Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 160782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 804(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 804(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Joshua’s horrified face drops to his breakfast and I giggle. “Don’t you like bacon and eggs?” I ask.
He smiles. “Yes, of course.” He picks up his knife and fork and starts to pick at it.
I smile with my cutlery in my hands. “When was the last time you had a breakfast like that?”
He shrugs. “Probably five years ago.”
I frown. “Why?”
“I don’t like feeling like shit and how I train and what I eat determines that.” I smile and nod. Shit, I had better find some hard-core motivation somewhere and soon.
“Can you stay here again tonight?” he asks.
I frown. “Josh, I am ok at home. I have been having these nightmares all along and even if I were here, I wouldn’t wake Mum up anyway.”
His face drops. “Can you just humor me please?”
I smile and rub my hand up his leg as I remind myself, he is only being over the top caring. “Okay,” I sigh.
“Can you humor me?” I ask.
“On what?”
“Can you not cage fight anymore?” I need to stop him from fighting Jesten, and if it’s the last thing that I do. It can only end badly. He rolls his eyes as he finishes his mouthful. “Tash, we are on day one.” He holds his pointer up to accentuate his point. “Can you not start your shit, please? We have had this conversation before, and I am not giving up something that I love just because you perceive it as dangerous.” I smile goofily.
“What?” he asks.
“Are we on day one?”
He smirks and raises an eyebrow. “Yes.” I smile.
“So was yesterday negative one?”
He shakes his head as he breaks into a smile.
“No, yesterday was zero.”
I nod. “Right, so where were we a month ago?”
His eyes hold mine. “In the black hole. Now eat your break- fast.” I smile and shovel in a mouthful of food…loving day one!
Joshua
I walk into Ben’s room. “What do you want to see me about?” I ask. His nervous eyes flick to me. “I’ll call Murph.”
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“Murph, Stan’s here. Okay, see you soon.” He flips his phone shut.
I bet Max has resigned and they are telling me together. Good, I want him gone.
Adrian walks through the door with his laptop and smiles at me nervously. “Hi Stan,” he murmurs.
Adrian turns on his computer and then flicks the jug on while it boots up.
“Take a seat,” he says quietly.
“What for? Aren’t we going to the gym?” I ask.
“We’ve got a problem.” He opens an email and I read the words:
‘Contact me on mrsjones@hotmail.com or the wife gets the lot.’
Wife? I frown at the screen. “Who sent this?” I ask. Adrian shrugs.
“It was sent to the work email in LA.”
“Play,” I sigh.
He presses play and my stomach clenches. It is a vision of me and a woman. I can tell by the legs. I frown as I try to remember when this was. I sit back in my seat and run my pointer over my lip as I think. “When was this?” I ask.
Adrian’s nervous eyes flick to me. “Here in Australia.” “What?” I frown.
He points to the screen. “Here, see, it’s the house in Bondi. It’s the girl who told us the other night Natasha’s email, remember?”
My eyes widen in horror. I sit shellshocked as I watch myself get a drink and then walk up the stairs with her.
“What was your name again?” I ask.
“What do you want it to be?” she replies.
“My bedroom is this way…Natasha,” I answer.
I stand in a rush. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I scream at Ben as I point to the computer monitor. “Why wasn’t she searched for cameras? I thought she was lying the other night.”
He frowns uncomfortably. “I’m not sure,” he answers.
I start to pace as I run my hands through my head.
“Who’s the wife she refers to?” I ask, horrified.
“I’m guessing Natasha.” Adrian winces.
“What?” I scream. “Is this a joke? Why do I have security if they don’t check girls for cameras?”
Ben drops his head.
“Have you been in contact with her?” I ask Adrian. He nods solemnly.
“And?” I yell.
“She says she has film of the first night you were together
…three hours of footage.”
“What?” I punch the chair in anger.
Adrian and Ben jump at the bang. I start to pace again with my hands on top of my head.
“What does she want?” I snap.
“Five million dollars,” Adrian whispers.
“What?” I scream. They both stand silent and still.
“How long have you known about this?” I ask.
“Two days.” Adrian frowns. “We were trying to sort it before we told you.”
“What? Trying to sort out why my security is so shit?” I glare at Ben.
“Joshua, calm down, blaming someone is not going to help the situation,” Adrian says quietly.
“Oh really, what am I paying for? Tell me that. What is the rule of my fucking house?” I ask Ben.
He drops his head. “All women are checked for cameras.” “So why wasn’t she?”