Neo’s lips tremble, and he turns his gaze forward. His throat bobs. “Jail?”
“You didn’t think of the consequences of this before you acted, did you?”
“Obviously not,” he says, his voice slightly hoarse and wobbly. The sound of that, of the vulnerability he’s showing me, has mesoftening slightly. “Fuck, Wylder. I can’t go to jail. What am I going to do?”
“Don’t panic.” I cup the back of his neck until he stops trembling. “You won’t go to jail. I promise. I’ll fix it.”
His eyes are glassy as they meet mine. “Really?”
“Really,” I repeat firmly, squeezing his neck in emphasis. “Trust me to handle this, okay?”
“Okay.” He exhales shakily. “Thank you. I really should’ve thought things through.”
He should have, but I don’t make any further comments about it. I’m too busy listening to my monster roar with pride that Neo’s allowing us to fix this.
That he’s trusting us to.
“You’re welcome.” Before I can stop myself, I’m giving him another truth. “I should have gotten rid of her ages ago.”
“You should have.” Neo sniffs. “She’s so mean. A cow, but not a friendly one. Like the ones with big horns that gore people. That’s what she is.”
My lips curl up, and I nod. “She is.”
A moment passes between us. I don’t know what it is, but it makes me smile.
Neo smiles back.
A small spark kindles in my chest.
My phone vibrates, breaking the moment. Neo turns his attention to his computer screen. I ignore the call for a moment, instead tracking how Neo’s hands move like lightning across the keyboard, the way his bottom lip is pulled between his teeth.
I want to ignore the call for longer, but I need to make sure nothing happens to Neo, that he’s not harmed by his poor choices.
“Does this mean I won’t be a target for your pranks anymore?” I ask as I pull out my phone and see several messages from Candace and a few missed calls from a number I don’t recognize.
He smirks but doesn’t turn his head. “Eh, you probably still will. It’s your fault though, because you’d never chuck me in jail.”
I try not to smile as I stand up. He’s right. I wouldn’t.
I move toward the door. I’m not going to speak to Candace or her lawyers with Neo listening in.
I don’t want him to learn the lengths I’m prepared to go to to keep him safe. To never see that fear shining in his eyes again.
“I’ll pay you back, you know, in blow jobs,” Neo says, and my fingers fumble with my phone. “With interest.”
I step out of the office and force myself to focus.
There will be no more blow jobs. Neo and I need to find a way to coexist that’s more…healthy.
First though, I need to make sure there’s no more Candace.
I dread the meeting I have to step into, but I am also determined to put an end to this. Any kind of waiting will only prolong the headache sitting at the base of my skull. I pushed for a meeting today, and Candace’s family agreed.
They want revenge for the state of her skin, for the humiliation she will suffer when the knowledge of our union ending becomes public.
But I’m certain they want money more.
So here I am, seated in a comfortable chair at Simon and Wilton’s Legal Group, my contacts in, my suit impeccably pressed.
