Page 110 of Almost Paradise

“Excuse me?”

“Whore. Watch your back.”

“Scarlett? Are you serious?” When she remains quiet, I say, “Yeah, I am a whore. A whore for my husband,” I cackle. “What’s your point? I’m not scared of you. Do something, bitch.”

“After you steal my life, you tell me that?”

“I didn’t steal a damn thing. Get a life.” She starts to talk, but I slam the phone down.

“She said what?” Drake yells hours later. It’s late and we just finished making love. “She called you a whore?”

“Look, I don’t care. I know I’m not a whore. I’m telling you because we promised not to keep secrets.”

“I’m getting my attorney to file a restraining order. I’m sorry, baby girl.” He kisses my sweaty forehead. “This is all my fault.”

“It’s not your fault that she’s batshit fucking crazy.” I inch closer to him. “I still don’t know what you ever saw in her in the first place.”

“I’ll take care of her. Don’t worry about it, but for the time being, you can’t go anywhere without security with you.”

“I’m not scared of that bitch,” I tell him.

“It’s not about that, and I know you’re not. This is for my peace of mind. Did you decide on a nanny yet? I’m relieved that Carter won’t have to go to the daycare anymore.” I look up and stare into his eyes.

“What?” he asks.

“That sounds snobbish.”

“It’s not. The Carrington school has security and it’s top-notch.” I lie back down and sigh. He’s right. Carter has outgrown Ms. Dot’s Daycare. In fact, his last day is Friday. It will be everyone’s last day, and I arranged a party for the entire daycare, the students, and their families.

I sigh in contentment and rest my head in the crook of his arm. I feel my eyes getting heavy, and it’s moments like these when I’m surrounded by darkness and in the safety of my husband’s arms that I am the most content.

Just a few months ago, I never could have predicted that I’d be here. Thatwe’dbe here, but in this moment, everything in my life is perfect. My son is perfect. Things between me and my husband are perfect. Our families are still a work in progress, but it’s a lot closer to perfect than it was weeks ago. There’s no way I would give this up. And there’s no way in hell I will allow anyone to try and come between us. Scarlett will just have to get over it and move the hell on.

Chapter 64

Drake

I look around my office and can’t find my phone. I check the inside of my breast pocket, and my secret phone is still there.

“Esther,” I say into my office phone. “Do you have my cell charging somewhere?” I’m known for leaving my phone lying around and when I do Esther will put it on the charger by her desk for me. When she tells me she hasn’t seen it, I sigh in defeat.

I had the damn thing all morning, then I had a breakfast meeting with Langley and the COO offsite. Now I can’t find it. I must have left it at the restaurant.

I grab my other phone and call my wife, who is out of the office today. “Baby girl,” I say when all I get is her voicemail. “I’ve lost my other phone again, and don’t kill me but I’m going to be a little late for the party. I’ll be there though, and don’t get any ideas about me sleeping on the couch. Love you.” I end the call and step outside my office and into Esther’s.

“Esther, call the restaurant where I had my breakfast meeting this morning and see if they have my phone. Have it delivered to me at home if you can find it.”

“You got it, sir,” she says. I look down at her hand and she’s wearing Scarlett’s old ring.

“I thought you would have given that to your son. Didn’t you tell me he’s getting married soon?”

She holds her hand up and looks at the large diamond. “He can buy that raggedy heifer her own ring. This one is mine. You’re all set for the teleconference in fifteen minutes,” she says, pointing to the large conference room across the hall. “After that, you need to go meet the missus.”

Chapter 65

Nia

“Paradise, I’m going to kill you if you are not out of the office in the next five minutes,” I say into the phone. His regular phone is either dead or off, and he’s not picking up the private one.

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