Page 60 of War

“Who knows, but he definitely has a death wish,” I grit out as blood rushes in my ears. “Listen to this. ‘Wife agrees that husband is the owner of her body. All orgasms,if any,will be given only with his consent. This includes self-induced pleasure and usage of toys.’”

Hannah snaps up straight. “What the fuck?”

“Exactly. But wait. It gets better.” I scan the document and pick out another clause that has me ready to rip the pages to shreds. “Wife will only speak when spoken to.”

“He didn’t,” Lennox hisses.

With a grunt, Hannah yanks the stack of papers from my hand. “Oh, he so did,” she mutters as she reads over the contract herself. “Wait, it says you’ll agree to be a good wife, and he’ll agree to be a good husband.”

“Finally, something for him to do,” Lennox tuts. “Although if he’s giving you orgasms, at least you’re getting something.”

“He’s not giving me orgasms,” I seethe. Tyler has another thing coming to him if he thinks this is how our marriage will go.

“Oh, this motherfucker.” Hannah tosses the papers onto the desk but keeps reading. She stumbles forward, the wine in her glass sloshing, and screeches, jabbing at the paper with one finger. “Look at the definitions section. That motherfucker.”

Tyler has irritated me for years, but this is the first time anyone has so overwhelmingly agreed with me. I pick up the paper she gestured to and find what has her fired up. Beside the termgood wifeis a description.Awoman who knows her place. In parentheses, it readsforfurther instruction, seeThe Good Wife’s Guide from Housekeeping MonthlyMay 1955.

Above me, Hannah laughs like a maniac. “Oh my god, this is outrageous. I can’t believe women actually lived by this at one time.”

“Have dinner ready,” Lennox reads aloud. “That’s not terrible. I don’t mind cooking for Aiden.”

Hannah glowers at her. “Every night?”

She grimaces. “No. He cooks almost as much as I do.”

“Read the next one,” Hannah demands.

“Prepare yourself,” Lennox reads, using an exaggeratedly proper tone. “Take fifteen minutes to rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your makeup, put a ribbon in your hair.” She throws her head back and cackles. “Okay, yeah. I see what you’re saying.”

“Strike up a conversation about one of his interests during dinner. After a long day at work, he may need a lift, and one of your duties is to provide it,” Hannah grits out, her eyes slits. “Clear clutter, light a fire, and encourage him to sit and relax. Minimize noise from the washer, dryer, or vacuum.” She huffs. “Which is it,Housekeeping Monthly, do you want a clean house or a quiet one?”

I peer over at Lennox, and when her lips twitch, I have to bite back a laugh. Because this is all so ridiculous. And my husband actually sent this to me to sign?

“Encourage the children to be quiet.” Hannah’s on a roll now. “Let him carry the conversation.” Each word is louder than the last. “Remember, the topics he chooses are more important than yours. Oh no, this motherfucker didn’t.”

Lennox snags the paper from the desktop in front of Hannah. “You’re going to have an aneurysm if you keep reading this.”

Hannah grunts and tips back the last of her wine. “Where’s the vodka?”

I frown. “You want a dirty martini?”

“No, I want to pour it all over his office and light the place on fire,” she seethes.

Lennox wraps her up in a hug and squeezes her tight. “Breathe, little pyro.” She hands me the page she took from Hannah. “Take those away from herbefore she loses it.”

“Me, lose it?” Hannah hisses, pointing at me. “We should be worried about this one. She married a psychopath.”

I snort. “She’s not wrong.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Her eyes are crazed now, scaring me a little.

Head tipped back against the office chair, I study the ceiling. I still can’t wrap my head around this damn thing, and yet I feel helpless to even react. I never intended to tell my best friends the truth about our marriage, but in this moment, I don’t know how else to explain it. “I married him so I could be Josie’s mother. So those kids would have a family. And even if he’s a terrible husband, he’s a good dad, and the kids deserve this family.” I blink back tears and press a hand over the ache that’s formed in my chest. “I promised Josie.”

Hannah shrugs out of Lennox’s hold and paces to the opposite end of the room and back. “You’re going to stay married to this misogynist? And you’re going to sign this contract?”

I lift my shoulders in defeat. “What choice do I have?”

“Ava,” Lennox says softly. It’s such a pitiful sound.

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