Page 92 of Exposed

“Not in a good way. Undo the door. Immediately.”

“I can’t. I don’t have any more time off until June. You know how these things go.”

I was going to kill him. I hadn’t been able to kill Mr. Pruitt, but I could definitely go through with it with Nigel.

Brooklyn started laughing for some reason.

I looked at her. She was laughing so hard that I couldn’t help but start laughing too. Okay…this whole morning was a little funny. But that door really had to go.

“Let’s get you boys your cupcakes,” Brooklyn said and turned on the oven. She started pulling out ingredients.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Nigel pulled a long, velvet box out of his pocket. “For you, mademoiselle.” He held it out to Brooklyn.

“Really? For me?” Brooklyn grabbed it.

Yeah, Nigel really did seem to have a crush on Brooklyn now. “It’s from me,” I said.

“But I picked it out,” Nigel said. “So it’s really from me.”

“It was my idea and I paid for it.”

Nigel shrugged. “Well, in that case I’ll need to be tipped. That door was very expensive to install on such short notice.”

I was not tipping him. I ignored him and grabbed Brooklyn’s arm, pulling her away from Nigel. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she said with a laugh. “But seriously… What the hell was between his legs? That was the biggest penis I’ve ever seen.”

I laughed too. “I’d pretend to be insulted, but I’ve never seen a dick that big either. I think there might be something wrong with him. That’s like a deformity or something.”

She laughed. “So what is this?” She held up the box.

“Open it.”

She lifted the lid. It was a simple, long gold chain. Long enough that the bottom would dip well below anything she was wearing.

“I thought maybe you could put your rings on it. To keep them close to your heart. And then there’ll be room on your finger for the ring I’m going to give you.”

She ran her fingers down the chain.

I waited for her to say something, but she didn’t

“It would mean a lot to me, Brooklyn.”

I waited, but still nothing.

“And you did say yes last night,” I tried to keep my voice light and playful. But I was slowly dying inside.

“I was under duress,” she said, but she was smiling when she looked up at me. “I think that this is a good compromise. I love it.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded.

Thank God.Because I really couldn’t stand seeing those rings on her finger.

“Thanks, Mr. Nigel!” Jacob said.

I turned around to see Jacob playing with the glow in the dark stars I’d had Nigel pick up. Why was Nigel claiming all my gifts?

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