Page 215 of Vows We Never Made

Have I mentioned my bestie is criminally minded?

That’s why we love her.

“You really think it’s enough to throw him off this huge land deal, though?” I ask.

“What do you think is more important? Some big dumb greedy lawsuit or his marriage?” Margot clicks her tongue. “Trust me. This should work.”

Ethan isn’t my problem to solve, but there’s no doubt in my mind that this is exactly what Jane Austen would do.

The right thing.

I grip the seat with both hands, leaning forward. “Can this thing go any faster? We have like twenty minutes tops to unload a thousand pounds of books if we want to be there in time.”

26

ALL MY FURY (ETHAN)

Idrum my fingers against the sticky table, my coffee cooling rapidly.

It’s more like espresso tar by now. A hole in the head would be better for my system right now than more caffeine, so I have no regrets.

Coffee just gives me an excuse to sit here.

Staring at Cooper.

Who stares right back at me with that blinding white smile I want to break.

The minute he walked in, I knew he’d pull the innocent act. Pretend it’s nothing personal, all for the best, standard operating procedure—after all, I agreed to it, didn’t I?

I expected to be Blackthorn’s CEO and the only man he’d deal with.

Rage gnarls like overgrown branches, screaming to be released, but I remain solid ice.

Margot would be proud of my self-control.

Hattie, too, if I hadn’t—

Damn.

The thought of her kicks like a mule. I almost swallow my espresso mud just to ease the tension.

Cooper rubs his jaw, lightly stubbled today. He’s trying to go for the slightly rugged look lately, but he’s too polished to pull it off with his baby face. Too well presented. I can tell he’s shaved his scruff down to the exact gravelly dusting he wants.

Nothing rugged about that.

Nothing real about this smarmy little rat-fuck.

So if he wants to look cut up about the predicament we’re in and how he’s so fucking sorry he put me here, he’ll have to try a lot harder.

I inhale sharply.

No way I’m giving up without a fight and letting him walk all over me, but for Blackthorn Holdings, I need a solution that doesn’t involve dragging the company through a complicated legal trap I was stupid enough to walk into.

First, we’ll see if I can reason.

We’ll try to resolve this like men, even if I know I’m looking at a cheating rattlesnake.

“Let’s cut to it. No bullshit,” I venture.