Chapter 18

Jonathan

“Is there a reason why I just received a call about you assaulting a man in a hospital bathroom?” Milton walked into my office. “Please tell me that’s a joke.”

“I didn’t mean to break his nose. Only his jaw.”

“Well, thank god you broke his ribs and his clavicle bone, too. I’m sure they were feeling quite neglected in the brawl.”

“I already paid his hospital bill, and that includes post-therapy treatment. It’s been over a week. Is he trying to sue?”

“Damn right he’s trying to sue, Jonathan! He’s a lawyer! What the fuck did you think was going to happen?!”

I shrugged. “I’ll take care of it. Is there anything interesting you want to talk about today?”

He handed me a folder. “Here are the stock options that will be changed over to your wife’s name. I’ve already added her as an accessor to all of your personal accounts and she’ll gain full access the day your marriage license is approved...Full access...to all of your money...All of your—”

“Anything else?”

“Yes.” He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to me. “Congratulations. It’s a rare pen—just in case you change your mind over the next few days...There’s also a real gift in there for your wife to be. I like her more than I like you.”

“Thank you very much. I’ll see you at the wedding.” I laughed as he walked out of my office.

Just as I was getting ready to follow suit, Corey came in and slammed the door shut, narrowing his eyes at me.

“Yes?” I narrowed my eyes right back. “Is there a problem, Mr. Walters?”

“Yes. There is a fucking problem.”

“That’s a very loaded sentence, don’t you think?”

“Greg is not going to be the best man at your wedding, Jonathan. I am. And if you have a problem with that—”

“I do have a problem with that.”

“Greg isn’t your best friend.”

“Greg isn’t sleeping with my little sister.”

“Neither am I.” His eyes turned to slits. “I like Hayley—a lot. Hell, I might even love her—I don’t fucking know yet because I don’t even know what that word means, but it’s different with her. She’s not like the other women I’ve been with.”

“Other women you’ve been with total or other women you’ve been with this year? You’ve fucked over fifty women in the past nine months.”

“I know that.”

“Does she?”

He didn’t answer, but the look in his eyes said it all.

“I’m not Hayley’s guardian anymore,” I said. “I can’t tell her what to do or who not to date, but you’ve known her for years. You protected her right there with me some of those years and now you...Surely you can see why I would have a problem with her entertaining the man who previously promised to A) Never commit to one woman B) Fuck as many women as possible and C) Live life with no attachments. Forever. You want me to believe that you’ve changed overnight? Because of a few heart to heart conversations with my sister? Because she didn’t hop in bed with you right away like all the other women did?”

“Jonathan...” He looked sincere. “I’ve never not told you about a woman I was with because I didn’t care. I’ve never cared about any of them or their feelings. I care about Hayley. I always have...”

A thick silence hung in the air between us, and as much as I wanted to beat him like I’d beat Ryan, I couldn't do it. I didn’t want to admit it, but I had seen a change in Hayley and she was the one that mattered most in this equation.

Sure, she was still a terrible employee—always had been, but she seemed happier now. And she wasn’t fake laughing and smiling like she usually did just to get me to leave her alone. Her happiness seemed genuine for a change.

I still can’t believe this shit...

“Corey...” I kept my voice firm. “If you break my little sister’s heart, if you are responsible for one fucking tear that comes out of her eyes, I will have you murdered. And then I’ll really go to work on you...”

He blinked. Then he smiled. “How long have you been working on that speech?”

“All week. Too strong of an emphasis on the ‘really’?”

“No, that part was good.” He sounded impressed. “It was the last clause that threw me off. Say it a little slower next time so it sounds more threatening. It was a little too fast for me.”

“I was serious about having you murdered.”

He nodded and walked over to me, shaking my hand. “I won’t hurt her. Now, where is the best man’s box for this weekend?”

“It should be at your house already. Angela had it delivered this morning.”

**

Claire and I walked around the hotel’s outdoor garden, hand in hand. It was the day before our wedding, and even though we'd been with each other all day, we’d hardly said a word.

Earlier that morning we’d sampled the final sweets selection from Stella’s, listened to a few short songs from the full orchestra we’d hired, and driven around the newly built wedding venue.

She’d wanted to go inside and take a look at the reception room—to see how they were setting it up, but I wouldn’t let her; I wanted that to be a surprise.

“Do you think they’re going to remember what I said about the flower petals? How I want them to look on the aisle?” she asked.

“I’m pretty sure they’ll remember.” I pulled her close.

“And what about the chair sashes? I specifically showed them how I wanted them to be tied, but it looked like they weren’t paying attention to me.”

“That’s probably because it was your tenth time telling them. They’re professionals.”

She sighed. “I just want it to be a perfect wedding...”

“It will be.” I bent down to kiss her lips, but she was yanked away from me.

“That’s enough.” Helen scoffed. “God, you two kill me. You’ll see each other at the wedding. And then you’ll have all eternity. It’s time for your spa treatments, Claire.”

“Right now?” She blinked.

“Yes. Now.” Helen tugged her away from me and she blew me a kiss.

I smiled and blew one back at her before turning away in the other direction—impatiently waiting for tomorrow.