Page 109 of Married to Lies

Peter the officer chuckled and then started reciting Conrad’s rights to him.

Steve checked me over with a deep frown. “I told you I should be in the room with you. Quentin’s going to have me fired. He’ll⁠—”

“I’ll handle Quentin,” I said. I was pretty sure once I told him about my past, Steve’s job would be the last thing on Quentin’s mind.

Still frowning, Steve said, “Is there any way I can make it up to you?”

“Can I start calling you Steve the Sledgehammer?”

He barked out a surprised laugh and then composed himself, a twinkle lingering in his eyes. “I suppose I’ll allow it.”

I looked around the office, now quiet, and said, “Can I have a minute, Steve the Sledgehammer?”

He didn’t seem to like that idea but nodded and said, “I’ll wait right here.”

Grateful, I walked away from the lobby, going down the hallway back to the office Conrad had made his own for the last several years. It felt surreal to know the horrors of the last few weeks were mostly over.

Finally, Quentin was safe from Conrad’s threats, and me? My past could come out regardless, thanks to the news about my elopement with Quentin. Hopefully I would get the chance to tell him first.

Reaching the end of the hallway, I opened the door to the office and stared at Conrad’s diplomas. Something took over my body, and I walked to one, picking it up over my head and smashing it to the floor as hard as I possibly could.

Glass shattered all over the floor, and the cheap wooden frame split at the corners.

Needing more of that release, I grabbed the other frame and did the same thing.

Footsteps came pounding down the hallway, and Steve opened the door. “Rei!” he shouted. “Are you okay?”

Surrounded by shattered glass and bits of wood, I reached for Conrad’s lamp. “Feeling better than ever,” I said, slamming it to the floor.

51 Quentin

“I propose a toast,” Simon said, raising a mimosa with his shaky, blotchy hand. The five of us founders and his daughter sat around the table, eating breakfast as the sun rose over the mountains. After the chef had prepared our final breakfast, she left, so it was just the seven of us, one dysfunctional, unhappy family sitting down to a meal together.

Simon set the glass back down on the table, too weak to hold it, while he continued. “First, I want to congratulate you on your first device-free retreat. I know personally that after a life spent hustling, it’s hard to slow down and sit with the people around you.” He reached over to Aleyna sitting next to him and grabbed her hand. She dropped her head softly on his shoulder and smiled like there was nowhere else she’d rather be.

Then Simon looked around the table at us and said, “I’m proud of you men. You’ve built a business and lifelong friendships. Even when things got rocky, you showed up at the table”—he gestured at the table—“to get the work done.”

Then he said, “I also want to toast to my daughter and her exciting new business venture.” He smiled at her, looking younger than he had in weeks despite all the sores still healing on his skin. “You all are looking at the founder of Luster, a women’s intimates brand.”

Aleyna’s cheeks colored, and I was amazed she could be shy about anything.

“Cheers,” Bryce said, lifting his glass, and we all echoed him. Glancing around the table, I met Jude’s eyes by accident. They looked haunted, even more so with the bruising around his nose and mouth. Bryce’s knuckles were scabbed over on his glass, but he was otherwise untouched.

Aaric stood next, pushing back his chair. “I’d also like to make a toast.”

“Here we go,” Cruz muttered.

I chuckled, and Aaric suppressed a smile as he raised his glass. “To getting our phones back.”

That earned an even louder round of “cheers.”

Leaving his mimosa flute on the table, Aaric left and then returned with the safe.

We all scrambled in that direction, but Simon raised his voice to say, “Could you wait until after the meal? For me.”

We all looked around at each other, and begrudgingly, Cruz said, “Okay, the booty calls can wait until later.”

Aaric snorted and Simon chuckled. “So you’re saying you’re planning on a shotgun wedding?” Simon said.