Page 70 of Set In Stone

“You don’t have a choice. This is bigger than your wants and desires, Krystina. Hell, it’s not even just about my real-estate holdings either. You’re forgetting about the foundation. I mean, imagine what would happen if the funding to the women’s shelter was cut off. You need to sign. But rest assured, there are provisions in here that require Stephen and Bryan to advise you as needed until I can take back control of thecompany.”

I thought about what he wassaying.

Until he can take back control. This isn’tpermanent.

“This is only a temporarything?”

“Yes,” heconfirmed.

I pursed my lips. By signing everything over, even if it was temporary, he showed an extraordinary amount trust in me. However, I knew I couldn’t sign the documents while there was a secret betweenus.

“Before I sign, I need to tell you something about ThomasGreen.”

Alexander’s head snapped up from the documents to look atme.

“What abouthim?”

My heart began to pound loudly in my chest. I didn’t know how he would react to mydeceit.

“I went to see him,” I blurted before I could chickenout.

His eyes narrowed and he leaned back in his chair. Folding his arms, he stared pointedly atme.

“Why did you go see the DA,Krystina?”

I told him about what I did and how I decided against my original plan. I thought about leaving Hale and Samuel out of the story. I didn’t want to get them in trouble. However, if I were really coming clean, I knew it would be best to lay it all out there. The truth never stays hidden for longanyway.

I made sure to reiterate that I didn’t divulge the contents of the article or his past to the DA. I wanted to reassure Alexander that no harm was done, but I couldn’t get a read on him. The entire time I spoke, he never said a word. His jaw ticked, so I knew he was angry. Other than that, I had no idea what he was thinking or feeling about myconfession.

When he stood up and stalked to the door to grab his overcoat, Ipanicked.

Is he not going to speak to me now? Does he not trust meanymore?

I had to know what was going on in hishead.

“Alex, talk to me. What are youthinking?”

“I’m thinking that you need to sign those fucking documents now so we can go home,” he snapped as he roughly pushed his arms through the sleeves of the coat. “I’m starving and I want to grab something to eat before we get ready to goout.”

He still wants my signature. He still wants to goout.

I took it as a good sign, but I knew he was fighting to control his anger. I couldn’t afford to piss him off anymore. Grabbing a pen, I pressed it to the paper and quickly scrawled my signature over the requiredpages.

“There. I signed,” I said. I dropped the pen and stood up to walk over to him. “Now please, Alex. Tell me what else you’rethinking.”

He turned to face me as I approached and took a step toward me. His blue eyes penetrated me, flashing fiercely. Feeling intimidated and unsure of what that flash meant, I moved back a few paces. He continued toward me until my back was against the wall. Placing his palms against the wall on either side of me, he boxed mein.

“You. Drive. Me.Crazy.”

I winced from the way he punctuated eachword.

“The situation we’re facing is drivingmecrazy, Alex,” I whispered. “I had to dosomething.”

“You shouldn’t have gone to the DA. As for Mac Owens, that idea was just fucking insane. How could you possibly think of putting yourself out there like that? All of your pain. Your suffering. Reliving it. Everything you went through would have been on the front page of everynewspaper!”

“I know that, but at the time I felt that it was worth the risk. Please don’t be angry with me,” I pleaded, even though I knew he had every right to be mad at me for lying and putting myself injeopardy.

“But I am fucking angry with you!” he swore again ferociously. He slapped his hand against the wall, causing me tojump.

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