Chapter 17
Bronte
I called to tell you to call off your search. There’s no need to waste your time. I’ll send you the text messages and pictures, though, if you need reminding. But I highly doubt you do.
Of course, I eavesdropped.
It’s the only way I can get inside Meirna’s head because she gives nothing away.
She was infuriated when I fucked her last night, fighting every which way to free herself physically and mentally from my space, but she lost.
And so am I.
I don’t know if she feels anything for me now or if she’s biding her time, but my strong need to protect her still remains at the forefront of my mind.
If she’s trying to get back with Bobby, I’m going to end that shit before it begins again. I don’t care if she wants him; I won’t allow my family to drag her down and possibly kill her over debts she didn’t take.
However, my daydream turned into fantasy, transformed into my wife, can hold her own.
I can’t help but be proud.
But what doesn’t have self-respect is my brother.
Who’s currently calling me right now.
“What?” I greet, not surprised that it took him this long to gather up the courage to reach out to me.
When I flew Meirna and I to Prague, I left my number for him to call if he really wanted to know where she was.
Obviously, leaving my shit behind gave him a clear indication of who she was with and what I had done.
Along with a copy of the marriage certificate with both our names printed.
I still haven’t seen my brother since we were sixteen. I didn’t feel the need or the want to show my face, explain what I was going to do, then proceed to lock him inside his penthouse—the one our father pays for, because Bobby can’t handle adult responsibilities—so I sent Alexander.
And that’s how I was able to see Meirna before we got married.
To show up at Silver Pines to look at her for the first time since my birthday.
How I was able to show up at the bakery and rehearsal dinner without Bobby showing up and fucking with my plan.
Also, how I was able to fly Meirna and I out the next morning.
Alexander let Bobby free the moment we were in the air.
“Where is she?”
“With me.”
Bobby has already lost it. His stillness on the other line competes with my calm because he never knew how to handle things on his own.
Catherine babies him.
Alan bitches then does it for him. Harding Holdings is about to take a massive shit, and all their clients are going to jump ship.
It’s going to inevitably fail.
“You just had to take what was mine, didn’t you? You couldn’t just go off and live your own pathetic life, you had to steal my girl—”
“Which one?”
“You stupid son of a bitch,” he leers in my ear. “You think telling about my side pieces was going to win you some brownie points?”
“You think being a bitch was going to get you some? I’m disappointed, Bobby. You put zero effort into covering it up.”
“My life and what I do have nothing to fucking do with you.”
I clench my phone a little harder than I’d like. I don’t want to lose control, but I feel it slipping through my fingertips the more he speaks about Meirna being nothing but a solution to his problems.
“It is when you took what was mine first.”
“And what the fuck are you going to offer? You have no trust fund. No fucking—”
“Don’t need it. I’ve already taken over my family’s company, and it’s thriving. I don’t need Daddy’s money to make Meirna want me.”
“Want you?” he scoffs just as Meirna steps out of the bedroom, dressed in blue jeans, black and pink puffy boots, and a white sweater that barely covers her midriff.
“You mean me. You’re second best, Bronte.
Always have been. Always will be. No one wants you, so you decided to kidnap my fiancé, and what did you think that was going to do, huh? You’re fucking pathetic.”
“Not when I’m the one five million dollars in debt.”
Meirna’s brows perk, immediately picking up on who I’d be speaking to because there’s only one person who we both share in common that would be financially ruined.
“You think you know everything?!” I pull the phone from my ear and put him on speakerphone, tossing the device onto the couch so Meirna can hear everything there is to know about her ex.
“You stupid prick, I’m better than you! It’s why our parents sent you away.
You think they were going to take you back?
You didn’t even want Harding Holdings. And what, now that you’re a loser, you want to come around and take what belongs to me?
Meirna is mine! My wife! My property! My little slut who’s going to give me the image I need to get Dad’s spot. Not you! Never you, Bronte.”
“That cuts deep, Bobby,” I deadpan flatly, slowly making my way toward Meirna. “Really.”
My brother scoffs haughtily. “Yeah, wait until I find you, asshole. You may have given Meirna what you thought was going to get her to break things off with me, but that’s a fool’s dream.
She’s in deeper with me than she ever thought she could be.
I have her name tied in case shit goes South.
You don’t want to fuck with me, Bronte. I have the Giordano mob on my side. ”
“You mean you owe the Giordano mob on your side,” I retort, arriving in front of Meirna as she lifts her chin to look up at me.
Beautiful honey brown eyes, those perfect freckles along her nose and cheekbones, and her wild curls. Bobby is a complete fucking idiot for not seeing what he had right in front of her.
“You don’t know shit!” Bobby rages on.
“Then what did you need Meirna for?” I cup her bicep, offering comfort because I know his next words before he says them, and it’s cruel that I’m permitting her to hear all this, but I don’t want there to be any miscommunication where there is none.
Bobby is a fucking tool—period.
“Collateral,” Bobby spits out. “If I can’t pay, then they go for her shit.”
Meirna tenses against my touch, and it’s because of him, I know it is. If it were me, she would’ve stepped back and away.
“How Prince Charming of you.”
“Fuck you!” Bobby roars as I run the crook of my index finger underneath Meirna’s jaw. “Where the fuck is my fiancé?!”
“Getting dressed,” I lie. “Take care of yourself, Bobby—”
“Don’t,” he clips out tersely. “You’re not going to win her over. I spun that girl, and now she’s emotionally attached to me. I’ve spent years wooing the fuck out of her so she’d agree to marry me. You don’t have the time spent.”
“Actually, I do. Why do you think she never rode your ass for being out fucking Jolene on Christmas or your birthdays?”
Meirna’s eyes turn into narrow slits before her nostrils flare.
And I love it when she’s pissed off.
Just not upset.
My cock has already twitched in my jeans, and I’m going to push until I can’t anymore.
“What the fuck does that mean?” Bobby inquires evenly. “Because I can and could get away with anything—”
“I was there. She was with me, Bobby.” Dead silence fills the room as I lean close to Meirna, but I don’t go for her lips like I want to.
Instead, I whisper along the shell of her ear, “And you were the best fuck of my life. I didn’t sleep with anyone while I waited for you.
But I did spend an ungodly amount of time with my hand and the memories of you moaning in my ear. ”
“You’re lying!” Bobby shrieks. “There’s no way you could’ve done that! She would’ve known.”
Meirna scoffs then, and I know she feels at fault for not realizing the truth. I lied and kept shit from her because it wasn’t the time.
I’ll spend forever making that up to her.
While Bobby loses her forever.
I still fucking won.
Straightening my spine, I reply, “Believe what it is you want to believe, Bobby. I’ve gotta go.”
“No, you don’t,” he snarls sinisterly. “Where the fuck is Meirna?”
“Prague,” I answer without a second thought. “Come get her.”