Page 15 of Sky High Obsession

Zach’s jaw clenched hard.“He was my brother-in-law for less than twenty-four hours and she—” He stopped before he gave anything away.His lawyers had been given enough information to draw up the agreement, but not even they knew the whole truth.Secrets.So many secrets threatening to tear him apart.Threatening to rip his most precious possession from his arms.He sighed.

“We haven’t seen each other in six years.No feathers have been ruffled.How hard can it be to get them to change their minds?”

“The brother is an attorney now.He knows the law and is determined to stick to every word in your agreement.”

“Can’t you make a deal with him?”

“I’m looking into it but…” Stanley hesitated.

“But what?”Zach’s patience shredded even thinner.

“It looks like he’s about to make partner at his law firm.He’s understandably anxious about having any unsavory details getting out that could jeopardize his opportunity.Perhaps in a few months, once he’s made partner?—”

“No.Dammit, I don’t have a few months.I need a way around this now, Stanley.Find it for me.And find it soon.”

“As always, I’ll do my best.”

Zach slammed the phone down and cursed long and hard.He knew he was playing hardball, but he was fast running out of options.He could feel Bethany slipping through his fingers, and he’d be damned if he was going to just stand by and let it happen.

But a signed agreement wasn’t an easy hurdle to get over, not to mention the chaos that breaking it would bring.But he would find a way around that too.

If it came down to a choice between PR suicide and losing Bethany, it was a fucking no-brainer.

He glanced at his watch.Only ten minutes had passed since his last attempt to reach Bethany.

Christ.Had time ever dragged this slowly in his entire life?

His phone rang.Heart leaping, he pounced on it, but the display showed the familiar number of his assistant back in San Francisco.

He answered.“Jeff.What’s up?”

“I just wanted you to know there’s been a slight change in the delivery date for the latest IL plane.”

“Sooner or later?”

Jeff laughed.“After your threat to rip them a new one if they delayed again, what do you think?”

Zach forced a laugh.“So it’s sooner.When?”

“It touches down in Newark on Monday.I’ve emailed the final layout pictures to you.They’re incredible.I think they’ve outdone themselves this time.”Jeff’s excitement was palpable, while Zach had none.

“Great.I’ll go and check it out on Monday.Thanks for letting me know.”He ended the call and leaned his hip against the desk.

Staring out the side window towards the East River, he started to smile at the idea forming in his mind.

Perhaps Keely Benson wasn’t his only avenue to Bethany after all.

* * *

Bethany slipped a twenty to the cab driver and turned to watch Keely slide gingerly out of the car.Watching her friend maneuver her dangerously short hemline made her laugh for the first time in what felt like years.

“Is there any particular reason you feel the need to show the world the color of your thong?”she teased.

“Shut up.”Keely flipped her hair and primped her scarlet lips.“I have great legs.What’s the point of hiding them?”

“There’s showing them off and there’s showing them off.Don’t blame me if you get jumped before your first cosmo.”

“If anyone’s gonna get jumped, girlfriend, it’s you.Your curves are fucking dangerous tonight.”She blatantly eyed Bethany’s black tube dress and the one-inch gold belt that cinched in her tiny waist.

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