Page 32 of Love Contract

Maybe if Theo had brought her old boyfriend around, Angus would notice the difference, but I’ve already wormed it out of Martinique that despite Theo dating this “Trent” person for almost a year, Angus never met him.

Martinique met him twice and wasn’t impressed.

“Theo gets used by people,” she murmured to me after several Dirty Shirleys. “She doesn’t stand up for herself.”

She squinted at me, hiccupping softly.

“You won’t hurt her, will you? I don’t think she could stand another broken heart.”

I gave Martinique my most reassuring smile. “Theo’s heart is safe with me.”

Whatever happens between us, there won’t be any hearts involved.

And if all goes according to plan, I’ll leave Theo both richer and happier than when I found her.

It’s a win, win, win, even for Angus—what could possibly go wrong?

I glance over at Theo, who’s still peering down at the water with a highly anxious look on her face.

Meanwhile, Angus sneaks up behind her, his expression comically villainous.

Before I can say or do anything, he shoves her hard in the back, pushing her off the dive ramp so she drops the significant distance to the water, screaming the whole way down.

Angus bellows laughter, hands on his knees.

My reaction is a little different: blinding fucking rage.

I leap in after Theo, diving down headfirst and coming up beneath her in the churning chaos of her bare legs. She’s struggling and sputtering, hyperventilating and splashing around in a way that absolutely would draw sharks if there were any present.

“Shh,” I say into her ear, wrapping my arms around her to calm her down and laying her back against my chest, keeping her afloat by treading water with my legs. “Relax, I’m right here.”

She’s shaking in my arms, adrenaline zipping through her blood, covered in goosebumps from the shock of the cold.

“That f-f-f-f-fucker!” she stammers, her lips blue.

“Don’t be mad, Theo!” Angus calls from the pack of laughing sycophants up on the deck. “You were getting a sunburn!”

Theo glares up at him, blinking seawater out of her lashes. The trembling of her lips becomes trembling of her chin.

“He’s s-s-s-s-such an ass!” she stutters, and I realize she’s about to cry.

“Oh, come on you big baby, it was only a joke!” Angus shouts.

He takes a step off the ramp, toes pointed and arms flattened at his sides so he plunges down like a spear.

I don’t know what comes over me.

I spent the last decade of my life working my body in the gym and training my mind just as relentlessly. It’s been ten years of grueling effort, fighting daily to mold myself into the man I want to be.

Now, I don’t make a move unless it’s planned out three days ahead. Before I ever approached Theo at that party, I spent weeks strategizing exactly what I’d say to her, and to Angus.

But as Theo gazes up at me with those big blue eyes, blinking tears and seawater out of her lashes, she looks just like her old self, and suddenly, I’m the old Sullivan.

When Angus jumps into that water, I act without thinking.

I swim over, and right as he’s about to emerge to suck in a big breath, I dunk him under again. HARD.

I shove him under the surface and hold him there while he struggles for air. Once, twice, three times he tries to come up, and I push him back under.

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