She Took The House, The Car, And My Heart

bright lights as two people sat across from each

nt. His sharp features remained unreadable, his presence commanding and intimidating

m and emotionless. "Aside from the compensation in th

Briggs asked, her voi

er was blunt. "

hley was. After a brief p

ught off guard by her

ce papers, her thought

by worries; he had been nursing a broken heart. A few drinks later, th

ve one-night stand-just a

ed with his assistant to propos

ng to her needs, drying her hair with gentle hands,

t-until six months ago, when a sin

ant, his warmth replace

n had married her because she bore a faint r

gether before she asked lightly, "You s

stian repl

r gaze to him, her delicate face

nt, guilt flickered

lved to grant her r

ad been good to

"Then I want the most expe

Kristian

the suburbs,

," he

e of the money you've ear

. His eyes narrowed slightly, as if questioning

property, don't they? Based on my calculations-excluding investments-your salary and d

nce settled

oning the weather, "Of course, you're

snapped. "Freya!" His voice

ty earlier? How had he

e evenly. "Is tha

utely

issed the ide

time I see your family, I'll bring up your emoti

glacial. He hadn't anticipated this side of her-re

negotiate with me lik

linching. She knew he despised threa

e glacial. "You'll get what you want. But if th

r, her tone razor-sharp. "Kri

she'd been the picture of compliance-gentle, accommodating,

easures, he bit out, "You'll have

briefly before she adde

is patienc

frost radiating from him. "Afterward, we'll t

ristian c

he door, unable to stomach an

ed granting her a grace per

't wait to carve up his f

she might have laughed and said, "That l

he said, "I won't be back tonight. I'll pick you up at nine

ut laced with something sharp. "Ar

tened. "That's none

answer. "I don't tolerate cheating," she said plainly. "So before

led back, loo

. "What? Can't end

d, eerily composed, "but lashing out w

ent, she was at a loss for word

esponse. "Good night." And w

icked shut

e papers still lying on the table. She

would have been a lie. S

nothing more than a stand-in, the

d breached her defenses. Before the betrayal, he'd been perfection its

y, she'd offered to leave. T