Page 49 of Married to Number 22

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Which means I need to do he wants me to do so I can move on with my plans.

I stifle a sigh. “What time is the meeting?”

“Three.”

I glance at my phone. It’s two and my flight is at six. “I can give you an hour,” I tell him. “Any longer and I’m out the door.”

“Fine.” He juts his chin toward his car. “I’ll drive.”

I stifle my snort. Yeah, that’s not going to fucking happen. I’m not going to be conveniently trapped. “I have things to finish up here,” I tell him. “I’ll meet you at the office.”

A long look and I watch the battle in his eyes.

He can push this, can try to force me to ride with him.

But he’ll lose that fight.

Or he can take the small victory and live to control me another day.

“Don’t be late,” he snaps.

I resist taking the bait, grind my teeth together, and wait for him to leave.

Then I go back inside, take a moment to breathe, to shore up my spine.

And…I prepare to face my family.

My nightmare.

Nineteen

Aiden

I knowthe moment I spot her coming down the escalators that something is seriously wrong.

But I also know she’s here, so it likely doesn’t involve me.

Or not completely anyway.

She wheels her suitcase behind her, face a mask of icy calm that I want to chip through.

She’s intent on the exit and I realize she hasn’t spotted me so I hurry over, wrapping my fingers around the handle of her luggage.

“Wh—?” She starts, then I watch some of the ice melt.

Without me having to break my way through.

I can’t lie, that feels fucking great.

“Hi, tiny tornado,” I murmur, brushing the backs of my knuckles over her cheek. “I take it your day didn’t go smoothly?”

A furrow forms between her eyebrows. “How do you?—?”

I snag the suitcase from her, tug the tote off her arm and hang it over my shoulder.

Then I take her hand. “I can tell, Luns.”

Her nose wrinkles. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

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