Page 26 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 8
“Um, Anthony?” asked Tanner.
“Yeah?”
“Can you please not tell anyone about this?”
“I definitely won’t be telling anyone about anything that happened today,” he said.
“Thanks, man,” said Tanner. “Nigel, could you please give me and Ash a moment alone?”
“Of course, Master.” Nigel jumped off the conference table and hoisted Chastity over his very soapy shoulder.
“Ah!” squealed Chastity. “Put me down!”
“But Master Tanner and Mistress Ash need to have a romantic moment alone.” He carried her out of the room and shut the door behind them.
I stared at Tanner. I had no idea what to say to him. During the interrogation he’d said he loved me. But that was before Chastity told him about what I’d done with Dr. Lyons.
It was tempting to just make small talk about the weather or something. But as much as it terrified me to have an honest conversation with him, it was well overdue. I needed answers. And what better time to get answers than when he was tied up and at my mercy.
“Lovely weather tonight, eh?”Gah! I’d just told myself I wouldn’t make small talk!
“Righto, mate,” he said with a laugh.
God I loved him.No. Yes. Ah!“So…” I said, looking anywhere but at his face. I took a deep breath. I could do this. “You love me?”
“I do. And I’d love you even more if you’d untape the rest of me.” He strained against the duct tape and made the chair hop towards me.
I walked over and started unwrapping the duct tape. “If you love me, why do you keep running away?”
“I ran away at the Emerald Oasis because I saw Kat. And I wanted to make sure I got those photos for you.” He paused. “And a part of me was scared.” He winced, like saying it out loud hurt him.
Or maybe he winced because I’d so forcefully pulled off a strand of duct tape. But finally, the truth!
“I want to be with you, Ash. But I’m cursed.”
“Just because you have a flaming genie penis doesn’t mean we can’t be together.”
“It’s not just that. You’d be giving up your whole life to be with me. You wouldn’t have any children. You wouldn’t be a mother. You’d have to move around and change your name with me so no one would catch on to the fact that I’m a genie. We couldn’t grow oldtogether. Time is stopped for me, but it’s not for you. I’d have to watch you die of old age…” He shook his head. “That would destroy me. And I’d never be able to escape this immortal hell.”
I tore a piece of duct tape off of him harder than I meant to.
“Ow,” he muttered.
“Sorry.” And I was. I couldn’t imagine how lonely his life must be. I’d get older and older and he’d just be watching me slowly die. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want any of that. And forcing him to deal with that for all eternity…Wait a second.Would he really have to deal with it for all eternity? “You said you’re cursed until you help 1001 women find love. Does that mean the curse will be broken once you do?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ll be mortal again?”
“Yes.”
“With a normal penis?”
“I mean…I don’t think anyone would call my gigantic penis normal.” He gave me a sly smile.
“You know what I meant.”
“My penis will be safe for you to enjoy.”
