Panicked, I sit up in a rush.“Four hours?!”
My head really hurts, and so does my lip. I reach into my purse to grab my phone.
Twenty missed calls.
Fifteen voicemails.
And ten text messages.
With my heart beating like a drum, I close my eyes momentarily and then open them to read the last text.
Hunter:Where the fuck are you????
“I have to go,” I rush, trying to balance myself upon standing up. “My boss is angry.”
Beau grabs my arm to help me, and despite my reluctance, his support helps me focus better to avoid collapsing.
“Tell him you had an accident and you stayed here. What’s the big deal?”
“I can’t tell him I’ve fallen asleep in another guy's bed,” I mumble.
Beau stares at me with tight eyes. “Why not?”
“It's unprofessional,” I lie.
“You’re fucking him,” Beau insinuates in almost a growl. “Is that it?”
“Beau … stop.”
“Does Lex know?”
I cross my arms with a pinched mouth. “What kind of a question is that?”
“It’s a very valid question, Alexa.” He paces the room, angered by the whole thing, which makes no sense. “It’s like you purposely go out of your way to hurt your family!”
“Excuse me?” I bellow. “I do not do that!”
“Yeah, then give me one good reason you’re fucking your boss. Of all the men you could have chosen, why him?”
I walk toward the door, opening it, but stop mid-step. “What I do is none of your business. As for my family. You have no idea.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Alexa. When it comes to your family, I’ve known them my whole life. Lex is like a father to me. He doesn’t deserve what you put him through. You need to wake up and realize your boyfriend will never replace the love of your father.”
My eyes are blazing as my muscles quiver. “Go to hell, Beau Romano. You know nothing about me.”
TWENTY-FOUR
HUNTER
“Are you listening, Mr. Cash?”
The voice over the phone fades out as I stand here staring out the window. From the thirty-second floor, the view is spectacular. I’ve always been fond of the city, never minding the hustle and bustle of the streets, but times call for a change.
This change is supposed to be a big one; new offices on the East Coast with expansion to The Caribbean in the next twelve months.
All these changes require substantial capital, something I assumed wouldn’t be a problem until Joseph Albright, my grandfather’s attorney, called to remind me of my side of the agreement.
“Hunter.” Joseph uses my name this time, breaking my thoughts. “I’ve already gone out of my way to overturn your grandfather's will regarding the childbearing clause. The money was not to be released until you were married, with, or expecting—a child. You assured me this would happen no later than twenty-four months after your nuptials. Time is running out, son.”