HIS STRIPPER, HIS WIFE novel Chapter 121

Chapter one hundred and twenty one

Adrian

“Why do you think there was something that I threatened her with?” I said, doing my best offended voice, but this time it clearly wasn’t landing, because Bianca just stared at me like she could see straight through the performance.

“It’s either you tell me or you might have to be on your way,” she said, arms folded tight across her chest, standing guard in her own doorway.

“Now you are threatening me,” I said, and I couldn’t stop the smile pulling at my mouth, because watching her try to look intimidating was doing nothing for my ability to take the threat seriously.

“Yes, and I am admitting it,” she said, completely unbothered. “So did you threaten Amanda or not?”

“Okay, I didn’t,” I said. “I just told her I wanted to apologize to you and…”

“No you didn’t say that,” she cut in immediately, one eyebrow arched so high it nearly disappeared into her hairline, she looked really funny.

“Ahh.” I sighed, because there was no point lying to a stubborn woman who apparently had access to my soul’s Wi–Fi password.

“Fine. I told her I knew your branch manager, not the casual kind of know. The kind that has a say in who gets hired and who gets shown the door on a random day with a cardboard box.”

“Okay, fair enough,” she said.

“Are you angry?” I asked, bracing myself, already rehearsing an apology in my head just in case.

She shook her head slowly, “No, no. I just wanted to confirm if Amanda would fold that easily under pressure. Good to know that I am her breaking point, I’ll remember that next time she tries to tease me.”

“Oh, she didn’t fold right away,” I said, feeling strangely defensive on Amanda’s behalf now. “It took me to go over the edge.”

“Good you didn’t threaten her job outright,” she said, rolling her eyes the usual way she does.

“I wouldn’t go that low,” I said, she didn’t respond to that, just stood there studying my face like she was deciding whether that sentence deserved a follow up interrogation.

Apparently it didn’t, because she stayed quiet, arms still crossed, a few careful steps away from me, keeping her distance like it was some kind of protective spell she’d cast on herself.

“So,” I said, straightening up. “I want to say a few things, and I need you to actually listen instead of interrupting me every five seconds, which, for the record, is a hobby of yours.”

“No promises,” she said, and I could have sworn she was fighting back a smirk.

I ignored that. “I’m not marrying anyone, I don’t plan to marry anyone, I’m not doing that to you. You are the only woman I’ve been with in a long while, and I want it to stay that way for now. Whatever you keep seeing splashed across every gossip page in this country is my family trying to make an inheritance thing easier for themselves.”

“Okay,” she said.

I blinked. “What, that’s it? That’s all you have to say after that entire monologue?”

“Yeah, that should be enough,” she said, shrugging one shoulder.

“Okay so will you move closer then?” I asked, testing my luck but she shook her head.

“Then you clearly still have more to say,” I said.

“No, it’s alright,” she said.

“Confirm that by moving closer,” I said, folding my arms now too, mirroring her, because two could play the stubborn game.

I stood, pulled off my jacket and dropped it on the bed. “I might not want to drag you into the scary parts of my life,” I said, standing close enough now that I could feel her breath change, “but I want you to know I’ve got you and ignore the noise, ALL OF IT!”

“Can I stay in your beautiful room tonight?” I asked into her ear, going for my best pleading voice.

“Why should I make you stay?” she asked, pulling back just enough to look up at me, arms still loosely around my waist now.

“I give the best cuddles,” I said, ” excellent customer satisfaction ratings. Five stars and most importantly, it’s the weekend tomorrow, so there’s plenty of time for you to confirm those ratings by yourself.”

“Adria…” her voice trailed off.

“So?” I asked again, pulling back just enough to look at her properly.

“Okay, okay, you can stay,” she said finally, “but don’t move funny and keep your hands to yourself. My sister can hear loud sounds through these walls, and I refuse to be interrogated over breakfast.”

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