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“But Parker would not. And as little of a fuck as I give about that kind of shit, Wells gives a shit about his wife, and my own wife really fucking cares. I love my wife. Therefore, I will do what I can to keep her happy. She has been through hell and back, and I’ve been the one who put her through it.”
A little insight into the Hamilton family is not something I quite expected. I can’t help but smile, internally, at the fact that this man is a softy. And that’s when I see, when I realize, just how much Hendrick is like his father.
“I have rules for you, Allison.”
I blink.
“You’ll stay here in Dallas. I don’t give a fuck what you do in your bedroom. Fuck Hendrick, don’t fuck Hendrick, doesn’t matter to me. But know that he will never marry you. He may wish to keep you. Whatever peace you need to make with that is on you. But you will go to Brenda for therapy.”
“Therapy?” I ask on a whisper.
He dips his chin in a single nod. “Therapy,” he repeats. “The family knows that you have not dealt with the kidnapping. It is time to do that. Leaving and hiding is not an option. Plus, that just makes you a challenge for Hendrick, and my son is much like me—he truly enjoys the challenge. The puzzle will make him never give up until it’s solved. Until he has you back.”
I knew that. I knew it, and I ran anyway. I don’t miss the fact that he says I can’t marry him, but that Hendrick won’t let me go either.
Which means I’ll be a forever mistress, and that makes my stomach turn.
Maybe I can rationalize it to myself. Am I really the mistress if I was with him first? Wouldn’t that make his wife the mistress?
I almost burst out laughing at my ridiculous justifications. But I don’t because this man is staring at me, waiting for my response to his… demands? He’s not really offering me much as far as choice goes. He’s more telling me what I’ll be doing.
Then he does something that I don’t expect. I watch as he reaches into his jacket and pulls out an envelope, sliding it across the table toward me.
“Stay here, and everything in that envelope is yours,” he murmurs.
“This feels a little like making a deal with the devil,” I whisper.
Henry’s lips slowly curve up into a smile. “You are,” he says, dipping his chin toward the envelope.
Flicking my gaze down to the envelope, I reach out and place my palm on top of it before I slide it closer to me. I pick it up, slowly slide my finger beneath the flap, and open it. I know there can’t be a snake or anything that could hurt me physically inside of it, but I still proceed with caution.
There is a fat stack of cash, but there are also folded papers. Leaving the cash inside, I pull out the papers and unfold them. My eyes scan the documents, and I realize it’s a contract. It’s a contract for a building.
For a store.
And I’m listed as the lessee. Except my rent… it’s zero dollars and zero cents. And there is no expiration date.
“Henry?” I ask, slowly lifting my gaze to his.
“I can’t give you the building, but I can give you full access for your store and free rent along with some cash for startup costs. The rest is up to you to cultivate.”
“Why?” I ask on a whisper.
He slides out of the booth, obviously finished with this entire conversation. Then he knocks on the table a couple of times with his knuckles. His eyes never leave mine, and his lips twitch into a small smile.
“You have people here who give a shit, Allison. I don’t take you for a coward. Don’t run like one.”
Then he’s gone.
I’m too shocked to respond to him. I watch him walk away, the envelope in one hand, the papers in the other. Cash and a building. Everything I could have ever wanted—my dream. And yet, this feels a lot like a bribe. And this bribe feels like it has a lot of stipulations, and one of them is being Hendrick’s whore forever… or until he’s tired of me.
Because that’s what I’ll be. His mistress, his whore, whatever you want to call it. I have to weigh my options. Is it worth it? To have everything I ever wanted? The only thing I have to compromise is my self-worth.
Chapter
Seven
HENDRICK
