Page 96 of Almost Paradise

“My father’s approval no longer matters,” I remind her. I point at her and say, “What do you mean I never should have found out?” My voice is low. She looks around the room, and I snatch her elbow to force her to look at me. I promptly drop my hand, disgusted at having touched her at all. “Found out what?”

“Tell this barbarian to let me go,” she orders. She does a good job of pretending to be brave, but I know she’s anything but. She bites her bottom lip, and I can practically see the wheels spinning in her head.

“Don’t lie to me, Scarlett,” I warn. She visibly swallows, and her eyes widen in fear. “Because I promise you, I’m going to find out what you’re hiding, and when I do, you’re going to wish you had never been in cahoots with him.”

“Don’t threaten me, Drake. I’m not scared of you.” She tries to move away but all she does is tire herself out.

I think back to the year in Berlin and how she visited three times on the Paradise jet. She monopolized my time, and because I thought she was a friend, I obliged.

“Tell me what you mean.”

When she remains quiet, I wrap my hand around her throat.

“Drake,” Bertram warns, but I ignore him and add just a little bit of pressure.

“Talk or I swear…” I don’t finish my thoughts, but something in her eyes changes. She opens her mouth and lets out a moan. I drop my hand like I just touched something hot. She licks her lips and moans again. Disgusted, I turn from her.

“Get her out of here,” I tell Bertram.

“You will not dismiss me, Drake Paradise!” she screams. She manages to get away from Bertram, runs to my desk, picks up the family photo, and throws it against the wall. It shatters. “That’s just a preview of what’s going to happen to your little family.”

I take her elbow again and push her against the wall, but Bertram comes between us and shoves me away.

“I promise you, you don’t want to go there. I promise you that.” I lower my voice. “And this is no threat. Don’t mistake it for one. I’ll destroy you and everyone you love if you even think of hurting my wife and son.”

She refuses to meet my eyes while she stands there frozen.

“You are a selfish, hateful bastard,” she whispers. “I hate you and everything you stand for.”

“Good. Now, get out of my office and don’t come back. If you know what’s good for you, you won’t think of my wife and son again.” I move as far away from her as possible. She stumbles, but Bertram grabs her elbow and starts to drag her out, even as she fights him. “I said get the hell out.”

“This is how you treat me?” Right on cue, her tears start, and if the circumstances were different, I might feel bad for the treatment of her. After all, I’m the one who proposed. I chose to get involved with her and marry another woman before ending things, but the circumstances are what they are. She threatened my family. Not only that, but she also had a slip of the tongue and mentioned my father, which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “I gave you everything,” she says.

“What did you give me, Scarlett? If I remember correctly, I’m the one who gave you everything. Who do you think paid for your shopping habit?”

My office door opens, and Wyatt walks in with Nia behind him. His steps falter when he sees Scarlett, and he quickly reads the room.

“You marry another woman while engaged to me and then cut me off financially? Why? It’s not like you don’t have enough.”

“Well, my husband won’t be taking care of another woman. What the hell is wrong with her? Is she dumb?” Nia asks me.

“I’m done here,” I tell her. “Bertram, if you need to carry her out, please do so.”

“I can walk with you and Bertram, Scarlett,” Wyatt says.

“Don’t bother. You’ll live to regret this when you realize that whore is nothing—”

“Call my wife another name. I dare you,” I say with my voice low. I take a few predatory steps toward her, but Wyatt quickly stands between us.

“Let her go, Bertram, so she can say that to my face.” Nia tries to get to Scarlett, but I wrap my hand around her wrist. Bertram lifts Scarlett off her feet. She swings her arms and legs in failed attempts to be set free. Wyatt follows behind them.

“This isn’t over!” Scarlett yells while doing her best to wiggle out of Bertram’s arms. Wyatt slams the door behind him.

I have half a mind to go after her and show her a thing or two about threats, but my wife is here, and I don’t want to make any more of a scene.

“Here,” she says, tossing the ring on my desk. “That thing nearly burned a hole in my pocket, it’s so gross and tacky,” she says of the five-carat solitaire. “I really question your taste sometimes.”

“I’m going to see if Esther wants it,” I tell her. I reach for her, and she comes into my arms.

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