Page 10 of The Husband Contract

“Call me tomorrow morning. I’m at the club with the guys.”

“Oh. Okay. Is Jack there?” She’s always had a thing for Jack, though he’s never been interested. Maybe because he knows about the blowjob she gave me, or maybe because he just doesn’t care either way. She’s a pretty woman, and most men are drawn to her. But Jack, for some reason, doesn’t even like her. I think she senses that, and maybe that’s why she’s even more drawn to him. Women always seem to go after the men who don’t want them.

She still flirts with me sometimes, as well, but I don’t take it seriously. I know it’s just her personality.She’s a flirt. A good time girl. She doesn’t take any of it seriously. She likes to have fun, be spoiled, and go out and party.

“I’ll speak to you later, Louisa. Send me what you find in the morning.” I hang up before she can say more. I don’t know what I’m going to do once I have more information, but I know I just can’t let it pass.

Back at the table, Jack raises an eyebrow as I approach with a grim look on my face. “Everything okay? You look like you’re about to go into a boardroom for a hostile takeover.”

I smirk. “Maybe I am. I was just speaking to Louisa.”

“Oh.” He makes a face. He really doesn’t hide the fact that he doesn’t like her. Though he’s never told me why.

“What is with the face?”

“You know she wants you bad.”

“She doesn’t want me. We’ve been friends for ages. She works for me. She knows what’s up between us. Our relationship is strictly professional.”

“I still think she wants you.” He shrugs. “But whatever. What’s she researching for you?”

“I want to know who broke Sergio’s heart. I want to know who the woman is who stole ten million dollars from my trusting younger brother.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know yet. Maybe I can pay her a little visit. Maybe figure out where that money went. See if it was part of a bigger plan. See if it was corporate espionage to break him.” I smile dangerously. “Maybe get a little revenge.”

“Revenge.” His eyes light up, and he leans forward. “Those are the words I’d expect to hear in a mafia movie.” He chuckles. “You’re serious?”

“What can I say? Life’s short. If someone does me or my family wrong, I make sure they pay.”

“I get it.” He nods, though he looks like he wants to add something else to the conversation.

“Too many people think they can get away with no consequence in life. Maybe what this lady did is not actionable in a court of law, but sometimes we have to be prosecutor, judge, and jury.”

“What?” He stares at me. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet.” I shrug. “But Iamgoing to find the woman who broke Sergio’s heart and played him for half his money and do something.”

Jack looks surprised. “Ten million is half of his money? I thought?—”

“That’s the only access he has right now.” I laugh. “But in three years, he gets access to half a billion. And I don’t want some manipulative woman coming along and being gifted that for some cheap sex and smooth-talking lies.”

“I get that.” Jack agrees. “No, you don’t.”

“Sergio is an easy touch.” I shake my head. “I can’t believe he’s gone to fucking Thailand because of some pussy. She will be made to pay.”

“You know he’ll be fine, right? He just?—”

“Yeah. He’ll be fine. He’s going to Thailand. He’ll hit the beach. Relax. And eventually, he will get over it. But he sounded like shit, Jack. He’s not like us. He takes these things personally. He’s got a good heart. When he tells a woman he loves her, he believes it. He doesn’t know women can be just as conniving as the worst con men.” I run my fingers through my hair. “I don’t want his despair to make him do something stupid, you know?”

“At least you know he won’t be driving in Thailand.”

“Yeah. I just hope he doesn't make any other stupid decisions.”

“So you’re going to find this womanwho lied to him and make her pay? I guess she seduced him and then took off with his money?”

I lean back in my chair, stretch my legs out, and smirk. “I plan on being the best fucking seductive lying motherfucker to ever exist.” My eyes narrow. “The woman who stole from my brother doesn’t know it yet, but a fucking tornado is about to rip through her life. And by the time I’m done, everything she loves dearly will be destroyed. She’ll wish that her greedy little hands had never met Sergio Laurence.”