Page 58 of Too Broken to Love

“I already told Josie to tell her to get ready. Go pack your uniforms.”

Heavy footsteps rounded the corner. Hudson smelled heavy cologne and groaned.

Nathaniel strode down the hall, tugging on the cuffs of his suit jacket. “I heard Josie say you’re headed to D.C. I’m headed there too for meetings. Want to ride together? We haven’t had a chance to reschedule last week’s dinner, and I’d love to talk to you about a few projects I’m working on.”

“I’m good. Thanks.” Hudson angled toward his door. “Hope your meetings go well.”

“Hold on.” Nathaniel’s brows lowered inward over his nose.

“I don’t have time to hold on.”

“I need you to make time.” Nathaniel ran a hand down his tie, like smoothing imaginary wrinkles could reset the conversation to his advantage. “I’ve been trying to talk to you all week, but you haven’t been around. We have things to discuss, like the ridiculous parts of the will nobody wants to contest. Vivian doesn’t even want to fight them any longer because she’s starting to like that gold-digger.”

Hudson gripped his towel tight enough to tear it. “I wouldn’t say gold-digger again if I were you. As for the will, sounds like you need to take that issue up with your wife.”

Nathaniel rolled back his shoulders. “I’m getting really irritated with the lack of respect in this house.”

“And I’m already pissed off with your abundance of entitlement.” Hudson stepped up to the prick. “I suggest you find Vivian and work this out before it becomes a problem.”

Nathaniel flinched at the cold steel in Hudson’s tone.

Too bad.

Hudson had a weekend-long date with Tessa he couldn’t fucking wait for.

Crisp salt air whipped Tessa’s unbound hair into her face as she stepped onto the porch. The heavy door closed behind her with a loud click.

She spotted Hudson at the bottom of the stairs with the General, his eyes on a tablet and a file in his hand. Tension, and not the kind she'd relished on his face from her knees earlier, cut into his profile. As he turned his head and looked at her, she nearly dropped the bag she’d packed in less than an hour.

He took the half-dozen porch stairs two at a time and reached for her suitcase. She pulled it back. She knew what was in the file. If the vein throbbing in his neck from barely coiled rage didn't confirm her fears, the General's stare sure did.

“Give me the bag, Tessa.”

She hesitated for a heartbeat before she handed it to him.

“Get in the car.” He shot his thumb toward a dark green SUV parked in the gravel. “I’ll be there in a minute.”

She didn’t argue. If she was right about the cause of his cold, clipped command, he already knew about the past she’d planned to share with him this morning. Instead, she’d sparked the most thrilling moments of her life.

Not just thrilling, but dirty in the most beautiful, respectful way she’d ever been treated by a man.

Suppressing a shiver that had nothing to do with the dip in temperature, Tessa pulled the black leather blazer over the gold sweater Josie laid out. As she hurried down the steps and into the car, she couldn’t stem the cruel memories that kept resurrecting like stubborn ghosts who refused to be banished.

Trailer trash thief.

Filthy slut.

Watch your wallet.

She’s a crook, just like her dad.

She jumped in her seat as Hudson climbed in and threw the file on the dashboard. With motions as sharp as his anger, he pulled down the driveway and through the security gate. As they left the mansion behind, he pressed his hand against the pocket of his dark jeans where Sam’s sinker surely sat.

He glanced at the file. “Why didn’t you tell me you were arrested?”

His tone dropped with each word in a deadly cadence.

Fear seeped into her bones. Her hand flew to her cheek. “How did the General find out?”