Page 18 of Plea
“It’s not just the building though, Venus. I paid the first quarter of your employees’ salary, and I pay all your bills now. You made just over a million in profit, even after paying taxes and employees, and I let you pocket that shit. I still took care of your bills. So you may have been successful on your own, but it definitely would have taken you longer to get where you are without me.”
“Take me the fuck home.Now.”
“Oh, now you don’t want to talk because you don’t wanna hear what I got to say?”
“No, because you sound ignorant.”
“You can’t say it’s not the truth.”
“If God chose to bless me through you, that was His choice. If you weren’t around, He would have done it through someone else. The building didn’t make me a million dollars; my promotion, marketing, innovative ideas, staff, and clientele did. I’ve more than thanked you and expressed my gratitude for your help, but this will not be something you hold over my head for the rest of our lives. If that’s what you plan to do, I’ll pay you back and pay my own damn bills.”
“That’s not what I want, V.” He released a hard breath and tapped the steering wheel as he looked straight ahead. “This conversation has gone completely left and that’s not what either of us wanted.”
“Well that’s what happens when you listen to Adam’s dumb ass. I’m starting to wonder if I want a husband with a dumb best friend. If that’s who you go to for wise counsel, I don’t want him involved in our relationship.”
As serious as I was, Trevor laughed, which made me laugh and relax a little in my seat.
“I can admit I probably should have talked to my parents but what he said made sense. Maybe I shouldn’t have used giving you the money as an example to prove my point. I don’t hold that against you, and I’m not trying to suggest I think you’ll try and take my money, bae. I don’t mind giving and providing for you at all. I actually love to do it.
“All I’m saying is people change, and if I did something to make you want to leave me, or if you cheated or randomly decided this was no longer what you wanted, I just want to make sure my business will not be affected by our marriage. The prenup will state your business is off limits as well. I will include that I will freely give to you for the length of our marriage, and if it will make you feel better, I’ll even include a clause that says I’ll never bring up giving you the down payment for your business again. I really just want to make sure we both are protected if we go our separate ways, even if I didn’t word it correctly.”
I could understand that, so I nodded my agreement. “That’s fine. I think maybe we need premarital counseling to make sure we’re going to be on the same page. If you can agree to that, I’ll agree to the prenup.”
Trevor thought over my condition before he agreed and got out of the car. He walked over to my side and let me out. I barely returned the quick kiss he gave me, but I returnedit, nonetheless. Him actually having the conversation and us coming to an agreement was progress, so I gave him that. I still didn’t know how I felt about him taking advice from Adam. A man’s friends were a reflection of him. Trevor may not have been a cheater, but I don’t know. Everything I overlooked while we were dating was starting to get brighter and brighter in my eyes these days.
When we made it inside and I saw Zander standing in the lobby my heart dropped. I didn’t know what Carson did, but I knew they were partners and worked together. That meant if Zander was here, Carson was too. Hoping that wasn’t the case, I prayed Zander was here as a client and not a lawyer. I was also hoping he didn’t see us, but the sound of my clacking heels gained his attention.
I noticed the moment he recognized me because his friendly smile widened and became more genuine as he headed in our direction. My heart palpitated, and I felt like a child that was about to get caught doing something they had no business doing. Instantly, my palm clammed up, so I casually pulled it out of Trevor’s hand. He looked down at me, so I used my hands to smooth my silk shirt, and his expression relaxed before he took my hand back into his.
“Venus, it’s good to see you again, sis,” Zander said, pulling me in for a hug.
“Oh, hi.” I laughed nervously, giving him a one armed hug as Trevor tightened his grip on my hand. “How are you, Zander?”
“I’m well. How have you been?”
“Great. Just… great.”
“Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” Trevor asked.
“Hmm? Oh, yes! This is Zander… I’m sorry. I never got your last name.”
He smiled. “That’s fine. The vibes were flowing that night, not facts.” I couldn’t help but agree because that was true. Hell, I didn’t know Carson’s last name or occupation either. “It’s Gough.”
“That’s fitting, because they said you’re the friend that’s always on go.”
He and I laughed. “We all like that to be honest, sis. Mine is just activated quicker. Well, maybe not as quick as Kaos.”
“Really? I find that hard to believe. He seemed like such a sweetheart at the party.”
“Only because of Serenity. She’s turned my brother into a big ass teddy bear.”
“So he’s your friend from the party?” Trevor confirmed, inserting himself into the conversation.
I knew how his mind worked, so I wanted to quickly make it clear that he wasn’t the man who gave me the choker.
“One of them, yes, but not the one you’re thinking about.”
“This is your fiancé?” Zander checked, looking down at our connected hands. “We missed you at the party, man. Me and my brothers made sure to show sis a good time. She seemed kind of bummed that you weren’t there, but that didn’t last long with us.”
