Page 69 of Her Inconvenient Groom (French Conquests 4)

Chantelle heard the bathroom door open, and out of the corner of her eye saw Dennis exiting the bathroom, oblivious to what was happening.

But she couldn’t care less.

As Samantha struggled in her grasp, Chantelle’s other hand came up to slap Samantha hard on the cheek. Chantelle felt the force of the slap reverberate all the way up her arm, and it felt so good she did it again—harder.

“What the—”

Dennis was at her bedside, nonplussed, asking over and over what was happening, but Chantelle tightened her grip, feeling Samantha’s throat under both her hands, squeezing, squeezing as the woman gasped for breath.

Roast in hell?She thought.After you.

“Babe, no!” It was Dustin, throwing open the door, followed by her girlfriends and Tom. All of whom were clamoring for her to stop.

But they didn’t understand. They couldn’t know how she felt. She was incensed, out of her mind with rage and hurt. This lying, deceitful, two-faced bitch who had shared meals at her table had been slowly poisoning her water. Then had the audacity to set up Dustin to take the fall.

As he wrapped his fingers around her hands, she squeezed tighter, enjoying the bug-eyed terror on Samantha’s face as she struggled for air. “Leave us alone! Let me kill her!”

“No, no,” he said desperately. “She’s not worth it.”

“She murdered our baby!” Chantelle was sobbing, breathless. She was willing to give up everything she’d achieved, earned and everything shewas,for the satisfaction of feeling Samantha go limp under her hands.

Dennis wrapped his arms around his wife’s waist, trying to pull her away, while Sienna held on to Chantelle’s, trying to do the same. “Let go,” she urged. “Let go and we will handle this. The courts will handle this.”

“The courts,” Chantelle scoffed. “Thecourtsdidn’t lose their baby.”

“We’ll have more, my love,” Dustin said softly. “We’ll have many more. We’ll have healthy children, raise them together and be happy.”

Chantelle stopped, not releasing her grip, but realizing that her cheeks were wet. Would they really, she wondered. Could they?

Her hesitation was all it took for Dennis to wrench his wife from her grasp. Samantha brought her hands to her bruised throat, coughing and gasping.

“What the hell is going on?” Tom demanded.

Dustin gathered Chantelle in his arms, rocking her as she cried softly. “Your sister-in-law just admitted to trying to kill my wife.”

“What?” Dennis gasped. “That’s the most ridiculous thing—”

“That’s a lie!” Samantha choked, still rubbing her throat. “She’s delirious. She’s sick!” Desperately, she added, “I never said any such thing!”

“We’ve got it on tape,” Naisha informed him. “And this woman is going to jail.”

He looked at her, perplexed. “What are you talking about, Doctor?”

Naisha looked down at herself, suddenly remembering she was undercover. She plucked the stethoscope from around her neck and tossed it to the bed. “‘Doctor’ nothing. I’m Chantelle’s friend.”

Tom spoke slowly, trying to process the situation. “This was a sting operation?”

Sienna gave him a triumphant look. “Yup. And your sister-in-law got herself caught in the web.”

Dennis set his wife back from him so he could look into her eyes. “Is this true?”

Samantha looked both embarrassed and mutinous. “She tried to take your place. I had to stop it.”

“God,” he murmured to himself. Then he looked at Chantelle. “Sis, I’m sorry. I had no idea.”

She nodded, but looked away, unsure of whether she was able to deal with him right now, even though he appeared to have played no part in this horror.

Then Dennis asked Samantha, “What have you done? And why?”

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