy him.

I rinse my face and wash my hands. I step out to find Dele looking lost.

She races into my arms; I pull her close to me.

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