Page 155 of Stanton Unconditional

“You have ten fucking minutes,” Joshua snaps. He hangs up.

His eyes flick to us. “We are meeting her, and I am going to finish this once and for all. I’ve had about as much shit from this bitch as I am going to take.”

We stand in the hall, waiting for the lift to take us to the fourth floor in the Novotel hotel. Joshua has his hands in his pockets and is looking at the floor. He’s furious. I am nervous as hell. What if this woman has bouncers up there waiting for us?

“Just stay quiet, everybody,” Ben says flatly. “Let me do the talking.”

Joshua’s angry eyes meet mine and he walks into the lift.

Knock, knock. Ben knocks on the door, and it opens in a rush.

The blonde opens the door and smiles sexily at us. Joshua glares at her.

“Come in.” She gestures into the room.

We walk in and say nothing. There is no one else in the room and it is empty except for a bed.

“What do you want?” Joshua snaps.

My eyes flick to Ben. I knew he wouldn’t keep quiet.

She fakes a laugh. “I don’t want to be spoken to like that, Joshua, or is it baby?”

Joshua narrows his eyes at her.

She crosses her arms in front of her. “It’s so pathetic how she looks at you like you’re a god. I was watching her run her hand up your leg at lunch today. She thinks you are perfect; how very wrong she is.”

He runs his tongue over his top front teeth in contempt.

“I didn’t come her to listen to your dribble. What do you want?” he snaps.

Ben holds his hand up to Joshua to signify silence.

She frowns at Ben’s hand. “This is between Joshua and me, goon, keep going and you can wait outside.”

Ben puts his hands on his hips and smiles slyly at her as he shakes his head in a threatening way.

Her eyes flick back to Joshua. “I told you I want five million dollars, or I will give the tape to the boring wife.”

Joshua turns his back on her, and I roll my eyes. “There is no way in hell you are getting five million dollars. You have got to be kidding. We are going to the police,” I snap.

She smiles and looks at Joshua. “This isn’t up to you, it’s up to Joshua. He’s the one that is going to break the stupid bitch’s heart.”

Joshua turns and grabs her by the throat and slams her head up against the wall.

“Joshua,” I stammer. “Stop it.”

He smacks the back of her head against the wall again as he squeezes her neck hard. Ben stops me from grabbing him…Jesus.

“You know what happens to dirty whores like you?” he sneers.

“They make a lot of money,” she gasps through her stranglehold.

“You’re going to end up in a body bag. I mean it, do not push me. You have no idea who you are dealing with. If you go near Natasha again, I will fucking kill you!” He slams her head again. “Do you fucking understand me?” he screams into her face I stand still and shocked, my eyes wide. I’ve never seen Joshua like this.

She breaks free from his grip and grabs her neck as she chokes. “Don’t touch me,” she stammers as she holds her throat.

He smiles at her like the devil himself.