DEVAN
What the actual fuck?
Is this a cycle or something?
Kelvin was cheating on Scarlet and he was also being played?
If we’re being fair, he deserves it.
And many more.
And I haven’t even started with him.
He can’t have it easy after what he did to Scarlet.
That is a capital offense in my books right now.
“How did you find out about this?” I ask Matias.
He looks at me with a frown.
“What do you mean how did I find out about this? In case you forgot, my name is Matias,” he says, like he’s so offended by my question.
“Okay, genius.” I lift up a hand.
“Do you have proof?”
“You want me to give you a presentation of my investigation?” He smirks.
“Oh, wait. I can’t. Your beloved wife gave me ten minutes. Do you realize just how calm you are these days? I almost don’t recognize you. I can’t believe marriage was all you needed to stop being stubborn. I’ll stop calling you stubborn head.”
“Knucklehead.”
“Okay, let me summarize this before l get kicked out. His name is Stanley Roberts. I’ve spotted them in places they’re not supposed to be.”
I cock a brow, making him sigh in frustration.
“Did you use a part of your brain as ink to sign the contract?”
I cock a brow again, and this time he shakes his head.
“No need for too many explanations. That’s the main point. Kelvin Harrel got played too. It sucks to be him.”
“Are you feeling pity for the man?” I ask him.
“Just a little,” he brings his index finger and thumb close together.
“So you do have a death wish,” I conclude.
“Come on,” he opens his arms leaning back on the couch.
“Cut the man some slack. He just lost the woman he was about to marry.”
“You mean the woman he was about to steal from…whose side are you on?” my brows furrow.
“My side, of course,” he says proudly.
“I’ll always be on Matias’s side because he’s always right. It’s so awesome being me.”
“You’ll be the first person I kill as soon as I recover,” I warn.
“Oh, I can’t wait.”
“Do you have any more news?” I inquire, in case he has something important to tell me.
Matias is the type of person who would begin with bullshit before telling you something important.
“No. I just came with that tea. It was a beautiful girl talk. Don’t tell anyone I told you,” he winks.
“Tell anyone what?” Scarlet walks in, because the door wasn’t locked.
Which makes me wonder, did she hear anything?
If so, how much did she get?
“Oh,” Matias’ pupils widen.
“I guess you’ll have to tell her.” The last part was for me.
Should I?
Am I obligated to?
Is it her business?
Or maybe it will reopen the wound she’s trying so hard to heal from.
What if bringing up Kelvin triggers her?
Deep down, I know that I should.
How would she feel if she found out that I never shared that information?
But again, she’s set on moving on.
How would she do that if Kelvin keeps coming up every now and then?
Or maybe I’m just a jealous asshole who doesn’t want Scarlet to have anything to do with that fucker.
Matias gets up from his seat.
“I guess I’ll just have to say it to make things easier for my brother here,” he points at me.
“Say what?” Scarlet asks with furrowed brows.
Oh my goodness.
Is there a single brain cell left in this man?
Scarlet gives me a mischievous look which makes me wonder what just ran in that mind.
“And I was telling him not to tell anyone, because, well…he’s married to you. And I don’t want to be part of his cheating scandals,” Matias proceeds to utter nonsense.
“Oh really?” Scarlet crosses her arms.
“Wait,” Matias gasps dramatically.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t know he was gay?”
He turns to me.
“Sorry bro. You see how important it is to be honest with your wife.”
“I’ll let you kill him in peace,” he says to my wife.
And then he walks towards the nightstand and picks up my smoothie.
Then he whispers.
“I promise to write a perfect eulogy.”
“Cheers,” he raises the glass to Scarlet and walks away.
Scarlet narrows her eyes at me.
“Did he just walk away with the smoothie I specifically made for you?”
I shrug.
“He needs it for brain growth.”
“Good point.”
She sits next to me.
“So, what happened?” She asks.
Just tell her the truth, Devan.
Tell her.
