Page 96 of The Reluctant Hero

I snatch the lunch bag up and see that the only thing left is the sandwich. How did he steal the chocolate without me noticing it?

“That asshole,” I mutter in rage.

“How did you do it?” Cade is suddenly in front of me, knocking the bag out of my hand with a severe expression.

“Do what? Andow, dick. Stop hitting me.” It didn’t hurt but it’s the principle of it.

“You got Shade engaged and singing in one night. Hetalkedto you. What else do you have planned?”

I give him wide eyes of disbelief. “I didn’t havethatplanned. I was trying to distract South from chopping off body parts, and it’s the first shocking thing I could think of! Then she got all serious about it, and I had to become a therapist for a few minutes. End of story.”

“And the singing?” He presses with a cocky grin.

“Tequila,” I tell him slowly. “I can’t remember half the night.”

“What?” Ace says through gritted teeth.

“Do not start, Ace. South was the designated driver, and Trevor was the wrangler to keep us in line,” I frown at him. “We all had jobs that night. Mine was to relax and let loose finally. Shade, too, I guess. We were the main drinkers. Max wasn’t even hung over, the asshat.”

“Trevor?” Mikael raises a judgmental brow.

“And Max,” Cade leans back and crosses his arms, suddenly pissed.

“Where was our invite?” Jake asks with a pout.

“It wasn’t aworkingweekend,” I say sweetly.

“Maybe they should be,” Mikael glances at Gabriel, who stares at me with a cold glare.

“I won’t listen to whatever law you guys think you’re about to lay down,” I inform them calmly. I’m not pissed, it’s a fact they can learn to live with, or they can fuck off. “None of you have any hold over my life.”

“Money,” Cade says with a sly grin.

“As I said this morning, that’s not going to work. I can get a job anywhere and I can save up. If I have to, I'll move back to my hometown and start from scratch. There aren’t any limits to my freedom.”

Would another job pay me as much? No. Would moving home be absolute misery in the form of blind dates? Yes. Am I free while I’m still married? Not really. There are a lot of holes in my theories but I’m ignoring them to prove a not-so-valid point.

I lean closer to him, crooking my finger for him to come closer as if I’m going to tell him a secret.

He smirks and obliges me.

“Did Loser’s money keep me?” The words were meant to taunt, but they sound more like a bitter challenge.

His smile drops as his eyes flick between mine. He leans back with a frown.

“If it wasn’t the money, then why did you stay with him?” he asks me point blank as if he has any right to know. He looks really invested in my answer, though.

“I was stupid,” I tell him tensely. “I thought he loved me. He won that round for six fucking years. I’m getting the title back if it kills me.”

“What was Shade talking about? What flowers?” Ace interrupts. Cade scowls at him for the interruption.

“Loser has been sending them to me for a week. Harriette’s allergies are killing her,” I admit with a disgusted sneer.

“What?” Mikael asks in a low, deadly voice.

I blink in surprise, warily taking in his suddenly vicious expression.

“I can take care of it,” Jake offers with a happy wave.

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