And he made me happy. Really happy.That’swhy I married him.
This might be the best decision you’ve ever made.Peace settled in my chest, seconding that notion.
But it was immediately doused by an incoming text. I squeaked and nearly threw my phone off the bed.
Cecil
Why are you at the Venetian, Juliette? Fallon gave some lame excuse about you being sick. But she lies like she’s reading off cue cards.
Fallon. But it was my fault. That’s what I got for making her lie. I should’ve just ditched my phone and not told her. She couldn’t lie if she didn’t know the truth.
Cecil
Do I need to remind you that the meeting is mandatory? Also, turn on your location. Having it off is against your contract!
I tapped the message, a dozen cutting retorts on the tip of my tongue. Call me strong-willed, but something in me went cold every time he used that tone.
Cecil
Ah, she lives. The read receipts are on, by the way.
Of course, they were on. That was also in my contract.
As I sat there, trying to figure out what to do, I looked down at my hand — the two-carat oval-cut diamond Griffin had given me. Its thin gold band was dotted with a few carefully placed diamonds. I’d told him we didn’t need rings—wecould get them later. But he’d insisted. Then he’d dragged me from store to store, insisting we not stop until “you find one that feels like you. You need to be so in love with this ring that it lasts the rest of your life. The rest of forever. Just like our marriage will.”
I watched Griffin again, wishing Cecil and the meeting didn’t exist. And that I wasn’t making it worse for myself every second I didn’t respond.
Griffin smiled and moaned, “Jules.” My name on his lips melted me. He must’ve been dreaming of last night. The best night of his life, he’d said at least twenty times.
It was the best night of mine too. Being with Griffin wasn’t at all what I’d expected.
We hadn’t had sex.
We’d made love.
A lot of it.
My skin tingled at the memory. The words he’d whispered, the gentle kisses, the respect. His promises of a bright future together.
A bright future together? Ha! Girl. By marrying him, you’ve all but guaranteed your future is dark and disastrous.
The phone buzzed with another text from Cecil.
Cecil
Oh, you’re going to play that game, are you? This is your last warning. I’d better see a text or your location moving in the next thirty seconds or else!
I sat up, hands shoved into my hair, looking from my phone to Griff, back to my phone, unable to move.
You’ve done it now. How are you going to get out of this one?
Easy. You’re going to work.
No.
Yes. It’s time to let the fairy tale go. Get up, get dressed, andgo. Once you’re in an Uber, send Griffin a text and let him down gently. Tell him you made a mistake. It’s not him. It’s you. Annul the marriage and you can both pretend this never happened.
I squeezed my eyes shut, hating that idea. I’d already built a whole life around him in my head.
