Page 78

“H-how much is this going to cost?”

Reality rips through my resolve and I swear under my breath.

“I can pay for it. I just need time.” Rustling fills the car, and I look to see her rifling through her purse for something.

There’s already over ten million in an account for her and she doesn’t know it. Even if she knew, I wouldn’t let her touch it for this.

Whether she likes it or not, she’s my responsibility in every way that counts. Stressing over a pharmacy bill is a reality I never want for her. As long as I’m alive, she can afford anything she wants or needs. And even after that. It’sthe least I can do to make up for the bullshit the other men in her life gave her.

“I’m paying for it, Delilah. That’s not something you gotta worry about.”

“But the doctor says I’ll need to take itconsistently. It’s not like a round of antibiotics or something.”

“Then I’ll pay for it consistently. If I can help it, you’re not going without something you need, Delilah. You should never even question that.”

“That’s easy to say now. When I leave?—”

“Nothing will change,” I cut her off, ignoring the pain pulsing in my chest at the thought of her leaving, being anywhere I can’t make sure she’s safe.

Silently, Delilah takes one of my pens out of her bag and I wonder when she stole it. She’s been in my car enough in the past week that it could have been any day.

“Fine,” she concedes. “I’ll take my notebook just in case.”

She tugs the blue spiral notebook out of her bag and gives me a half smile. “I’m ready.”

That fucking notebook is going to be the death of me.

Chapter 28

Home Invasion

DELILAH

Some things are worse than death.

The first time I heard that phrase, I was fifteen years old and sitting outside of my father’s office, eavesdropping while he held a meeting. It was eleven years ago and just the beginning of the money woes Rose Cosmetics faced before going bankrupt and being pulled from retail shelves.

That day, my father welcomed a business consultant into the house to talk through some observations and options moving forward. Sadly, he was too proud and ignored most of those recommendations. It wasn’t until later that I understood the company’s board members sent the consultant as an intervention after my father bulldozed his way past their official advice. At the time, Marcellus was power drunk on being a member of The Society. He felt invincible, so when the consultant and lawyer suggested filing Chapter 11, he told them there were things worse than death.

For example, having to publicly file for bankruptcy and risk falling out of favor with his friends who actually had the means to back up their affluent lifestyles.

Appearing weak was worse than death to him, and that sentiment eventually led to his demise. Both in business and in life.

Today, more than ever, I’m finding truth in what he believed.

I’ve gotten so comfortable in my new cage that some days I forget it’s still a cage.

I’m getting soft and that’s exactly what a predator like Adonis would want.

Whenever his benevolence runs out, I’ll have to deal with the consequences of letting myself believe it was ever anything other than captivity.

Because the man I’m supposed to hate has turned into a tolerable nuisance.

I hate the way he notices changes in my mood before I can mask them.

I hate the way he tricks me into conversations with him every night.

I hate the way he knows what I like to eat. Today, when he ordered for me at the sushi spot, I’d been doubtful until everything arrived at the table.