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“Problem solved then. Let’s go, Ez,” Elias murmured from the doorway but I didn’t move just yet. I needed clarity on a few things.
“My side is whatever best suits my family. What the fuck do you plan on doing with all of this?”
“Handling it.”
“How, Christian? There are only two solutions. If you give them what they want, we’re connected to your bad decisions. If you walk, we’re left to deal with whatever family they deem worthy to replace yours with. Because make no mistake about it, theywillreplace you. Neither option is appealing to me.”
“This isn’t about you, Omari,” he growled, glaring with harsh eyes.
I smirked and lowered my chin. “I thought I made myself clear. My position will land on whatever best suits my family. What the fuck are you going to do to fix this shit?”
“Divorce my wife.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said I have to divorce my wife and all this goes away.”
My brows pinched and I tilted my head to the side, not understanding. There was no fucking way I heard him correctly and apparently Elias was just as confused.
“I know you’re not saying Aja did this shit?”
Christian’s hard stare darted over to Elias before he offered a stiff nod. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” He raked a hand down his face. “She’s angry and desperate.Shecan’t divorce me and I refused to grant her one.”
“And this was the alternative?”
“If she ruins my name and standing with The Collective, she gets her freedom.”
“Why the fuck wouldn’t you just divorce her?” I glared at him and his eyes turned dark.
“The same miserable life she forced me into is the one she deserves. My situation is not like yours. I don’t get to take her family’s money for ruining my life and happiness but I can certainly take hers.”
I knew very little about Christian’s marriage other than he wasn’t happy. I also knew that prior to their arrangement, Christian and Aja had a relationship. Her father Jacob Malo was Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations. A position secured by The Collective. They were very intentional with the pieces on their chessboard.
Jonathan Devereaux’s association with Jacob Malo facilitated the ability to fly under the radar with his illegal dealings. Aja’s father was able to supplement his income in ways that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Years later a marriage between Aja and Christian was supposed to move that same relationship forward with a promise that both families kept the same benefits, only Christian elected not to follow in his father’s footsteps.
He agreed to the marriage because he and Aja were of the small percentage not thrown together against their will. They had a relationship before the option was presented. Somewhere along the line, things with them changed. I didn’t give a damn what had transpired to ruin things between them but if divorcing Aja fixed this shit? That’s what he needed to do.
“I expect you’ll be wrapping this shit up so we can all move on with our lives?” I asked and Christian nodded with apparent annoyance.
“Contrary to what you think, I value my family just as much as you value yours. I have no intention of placing Cress in the middle of my shit. I will divorce Aja to ensure this all goes away.”
“Will it go away?” Elias asked, causing me and him both to look at Christian.
“Aja’s father is responsible for all this. He worked with my father so coming from him, with details only he could provide, made the story seem believable. If I grant the divorce, along with a large sum of money she doesn’t fucking deserve, then this goes away.”
“Damn, that’s fucked up.”
“Very,” Christian murmured.
“This is a governor’s granddaughter. You really believe it will go away that easily?” I asked.
“The governor wants to make an example out of someone. He doesn’t care who. He’ll be given a name he can go public with. That name will not be mine.”
“So The Collective didn’t set you up, your wife did?”
He issued a nasty look which only made this that much more amusing.
“No, they didn’t but they didn’t hesitate to try and take advantage of the situation. Once they found out my name was attached, they graciously offered to make it all go away if I agreed to help them out. I refused. Again, I’m not my father.”
