Page 44 of His Prize

She nodded. “I think I have a way to get Brianna to sign those.”

I paused. “Excuse me?”

“Oh, come on, Israel. Did you really not think I’d find that little loophole.”

I slowly looked up at her. “Why don’t you try the truth for once,Alice?”

Her eye twitched. “I overheard your altercation in the kitchen with Brianna.”

“You were at the estate.”

“Visiting Bonnie, yes.”

I slowly stood back to my feet. “What the fuck were you doing—?”

She waved her hand at me. “Nothing personal, just wanted to speak with her about something.”

I came around my desk quickly. “What did you say to her? What did you do, Alice?”

“Please, no need to shout. I swear, everyone is wound so tightly lately.”

My voice lowered. “If you’ve done anything to her, I’ll kill you with my bare fucking hands, Alice.”

She snickered. “Clearly, you don’t give that woman much credit.”

I didn’t know what the hell that meant, but I knew what I was asking Bonnie about once she got home from work.

“Spit out why you’re here, Alice.”

She furrowed her brow. “Are you hard of hearing now? I just told you. I’m here to help you get Brianna to sign those papers. I think I have something she’ll work with. You know, before I chew you out for finalizing a marriage like that.”

I leaned against my desk. “Like you have any room to talk.”

She glared up at me. “Actually, I do. You’ve whisked me off on dates and met me for drinks and have tried to get to know me, but you didn’t divulge the fact that you’re still married? Are you insane? Well, if I weren’t such a level-headed woman, I’d probably put a bullet between your eyes.”

I shrugged. “What makes you think I would’ve married you in the first place?”

She blinked. “I’m sorry. Come again?”

I snickered. “What makes you think I’m my father’s lapdog? That I would marry someone he set me up with just to benefit the family? I’m my own man, Alice, and I carve my way in this world. I never had any intention of marrying you. I only intended to keep you away from Bonnie long enough for me to suss things out between her and my own family.”

Her face grew red. “You… what?”

She went on a tirade that echoed down the damn hallway. She yelled, and she cursed. She threw her purse onto the floor and pointed at me. Her eyes bulged with anger, and her face grew red, and the entire time I simply stared at her with my arms folded over my chest.

“You’re a slimy, good-for-nothing, manipulative bastard, Israel Rossi! You led me on! You played around with my heart! You—”

I lunged at her. “I gave you a taste of your own medicine, Alice.”

“I—you—uh—what!?”

I wrapped my hand around her throat. “I gave you a taste of what you did to me. How you lied to me. Led me on. Manipulated me into thinking you were someone you weren’t. And when you had me down on one knee, Alice, you kicked me square in the teeth. You turned your back on me, and Bonnie’s never done that. She never will do that. And I’d gladly give up everything in my life and run for the rest of my days if it meant running with Bonnie.”

I shoved her away, watching her stumble as she rubbed her throat.

“You’ll pay for this, Israel. Your entire family with pay!” she shrieked.

My security guard opened the door. “Mr. Rossi?”

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