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No one touches my would-be baby. As imaginary as they might be.

My heel sinks into the top of Topher’s shoe. My nails dig into his neck.

He cries out, the loser, even though my heel hasn’t torn through his shoe.

Yet.

“Whore.” He staggers back. His face is twisted. I straighten to my full height, taking a step toward him, my hand firm on his throat. “You’re dead. I’ll kill you.”

“You won’t, you loser. You failure.” The emotional pain gets pushed aside. In its place, my survival mechanism kick in. “You’re forgetting you’ll have to go through your father first. A much better kisser. A better fuck than you ever could’ve been. Smarter, sharper, kinder. A better man in every sense of the word.”

Topher opens his pathetic mouth to speak.

I stab his chest with a finger. I’m nowhere near done. “He has bigger brains and an even bigger cock, no doubt about it. He’s everything you’ll never be. So thank you for using me, Topher. For bringing us together. Being your stepmom isn’t the highlightof my life, but I’ll do it for James. Nothing will please me more than putting you in your place. I’ll ground you for fucking life.”

I laugh. It sounds a little unhinged. Topher’s mouth opens again.

“Ophelia.” One violent hand slams on the door, silencing both of us. “Let me in, or I’m breaking down the door.”

38

JAMES

Ophelia believes that my stalking days have ended once she became mine. Once the cell door closed in her face.

Once I transferred thirty million dollars to my own organization.

Wrong. I watch her closely when we’re together.

Nothing gets past me when it comes to her.

Including how long it takes her to get out of the bathroom.

By the time Andrea and I finished reviewing my notes, Ophelia should’ve been back.

The hallway was full of people who weren’t her.

Gray people in their bland clothes. Dull and boring.

I couldn’t find my dark queen anywhere. Couldn’t so much as sense her.

She. Should’ve. Been. Back.

Someone was holding her up.

Topher.

Having Andrea call his office to verify that he wasn’t there was pointless. Every second I wasted, was another one I wasn’t helping Ophelia.

She was strong and fierce.

But.

That goddamnbut. It turned me into a destructive monster.

I could barge in. Except I’m a curious, jealous bastard who prefers to listen.

“…your father. A much better kisser. A better fuck than you could’ve ever been. Smarter, sharper, kinder. A better man in every sense of the word.”