Page 4 of His Curvy Temptress

“I do love her, but you’re my wife. If it came to choosing, you’d always be my first choice.”

“No one’s asking you to choose. Just to be nice.”

“Fuck,” he growls. “Haven’t I given her enough? She lives her rent-free, I pay for her fucking car. What else does she want?”

I bite back the whimper. God. I was so fucking stupid.

“Nothing,” I snap. God, he’s such an ass. “I don’t want anything from you, not now, not ever.” I walk past them and out of the house. Ignoring Maggie’s calls for me to stop. I climb into my car. The one the asshole bought for me and drive away.

I’m not sure how long I’m driving for, but the sunlight has gone, and the darkness is settling in. I see a hotel in the distance and decide to check in for the night. I want to sleep and tomorrow figure out what the hell I’m going to do.

Thankfully, the hotel has rooms available, and I pay using my own money, on a bank card, my parents have no idea about. Something I learned while in foster care, always have your own things, that way you don’t owe anyone. I should have taken that seriously and bought my own damn car. That way, Andrew wouldn’t be holding it over my head.

I order some room service and send a text message to Jen, letting her know that I’m looking for somewhere to spend the week, and I’ll update her once I’ve found it.

She doesn’t take long to respond. Simply saying. Silver Resort, Oregon.

I search online and flick through the website and pictures. It looks clean and comfortable and is a place I think I could relax in as well as get some work done. I waste no time in booking a villa for the week. I’ve saved up for the past five years while working for Jen, I haven’t spent much, as I’ve been living with Andrew and Maggie. I had hoped to save up for a down payment on a condo, but I’d been putting it off.

Once the villa is booked, I shut down my laptop and climb into bed. I arrive at the resort in four days, it gives me time to make the twenty-hour journey while taking in the scenery. Something I haven’t done before.

Tomorrow is a new day, I just hope it’s a hell of a lot better than today has been.

THREE

ABEL

“What’s going on?” I ask Andrew as I enter the house, I’m surprised he’s called me, we haven’t spoken in a while. After meeting Alexis, I’ve kept my distance, only seeing her, my brother, and sister-in-law on holidays, but for the last two years I’ve managed to not attend when they are and vice versa. It’s worked out well. Seeing Alexis grow over the years into a gorgeous woman has been fucking hell.

He shakes his head, his jaw ticking and his eyes dark with anger. “Alexis took off, and we can’t get a hold of her.”

My brows knit together. “What do you mean she took off? Where has she gone?”

His eyes narrow. “If I knew, do you think I’d be calling you for help?” he snaps.

“Andrew,” Maggie says softly as she walks into the room.

I do a double take as I see her. It’s been a while since I last saw her, but fuck. She’s lost a lot of weight—weight she didn’t need to lose—she looks pale and fragile.

“Sit down, baby,” Andrew says softly. “You need to rest.”

She shakes her head. “I need to find our daughter.”

Andrew helps her to the couch and whispers something in her ear. She nods and reaches for the blanket, and pulling it over her. Andrew straightens up and nods for me to follow him. “Fucking Alexis,” he mutters. “I don’t know what the fuck has gotten into the girl lately, but she’s been a pain in my ass.”

“What’s going on?” I ask, not realizing there was tension between them all.

He shakes his head. “Fuck knows what’s going through her fucking head these days. She took off three days ago, and neither me or her mom have seen or spoken to her since. She’s not answering our calls, and I’ve checked the credit card, and she’s not used it.”

Christ. What the fuck?

“Maggie is beside herself, she won’t stop crying, and she’s a mess.”

No wonder she looks so thin, especially if she’s dealing with a bratty fucking child.

“I’ve got to see a client tomorrow, let me know if you haven’t managed to speak to her by then, and I’ll see what I can do.”

He shakes my hand. “I appreciate that, Abel, fuck, I just hate this shit. I hate seeing my wife so fucking distraught.”

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