“We’ve been married for one hundred and twelve days,” I said as Eden floated back and forth across the room getting ready.

“You’ve been counting?”

I threaded my cufflink into the shirt cuff. “I guess I have.”

“Counting how many days I’ve been a pain in your ass must be exhilarating,” she teased while putting on her makeup.

I chuckled. “It’s been interesting.”

“Are you ready for tonight?”

“Yes.”

She squinted her eyes at me as if inspecting me for apprehension or anxiety. “If we can pull this off—”

“It’ll be a fucking miracle.”

She carefully placed her fancy brush down before turning to me completely. “We will pull this off, Jameson.”

“It’s not a sure thing he’ll confess.”

She glowered at me, then stalked over like a woman with a mission. “If he doesn’t, then we keep trying. Do you hear me?”

I nodded, raking my hands through my hair. She took my face into her grasp, lowering my forehead down to plant a kiss between my brows. Then another on my lips . . . and another. Between kisses, she mouthed, “You’ve got this.”

“Is that your nice way of telling me to get my shit together?” I asked, staring into her sapphire irises.

Eden cocked a brow. “If I wanted to tell you to get your shit together I would just say get your fucking shit together, Winthrop.”

I let out a snort. “Touché.”

She went back to her primping, and I watched her with fascination. I couldn’t believe she’d agreed to be my wife. If tonight went to shit and all I had left was this perfect creature, I could die a happy man. She sauntered over to where her gown hung and peeled it off its hanger.

Before she had time to ask, I got up and followed her to where she was placing a foot into the unzipped dress. I could barely fucking breathe. She was intoxicating. I inhaled deeply while zipping her up.

“Thanks.”

“My pleasure, princess.”

“You’ve been seriously cheesy for the last one hundred and whatever days,” she joked.

I grinned like a doofus, burying my nose in her hair. “You love it.”

She beamed. “Maybe I do.”

I slid my hands around her, squeezing her in my arms. “Pain in my ass.”

My phone chimed, breaking our moment. I pulled it from my breast pocket to see a message from Nathaniel.

William’s here. Get your ASS to the hotel pronto.

Eden looked at the text and then up at me. She cleared her throat. “Let’s get this show on the road. Get your shit together, Winthrop.”

I shook my head. “Always with that mouth.”

* * *

I hadn’t seen William since I’d punched him in his office. He didn’t know I’d married Eden or where I’d been for months. The less he knew, the easier it would be to get him to confess. During our silent drive over to the event, I tried to go over the plan in my head as many times as I could before my head burst.

We pulled up to the hotel, but only Eden climbed out of the limo. I told the chauffeur to drive around for a while. Now all I had to do was wait for Charles’s text that they were ready to sneak me in. The Feds had coiled a wire around my chest beneath my button-up shirt. All that was left was to get the fuckwad to say he’d done those shady deals out loud.

Ping. My phone went off.

Come to the catering entrance.

“Please drive around to the back; there’s a catering entrance,” I called out to the driver.

“Sure thing, Mr. Winthrop,” he verified.

Moments later we were at the back of the hotel. “Thanks,” I said before exiting the car.

“Just call when you need me to come get you, sir,” he insisted.

Charles was waiting for me at the back entrance, holding open the door. “Get your ass in here.”

I quickly entered the kitchen with all its delectable aromas, Charles marching ahead. No one noticed us, continuing their chopping and ladling without missing a beat. My chaotic thoughts bounced around like fucking jumping beans.

When we’d made it to the doors just outside the ballroom, Charles stopped so abruptly I nearly collided into him. He pivoted. “He’s had about a half bottle of scotch.”

“I don’t know how you managed it, but good.”

“Your wife is going lure him back there.” His pointer finger was sharply angled in the direction of a secluded hall to the left.

My heart sank a bit. I knew Eden could handle anything, but I never wanted her to face that despicable disgrace of a human. She, of course, vowed she’d have a role in bringing the bastard down. I nearly snorted thinking of how she shouted at me for nearly an hour, insisting she could do this and claiming it was the only way we’d get him alone. Of course, as usual, she was one hundred percent right.

I heard a loud thud from the other end of the corridor, and it jolted me from my thoughts. A loud voice grumbled, “You lil’ slut. I knew y-you’d come back. Have ya finished with my son yet?”

I wanted to run up and knee my prick of a father in the balls so hard his voice would rise a few octaves.

“Yes. I need a real man.” Eden’s voice was sweet as sin but laced with lethal poison. He’d never notice because he’d drunk himself into a stupor.

Another thud. This time closer, louder. He’d slammed into the wall as he walked. “Why do ya need my Jameson when you coo hab me?” William slurred.

They were in my line of sight, finally. My mouth twitched and my nostrils flared. The raging heat in my veins pounded into my ears. “Hello, William.”

He stared at me, eyes shinier than glass. “Who da fuck leh you in?” he spat.

“No ‘Nice to see you son?’” I mocked.

He slapped at the air in a dismissive gesture. “Leeeeb!” he shouted.

“No.”

He stumbled, trying to get closer to where I stood. When he was two feet away, he banged his fist into the wall and Eden nearly jumped. “Wha do you want you ungreahful lil’ shit?”

I adjusted the knot of my tie. “I want the company,” I said in a clear, even tone.

William let out a full-bellied laugh that came straight from the depths of his black soul. “Dis is my company. I’d never leh you hab it.”

Eden winked at me before turning around to leave. I lowered my voice, stepping closer to my father. “If you don’t give it willingly I’ll take it from you.”

“It’s mine! You don’t deserve to run what is mine!”

“What have you ever done to deserve it? Huh?” I paused before continuing, “Frame your son for all the city officials you bribed?”

I held my breath for his answer. I prayed he’d be stupid enough to fall for this. He certainly was arrogant enough to think himself invincible. Or maybe he never dreamed I’d turn him in. The adrenaline pumped in my blood, my hands shook, and my tie felt so constricting I wanted to vomit. Say it, dammit!

He wobbled two steps, standing only an inch from me now. William yanked my lapels. “Who da fuck do you think you are? I’d frame you, blame you, frow you under a bus! I—I would do any fuuuucking thing to keep ma company!”

“Like paying off anyone and everyone on the zoning board?” I probed, egging him on.

He squinted and then chuckled an eerie laugh. “I’d do that and much, much worse.”

I blinked. Holy fuck. A wave of disgust rolled in my stomach. Examining his wrinkly, freckled hands, I swallowed back the urge to punch him. Again.

In the most even tone I could gather, I said, “I told you if you didn’t give me the company willingly I’d take it from you.”

William released my lapel and mumbled, “Mine.”

As the last syllable slipped past his lips, a team of uniformed men came running down the hall, each one shouting a different command.

“Hands up!” the first one barked.

“Don’t move!” his partner rattled after.

“Put your hands where I can see them! Now!” the last one snarled in a jarring bellow.

The first sigh of relief came out in a huff. The hell we’d endured was irrevocably over. All I could think of was Eden: my brave, beautiful, sassy wife who was waiting for me outside. We could finally begin our life together, side by side.

Co-CEOs.

Has a nice ring to it.