At my husband's promotion party to CEO, I accidentally saw my sister Thea's leg rubbing suggestively against his suit pants. She was in a mini skirt with sheer black stockings showing off her slim legs. Ane me? As a 34-year-old stay-at-home mom, I was stuck in a conservative, oversized coat to a
My heartbeat thunders in my ears. Every inch of my skin touching his warms pleasantly, and so do my cheeks, once I realize how long I’ve been staring. I push against this man’s rock-hard chest, but he doesn’t loosen his hold. “Let me go,” I say once, and then again louder, to be heard over the p
Miles complies at once. Crashing our lips together, he easily coaxes my mouth open and licks his tongue inside. He hobbles over to the bed, then slowly lowers me down onto it, all without breaking our kiss. We come up for air a moment, and use that time to reposition ourselves. I elbow my way up t
“Tell me everything,” Cynthia says as she bursts like a whirlwind through my front door. Garnar left for work with zero explanation about his reasoning for neither of us to go to Father’s golf event. I was so annoyed, that I needed someone to vent to. Two minutes into a phone conversation, Cynthia
“Esther Owens, is that you?” Paige asks through the phone. “It’s Esther Graham, remember? I’m married to Garnar Graham.” Paige made this same mistake every time I spoke with her. Owens is my maiden name. Paige didn’t know me back before I was married, but her closeness to my father always lends
I duck back around the corner before Miles can notice me. When I heard the Hamilton name, I thought it was a coincidence. Even now, having seen with my own eyes, I couldn’t quite believe my eyes. How can a representative be a call boy? Or… is this all some kind of horrible misunderstanding? God,
Garnar’s face grows progressively redder, so red in fact, that he resembles a cherry tomato. Miles, meanwhile, boyishly grins. “Surely you know which of these women is your wife?” Garnar glances from Thea to me and back again. It’s kind of fun, watching him squirm. People tend to get under his s
A cold sweat breaks out in the back of my neck. I have no idea why Miles is calling me out like this. Could it be the check? I offended him so much that now he’s taking it out on my husband. But surely he overheard Cynthia talking about how Garnar wants an open marriage. Does he think a happy wife
I can’t run away with the girls, and not just for the campaign. It would traumatize them to be on the run, and when we’re caught, I would lose them forever. I need to think. There has to be a legal way to protect them from Edward Zimmer. God, I wish Cynthia was back from her vacation. I need a f
Somehow, despite the fear and anger quaking through me, I manage to get the girls home to safety. The moment I usher the girls into the house, and they sit down to do their homework, I go into a separate room to call Garnar. Blessedly, he actually answers this time. I don’t even hear his terrible
“I won’t,” he says. “I’ll never promise that.” At once, I’m endeared and annoyed. I love that he prioritizes me, but I hate that he doesn’t see how important his own career is in comparison. I’m just one woman. He’s about to lead the entire nation. He can’t give that up… for me. But there’s not
From beside me, Miles can easily see the paper. Yet, kind as he is, he doesn’t say one single word. “I stole from the corner store one too many times,” I explain. “I can’t fault the owner for finally trying to teach me a lesson.” Miles nods. “And the arson…?” “Attempted,” I clarify. “It was a
“You can tell us anything,” they would say, but the moment one of the girls tried to tell her teacher what was happening back at the orphanage, the girl was given detention for lying. Edward was called, to be made aware of the situation. Back at the orphanage, that girl wasn’t allowed to leave her r
The ad was vague, but threw enough shade at me for some of it to certainly stick. What a low blow, coming after me, using me and my past against Miles. As the ad ends and the regular news coverage returns, Miles mutes the television, throws the remote onto the couch, and storms toward his desk. “I
The next morning, the results are clear. Miles’s poll numbers are already starting to dive. Pundits debate back and forth, but the general consensus is that Edward won the debate. To many, Miles’s outburst was unwarranted and a sign of his youth and inexperience. The mood at campaign headquarters
Using his body to pin me down now, he doesn’t need to hold me down with his hand. He moves it down, over one of my own instead. We lace our fingers together and I hold on for dear life. It takes everything in me not to moan or scream or cry his name. He’s giving it to me so good, my whole body i
While everyone is in a state of shock, Miles turns away from Edward and storms off the stage. When he reaches me, he grabs my hand and drags me along behind him. We don’t slow, not to speak to the reporters waiting backstage. Not even to speak to the aides on our side, who are ready and waiting to h