“That’s not fair.” She shakes her head, breaking our gaze, trying to remove herself from my grip, but it only makes me hold on tighter.
I’m not willing to lose her again. Her reaction to this has told me everything I need to know.
You love me, Sunny.
“And what about you? How is running an out?” I growl.
“Because I’m running away! I’m not sharing a fucking bed with the enemy. I had the courage to leave andstaygone. Where’s yours?” she seethes, pushing against my chest.
I clench my jaw, hating that she’s fucking right.
Her nostrils flare and brows crease together as she looks up at me with those fiery blue-green eyes. Her body trembles, and I’m not sure if it’s from the anger or cold or both. I want to pull her into me and give her all my body heat if it means she will never be cold again.
“Have some goddamn mercy on me, Sunny,” I choke. “You don’t understand the pressure I live with every day. It was worth it to fight for you. It was worth it to go against the expectations held against mefor youbut now you aren’t an option, so it is no longer worth it. So don’t fucking make me feel guilty for following my duty and the expectations I always knew would rise up eventually and the pressure that issuffocatingme.”
She bites her quivering bottom lip and looks down at the ground while she sniffles.
“Baby…” I say. “Baby if I didn’t do it, I never would’ve been able to. I can’t…” My voice catches because I fucking hate myself for this.
My justification had been so she wouldn’t go running to our parents, crying that her betrothed is in love with another woman. Crying because I won’t give her children when that’s the whole reason we are forced together.
“It’s… it’s too complicated to explain, Sunny. All I know is I’m disgusted with myself for it.”
She shakes her head, refusing to look me in the eyes. I cradle her face, as gently as possible, to brush the tears that streak her cheeks. I want to take her pain away.
“Please, baby,” I whisper, but she jerks from my touch.
Her irises meet mine, and an anger that I’ve never seen sits there, burning in those wide eyes.
She doesn’t say anything else as she turns around and walks into Martha’s.
Now I know exactly what I need to do next.
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
TYLER
I sitin my truck outside the hotel, looking at the camera feed I’ve hacked on my phone. Needless to say, I don’t even have to go inside to get what I need. It’s simple enough. Although, the idea of going inside seems almost poetic. Theatrical, honestly.
Patiently, I wait for them to arrive as I watch the live feed on my phone. Cole got the information for me after the engagement party. Now, I actually have a reason to use it.
Governor Matthew Goodman told his wife and daughter that he was catching a red eye flight to California for a campaigning event. The two of them believe he is going to contract with other politicians to ensure votes, showing support for one another, and so on. When in reality, he’s here, pulling up with a young woman, ready to fuck her in the penthouse suite of this hotel.
Matthew's car drives up to the valet and hands him the keys. A young woman steps out of his expensive car. She looks a littletooyoung. I take a deep breath in, leaning back in the seat because this means I very well may have to do something about this.
My eyes shift back to the feed on my phone, and watch thetwo through the cameras. She looks around the grand hotel, wide-eyed, while Matthew checks them in. Repulsion forms like bile in the back of my throat.
While I send off a screenshot of the girl's face for Cole to research, they make their way into the elevators alone. I switch my camera views to follow them.
Matthew swipes his card to give them access to the suite. No one can enter unless they have a card. And sadly for him, one sits in my wallet right now.
He corners the girl in the elevator and fists his hand in her blonde hair, yanking her head back painfully. She cries out as her eyes go wide. My jaw tics at the action, but she doesn’t try to stop him.
Matthew and the woman make it up to the penthouse. I made sure to plant cameras there before their arrival. So, I switch to the feed inside that gives me a clear view of every angle. I need no questions asked if I have to use these tapes. There will be no skewing whether this is Matthew or not.
He throws his bag on the floor and wastes no time grabbing the girl, dragging her by a bundle of hair in his fist, and throwing her on the bed.
He pulls out a pair of handcuffs, and secures them on her wrists behind her back. A whip of his belt has it off and smacking across her ass. Her cries do nothing to stop him from rolling her onto her back, crushing her secured hands in the process.
