“Always.”
“Are you ever going to tell me what happened to that lawsuit Ryan filed against you?”
“Are you going to tell me why you’re thinking about your ex-husband?”
I rolled my eyes. “You never told me...”
He pressed a kiss against my forehead and smiled. “He pressed charges against me for assault and battery.”
“And?”
“And I have the best lawyers in the world.” He smirked.
“Jonathan!”
He sighed. “They sent him a copy of the security tape that shows him pushing you down the steps...” He clenched his jaw. “With a note telling him to drop the charges or we would press counter charges...So he dropped his claims...And then I pressed charges anyway.”
My eyes widened. “What? Why?”
“Because he could’ve killed you...” He ran his fingers through my hair. “We settled out of court under our own terms. You’ll never see him again.”
The tone of his voice told me not to ask anything further about that subject.
I didn’t even want to know.
He clasped my hand and led me over to the couch. “Tell me what you were really thinking about.”
“You stepping down for six months...”
“Do you really want me to do that, Claire?” He looked into my eyes. “I will.”
I glanced at the fire that was blazing in the heath, at the bright red stockings that hung over the bricks, and at our huge family portrait that hung high above our massive Christmas tree. I realized that I wanted these family events to happen more often, and I didn’t want it to have to be a holiday for him and I to get alone time.
“Yes...”
“You have to take off too...I refuse to share.”
I nodded and kissed him back. “I’ll take off for six months, but you have to take off for a year.”
“A year? Why is that?”
“Someone has to stay home and take care of the baby.”
“What?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “What baby?”
“Our baby.”
“That joke wasn’t funny the first time.” He looked at my stomach. “Your tubes are tied.”
“Are they?”
“Claire...”
“Jonathan...” I mocked him.
“We both agreed that we didn’t want kids, that even if we did want kids—which we don’t, it was too high of a risk for you to get pregnant.”
“So?”
“So, I need you to be completely fucking honest with me right now because I’m three seconds away from calling my doctor and having her run the damn test on Christmas morning. Are you pregnant?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you need to answer me. Now.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Don’t test me, Claire.” He looked deep into my eyes, pleading for me to answer him. “Tell me...”
I leaned close and kissed him. Then I stood up. “We need to finish this tree before your mom gets here.”
“You’re not going to answer me?”
“Is there a reason why we have five Christmas trees around the house? Don’t you think that’s a little excessive?”
He stood up and walked over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and locking me in his embrace. “You have two seconds to tell me the truth.”
I blinked and he shook his head.
“Claire Statham...” He slowly released me, but before I could make a dash for the kitchen he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. “You and I both know that I’m going to get the truth out of you. Why are you making this difficult?”
“I’m not making anything difficult. I’m fulfilling my ‘I must frustrate the shit out of Jonathan’ quota for the day.”
He laughed and carried me upstairs to our bedroom. Then he tossed me onto the bed. “I’m going to give you one last chance to answer my question, Claire.”
“And what question was that? I think I forgot.”
He lips curved into a wry smile and he covered his body with mine. “Trust me...By the time I get done with you, I’m sure you’ll remember...”
The End
Twisted Love Excerpt
Prologue:
Hayley
For as long as I can remember, my older brother has been my protector. My guardian. My only friend.
Ever since I was three years old, he took care of me and shielded me from the ugliness of the world—even though he was just a child himself. Whenever the neighborhood boys called me “white trash,” “fugly hick” and “meth baby,” he would walk me to school the next day and beat them to a pulp. And whenever I cried about not being able to dress like “the other girls,” he would find a way to get me new clothes...
He did his best to raise me on his own—teaching me how to read, how to know right from wrong, how to survive.
I always prayed that he would turn eighteen overnight, so he could take me away from our despicable parents—from the people who didn’t care whether we lived or died. But he was only twelve when my hopes were permanently shattered...
We were separated and put in different foster homes—with parents who were even worse than what we had before. While he was “lucky” enough to remain with the same family, I was moved in and out of four different homes and they all treated me like I was nothing.
While I could still call my brother and cry to him about how terrible my life was, that wasn’t enough. All of his “You’re so smart and pretty, Hayley. Remember that,” “I love you, Hayley,” and “I’ll come get you as soon as I turn eighteen” promises fell flat in the face of the horrors I was dealing with...
By the time he turned eighteen, he did come and get me, but it was too late.
I was damaged. Broken. And after everything I’d been through, there was little he could do or say to put me back together again.
I was perpetually screwed. Hopelessly twisted.
Chapter 1
Corey
I need to fuck someone...Tonight...
I take a long swig of my beer and survey the party again.
It’s one of those art deco events that bring out the city’s elite. Everyone here is either rich, filthy rich, or a gold-digger looking to land another victim.
I’ve slept with more than half of the women here and none of them were memorable. Still, it’s been a week since I’ve had sex and that’s the longest I’ve been abstinent in the past six years.
Out the corner of my eye I see an unfamiliar woman—a woman dressed in a skintight purple dress with her hair in a high blond bun. I’m not sure if we’ve met, but before I can make my way over and see if I have a chance for tonight she slowly turns around.
Hayley?
It is Hayley. As in my best friend’s little sister Hayley.
I shake my head as I look her over again and again, because it’s been years since I’ve seen her. She’s always been beautiful, but tonight she’s a fucking vision.
Her bright blue eyes are sparkling against the night, her deep red lips are full and plump, and the way that long sleeved dress clings to her body is lethal.
I watch as she charms the circle of people around her, as the men eye her up and down and slip their business cards into her hand.
“Hey, Corey.” She walks over to me and smiles.
“Hello, Hayley.”
She doesn’t say anything back. Instead, she stands a little too close to me and starts to rub my shoulder in a non-friend way—unless I’ve had one too many beers and am just imagining this.