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His brow furrowed. “Ever since I met you, all you could talk about was opening that restaurant and making a place in the community for people to gather and—”
It was now or never. I’ve never been a very brave girl, except for the past few months. I’d taken a leap of faith into the unknown and found more good than bad, even though the bad happened to sometimes be very scary.
But I was still brave enough to jump one more time. Just one last time. Because Montgomery was worth it.
“I still want that. But I want it with you.” I reached forward and grabbed his hands in mine. “The truth is I can’t imagine any future without you in it.”
He didn’t respond. His features remained contorted, confused, and his eyes kept darting around past me. Like he was trying to figure out how to let me down slowly. And suddenly the bubble of hope in my chest popped until I felt like I was coated by black goo on the inside.
I yanked my hands back from him, suddenly furious at his confusion and lack of response.
I turned my back to him, pain tearing my chest apart.
“But if that’s not what you want, I mean, of course that’s fine. I thought…” I swallowed hard, coughing back a painful choke, “I get that this is in real life now and you’ve got some society wife waiting for you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Montgomery said sharply. “I’m just not sure you’re thinking straight. We’ve been in some hyperintense circumstances and—”
“No,” I tried to backpedal. “It’s fine. I’ll just go in and ask for the money and—”
“See, what did I tell you?” Montgomery’s father suddenly appeared behind him on the steps of the mansion. “They’re always just in it for the money. She fucked one of your best friend’s fathers while you were in the room for God’s sake. If that’s not a whore, I don’t know what is. If we never see her again, it won’t be too soon.
“Now come on. Take a walk with me, and we’ll talk about where we can take the business next. I still think we can salvage some of the dock deal, if we just—”
Montgomery swung his massive shoulders and decked his father, taking him to the cobblestones with a single blow.
His father immediately started screeching expletives, along with indignant cries of, “Do you know who I am?”
Montgomery leaned over his father, who was still huddled in the fetal position. “I know exactly who you are. You’re no one. I will have all your bank accounts emptied by the end of the day. I’m done humoring you or putting up with any of your bullshit now that I don’t have to anymore. The business is now mine. Everything is mine.”
His words were a balm to my soul. He had been pretending with his father that night I’d overheard them. In spite of my momentary doubts, I’d since convinced myself I knew the true Montgomery. I knew his heart. It was still nice to have it confirmed.
His father sat up and sputtered, “You can’t do that. Those accounts are joint trusts between me and your mother.”
“About that.”
Montgomery gave an arm signal and a car with tinted windows I hadn’t noticed arrive at the end of the drive, opened its doors.
A beautiful tall, stately woman with an indefinable elegance walked up the drive. “Hello, Edward,” she said coldly.
“Edith,” Montgomery’s father whined. “Call the lawyer. Call an ambulance. I think my rib’s been broken! Help me into the car, darling.” He then glared at Montgomery, rage in his eyes. “I’ll make you pay for this.”
“No, you won’t,” the woman called Edith said.
“Mama,” Montgomery said, “he’s not worth it.”
Holy crap, she was Montgomery’s mother?
But Edith just held up a hand. “You won’t be doing anything to our son or me ever again. You’ve made poor business decisions for far too long and have lost every cent your father left you. All the money we currently have is mine. Not yours. And now that we’re getting divorced, I’m holding you to the terms of the prenup.”
“Divorced?” Montgomery’s father’s voice jumped a disbelieving octave. “You can’t—”
“Yes, I can,” Edith said calmly. “You broke the infidelity clause oh, about a hundred times. More probably. But this time I got you on camera, and is the only one that matters, I suppose. You can thank your son for getting me exactly what I needed while he was here.” She tossed an envelope down on top of the still-prone man. “You’re getting nothing. Because, darling? I want a divorce.”
“The Initiation has made Montgomery lose his mind. He’s not thinking straight, and whatever he gave you is out of context. I mean look at him… He’s not making wise decisions and choosing this white trash girl. She’s a whore,” his dad shouted, pointing at me. “You’re really going to let our son be with a whore? She fucked St. Claire while I watched. If anyone is the cheater here, it’s St. Claire. I kept my hands clean. I wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole.”
