“There was a fourth addendum.”
Now I frown. “What are you talking about?”
He smirks, seemingly entirely pleased with what appears to be a confession of his own treachery. “I added a fourth addendum.”
“I don’t believe you.”
He sighs, obviously growing exasperated. “Why would I lie?”
“Cause you’re trying to make me feel better about being a dirty liar.”
“I would never,” he responds with a laugh. “I’d prefer to hold it over your head and use it to my advantage for decades.”
Rolling my eyes I swat at his chest. “Liar.”
He hugs me close, his head falling forward so his face is pressed into my hair. “I mean, technically,Ididn’t add anything, but I also didn’t try to fix it, so…”
His sentence trails off and I frown, entirely confused as to what he’s on about. “Youdidn’t add anything?”
He shakes his head, now placing little kisses along my neck. “I fear I’m a big failure in the whole criminal mastermind thing.”
“Then who add—” I cut myself off, eyes narrowing as I whisper-shout, “Declan.”
Ren lifts his head, a fond smile on his lips. “Yup. Fucking Declan.”
“How?”
“How does Declan do anything?” He replies with a shrug. “When I questioned him on it he brushed it off, said it was a wedding present.”
“Dare I even ask what it says?”
“You may dare,” Ren responds. “But don’t blame me for the dramatically threatening wording.”
“The wha—” I begin, but Ren releases me slightly, one arm moving as he reaches for the drawer on the bedside table beside us. He opens it, reaches inside, pulls out a folded-up paper, and hands it to me.
Tentatively, I take it from him, then, slowly, unfold it. I read it over, then read it again before eyeing Ren suspiciously. “Is this for real?”
“Real as real can be.”
I roll my eyes. “There is no way this can be legal.”
“I can assure you; it is. Declan is nothing if not thorough.”
I stare at him, sure I must be missing the punchline here, but then he says, “I can break it down for you, if you want.
“By all means,” I drawl. “Give me the cliff notes.”
He shifts, suddenly, and I fall back against this arm. His free hand moves to my cheek, his fingertips stroking a line down to my jaw before his hands settles lightly on my neck.
He leans in, his voice low as he says, “If at any time Cassidy Logan requests to sever this agreement,” he pauses, his eyes moving from mine to my lips and back again, “She will lose rights to all aforementioned assets, including but not limited to…”
Again, he pauses, but this time he brushes his lips lightly against mine, once, twice, then pulls back, “Her home, her worldly goods, her bank accounts, and,” he sighs, kisses my nose, “Her hockey team.”
He chuckles lightly, rubs his nose against mine before continuing, somewhat dramatically, “She will become homeless, completely destitute, having no other option but to become irrevocably dependent on Rennick Rafferty for her basic survival,” he drifts off, eyes locked with mine and I find I’m holding my breath, transfixed by this little speech ridiculous as it may be. “And thus,” he whispers, his lips a hairsbreadth from mine, “Cassidy Logan will be tied to Rennick Rafferty for eternity.”
Unable to stop myself, I sigh, practically melting in his embrace. He kisses me then, thoroughly, and I kiss him back even as I question my own sanity.
He kisses me until we’re both breathless then pulls back, the smirk on his face dripping with self-satisfaction. “You like it, don’t you?”