“It’s just a small matter.”
Damn it, Devan.
Lying to your wife is a wrong move.
“What about it?” Scarlet pries.
I look at her and tuck a few strands of her soft hair behind her ear.
“It’s nothing you should worry about.”
“I have every right to be worried. In case you’ve forgotten,” she raises her hand to show me her ring.
“I’m your wife now. And if it involves the syndicate, it involves me too.”
Oh shit.
That’s so feisty of her.
And it’s also a problem, because I don’t want her to get deeply involved in syndicate business.
This is a six-month arrangement, and the deeper she gets involved the more danger she brings to herself.
That’s why I just wanted this to be about marriage alone and showing off how much we love each other.
“There was a problem at one of my warehouses but it’s nothing big. Matias sorted it out.”
I am lying to my wife and it makes me feel sick.
First, I didn’t tell her the main reason behind this marriage.
It kept coming up during the meeting, and even though she’s not asked me, yet, the key word being yet, I know she’s trying to figure it out.
She has questions about Sonia that I haven’t answered.
Sonia is someone I never want to talk about.
And of course, not with my brand new wife.
She’s a snake, and what she did can’t be erased, even though I’ve tried so much to forget it.
I have known Scarlet for a very short time but that’s enough for me to know she’s going to drill me about it until I tell her the truth.
Matias only gave me time to stall.
I know that conversation is far from over.
As long as we’re sharing a room, it will come up again any time.
And I still haven’t told her about Kelvin.
Christ.
I suck at being a husband, don’t I?
“I don’t want you stressing about work,” my wife says, rubbing my back like I’m a baby.
She’s so sweet and I want nothing but to cuddle her.
“Let’s watch a movie.” The words leave my mouth before I can even think through it.
That was just me trying to end the conversation and focus on something else.
“Oh, wow,” I didn’t see that coming.”
That makes two of us.
“What type of movies do people in the mafia watch? Action? Thriller? Murder mysteries?”
“Nice play, Mrs Galloway.
I see what you did there
“Mrs. Galloway. I love the sound of that,” she says softly.
The way she says Galloway makes my cock twitch.
I would love to hear her moan my name as I slide into her.
Just the thought of it makes my blood rush south.
It’s just a thought for fuck’s sake.
And it’s not going to happen.
Sex wasn’t part of the agreement.
So whatever desire my cock is trying to bring up should stop.
Well that’s easier said than done.
Scarlet stands up to pick up the remote and switch on the TV.
I watch her walk away, and I could swear she’s sashaying for me.
She’s in white booty shorts that reveal her perfect ass, and now I want nothing but to put my palm print on that.
She’s wearing a black t-shirt.
Simple, but she still manages to tame me.
And now I think I need my head checked.
Just a second ago, I was thinking about the syndicate and how I don’t want her tossed deep into it.
And how shitty I am as a husband, and now I’m doing what exactly?
Checking out on her and getting body reactions.
Thinking about spanking her.
Thinking about the sound of my name on her lips when she moans.
Thinking about sliding my hard dick into her.
How quickly did we get to that?
Having a hot wife.
That’s what happened.
I suck in a breath, trying to calm my raging boner, but it doesn’t help.
She suddenly stops and turns around with a grin.
“You’re checking me out, aren’t you?”
Busted.
I can’t even deny it because then her eyes land on my crotch.
Whatever she sees makes her cheeks flush.
And I like it.
Fucking hell.
“What…try having a hot wife,” I defend, scanning her from head to toe.
She has her hair tied into a pony tail, revealing her breathtaking face.
My eyes trace her neck.
It looks so inviting, making me feel like a vampire that hasn’t fed for years.
I want nothing but to bury my head there.
Kissing the hell out of her.
And then her thighs…
Fucking hell.
My fingers would look good on that.
Especially when I caress her slowly and then trace the space between her thighs.
And this is the same woman who’s going to sit next to me while we watch a movie?
I’m dead.