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My jaw tics at the mention of him. “You’re not his wife. You’remine.”
“I would divorce you, but we’re not even married.”
I can’t help rolling my eyes and scoff, “What are you talking about? My name is on the marriage certificate,princess. You’re stuck with me.”
“Don’t call me that,” she spits, her gaze molten. “And I’m not stuck with you. Our certificate isn’t filed.” Glancing over at the fire pit, she chuckles darkly, “Good luck salvaging it.”
Perhaps Jackie isn’t as boring as I made her out to be. “Well, that can be remedied.”
“I know,” she sighs in annoyance, and damn it, I’m fucking this up further.
“What would it take to make this right?”
“Depends. What’s on the table?” Her question takes me by surprise.
“We have to make this work. So, I’ll dowhateverit takes.”
“Whatever it takes?” Her eyebrow lifts, disappointment oozing from her. “Stop fucking your aides.”
“I’ve never fucked my aides.” The lie slips off my tongue with ease. “What else?”
“Does it matter? It isn’t as if I get to make real demands; I’m not in control here.”
She’s fucking right, but I’m not in control, either... and I’m so damn screwed if I can’t get her to fall in love with me. Or at least tolerate me.
As Jaclyn looks away, I keep my eyes fixed on her; it’s been too long since Ireallylooked at her. While she’s devastatingly gorgeous, taking my breath away, she’s got a backbone that I’ve never noticed before today. I want more of this sparring between us.
No wonder Alex is drawn to her.
“I want to fix this,” I plead softly.
“There’s nothing to fix.” Jaclyn gets up abruptly. “I’m going to take a walk.”
The last thing I need is her alone with her thoughts; it’ll all but secure losing her. “Can I join you?”
Jaclyn doesn’t protest, giving in to my small gesture, and we make our way to the water. Keeping my hands in my pockets, we walk along the shore in silence as I catalog the last few years, unable to remember the last time I took a walk with her.
Have weevertaken a walk together?
Alex has absolutely dug his claws into Jaclyn. Mere weeks ago, she was the perfect woman to have by my side—delicate and demure. My family is right; I need to woomy wife. If I fall in love with her in the process, even better.
Another apology won’t do it. I need something big. Bold.
A grand gesture.
The gala for her mother’s charity is in a few weeks. Too far away; I need something now. We’re on our honeymoon, and as much as I feel like my cock could remedy this, the idea of fucking her after my brother repulses me.
Jaclyn wasn’t inexperienced when we began dating, but sex was a chore. Even so, I loved that she was my dutiful girlfriend—mine when I needed her. Once I secure the presidency, I couldn’t care less if she wants to take a lover…so long as it isn’t Alex.I’ve worked too hard to get where I am to let it slip through my fingers because he wants to get his dick wet. For me, sex is just sex. It’s more for him, and probably for her, too. If they spend any more time together, I’ll lose her for good.
Walking beside Jaclyn is actually…nice. It’s relaxing, only the sound of the crashing waves dancing around our feet as they meet the sand. I love that neither of us is trying to fill the silence with idle small talk. I’m comfortable with her, always have been, enough to admit aloud, “We’re going to be all right.”
Jaclyn keeps her focus ahead of us. “When are you going to tell me what really happened with the accident?”
“I had a heart attack,” I answer carefully.
“And how did you have a heart attack, exactly? Were you doing anystrenuous activitieswhile driving?”
Fuck. She knows…
