“Yes. My team set up a meeting with Mr. Valentine. He had the pictures. Pictures of us, at the cabin. And now his old deal was off the table, and he had a new one. Twenty percent stock in my company. He seemed much angrier this time and not as cocky. I offered the fifty million, but he spat at my feet at the notion. I told him I would bring it up to my board, but I knew there would be no way in hell that would happen. He’s a well known drug lord. There is no way he would have a seat in corporate America. And I knew he’d known that as well, so I had no clue what he was playing at. Until your birthday.”
“Oh God,” She says, eyes brimming with tears.
“I left your party because he set up a meeting with me. He said he would drop all the threats under one condition. I stop dating you. Stop seeing you completely.”
“Me?!” Amelia screeches. “What does this have to do with me?”
“Nothing baby. It’s another one of his mind games. He wants control. He can’t have my money, so he wants my happiness. In his sick mind he must think that we’re even if I’m not able to be with the one woman I love.”
“You can’t be serious, Evan. Please tell me you’re not going to let us go because of a psychopath!” Amelia digs her hands into my thighs.
“I was. After your birthday party, when you weren’t answering my calls, I thought that maybe it was for the best. At least until things cooled down with this Valentine guy. As heartbroken as I was, at least I knew you were safe.”
I lean down and wipe the tears off her face. “But then you came back to me. And I don’t care if I have to move us to Fort Knox or a deserted island, I’m never leaving your side again, baby.” I kiss her gently and she pulls herself onto my lap. Holding onto me as her tears subside.
“Okay is that the end of the story now or is there more? Because if there is, I’m going to have to dump this lukewarm tea out for a chilled shot of tequila.” She sniffles into my neck.
I run my hands up and down her back. “That’s all of it. So now you know everything. Now you can take the information and make a decision on how you want to move forward.”
She leans back. “Move forward?”
“With us. That’s a lot of information and a lot of baggage to take on. You need to give yourself the opportunity to—” Amelia jumps off my lap. She wipes her tears away ferociously and towers over me on the couch.
“Mira Evan, you listen and you listen to me real good.” She points her index finger at me. “The only thing this changes, is that now you have a partner to help you take this bastard down. You are never doing life alone again, do you hear me?”
I stand up to hug her, but she surprises me by pushing me back on the couch with one hand. Hard.
She bolts to the kitchen and makes good on that promise of getting tequila. She pours us two generous shots and comes back to hand me one. I can tell she’s raging inside.
“Who the hell does this Mr. Valentine guy think he is? What a stupid name anyways. Plus, you have more money than God, we can just have security until things cool down, or better yet, we can take him down! Yeah, that’s what we’ll do. We’ll gather evidence on him, and send him to prison, thenpoofproblem solved.” She tips her glass in my direction to cheers, fully content with herself for seemingly coming up with a plan for us.
I pull her back down on the couch. “How about we save your master plans for tomorrow, and tonight you just let me hold you?” I kiss her shoulder.
Amelia takes a sip of her tequila, then slowly settles herself onto my lap again after a couple of calming breaths, letting her nails gently caress the back of my neck. “Evan, we’re going to get through this. But I need us to be on the same page. We’re endgame. No matter what happens, we’re in it together. Got it?”
I smile like a fool.
“What are you smiling at! I’m laying down the law here Evan!” she scolds.
“I’ve spent forever trying to figure out how to convince you to love me, and now you’re threatening me with your love. Ain’t that some good shit.” I chuckle.
She pushes my shoulder playfully. “Shut up, let’s get to bed. I have a war to plan tomorrow.” She makes an attempt to move off of my lap, but my hands keep her in place.
“Yeah, but before we do, what’s this waxing situation you were speaking of earlier?”
40
Amelia
It’seight AM and I’m awoken by Evan’s phone ringing.
The screen saysSecurity. I ask him to put it on speaker. No more secrets.
“Good morning Mr. Cooper, we have an Officer Antonio Nuñez down here. Says he has breakfast plans with you. How would you like us to proceed?
Fuck.
“Um, yeah. He’s a friend. I’ll call him and tell him I’m busy today,” he stammers while rubbing his eyes.
