Page 55 of Threaded Lies

“Because I was terrified of getting caught and figured if we were in the family room at least we’d hear if a car pulled up.” The terror was real. Not only was I nervous about not coming before I even put the condom on, but her dad had a healthy gun collection he let everyone know about. I feared being on the other end of one.

“Logical, but I don’t care who your first was.”

I chew the inside of my cheek and question why I even asked. There’s something about Chad that gets under my skin. The fact that he might have touched her first is a valid reason but it’s something more than that—the ring on her fucking hand is a good start.

“Can we stop the charade and get that ring off your finger?” I ask. It’s beautiful in its own right but not good enough for her in my eyes.

Her shoulders bristle. I can sense her taking the offensive immediately. “No.”

I snort out the laugh and glance back down to her thighs. “Rowan.” Her name is more of a warning than anything. I don’t share. “You told me we need to communicate. I’m communicating. Take the ring off. Call off the engagement. In a very public setting today, I handed you everything marrying him could give you and then some. The co-CEO job. The ownership percentage. The board seat. The orgasms.”

I know you, Rowan. This is what you wanted. I’m handing it to you.

She twists her lips, starts to bring her hand out of hiding to twist her fingers together like she’s prone to do, but catches herself and thinks better of it. But she doesn’t fucking answer.

Fine. I’ll bite.

“Either you just cheated on your fiancé or it’s a sham fucking engagement. The answer is yes to both. I’m not sure what the problem is. Case closed.”

“Wrong tactic, Knight. I won’t be strong-armed.”

I level her with a glare that’s fit for a king, but bite back all smart-ass comments. I have the woman back. I righted the wrong. So why the fuck isn’t she making this easy?

“That’s why you got engaged to him, right? What you’d gain? I’m at least right in that assumption.”

“My goal in taking the deal with you, in agreeing to help you, was to further my stature in the company. It was to align myself so that I had at least equal ownership with my brother. When I thought I lost that, I did the next best thing to secure it.”

“You agreed to marry Chad.”

“I did.”

There’s something more here she’s not telling me. Her guard is up. You broke my trust. Is that all it is?

“This isn’t a game, Rowan.”

“No one said it was. I’m looking out for myself.”

“Well, you don’t need to anymore. The contract is ready to sign. My word and promises held true. Call off the fucking engagement.”

She stares at the floor for a beat before meeting my eyes again. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

“Why not?” I throw up my hands in exasperation.

“Because there are other things marrying Chad would net me.”

“What?” I bark out a laugh.

“I’m serious.”

“Whatever it is I’ll give it to you so I don’t have to spend another goddamn second thinking about his hands on you or him being anywhere near you.” The high of the orgasm is gone. It’s been replaced by pure fucking confusion.

“You can’t buy time, Holden.”

“What the fuck do you need to buy time for?”

“For me,” she states, without backing down from the surprised scowl I level her with. “Because of you.”

“My bullshit radar is going off here, Row, and it never does when it comes to you.”