I Forgot I Ever Loved You (Zoe and Hayden) novel Chapter 92

Instead—

Hayden threw the torn magazine onto the floorboards.

It was his habit; anything he had used and discarded was no longer worth keeping.

After playing so many tricks on him, Zoe should have been incredibly grateful that she was still allowed to stay by his side.

She watched as Hayden pressed his lips together. That thin, hard line was a clear sign he was at his absolute limit.

Anyone with an ounce of sense would know better than to poke the bear, but Zoe's eyes grew red. She couldn't understand why Hayden was driving Philip into a corner.

"Why did Philip ask me to come beg you?"

She couldn't fathom Hayden's motive for going after the Lynd family.

If it was solely because she had supposedly drugged and slept with him five years ago, that was ridiculous.

According to everyone around them, they were married and even had a four-year-old child.

Philip was Hayden's elder, too.

Why would he do this?

Hayden stared at Zoe's breathtaking face. It was this exact face that had looked at him with a pitiful, almost sacrificial devotion after he woke up from the drugs, claiming she had fallen in love with him.

He had to admit, based purely on her looks, the men in the city's elite circles who wanted to date her would form a line stretching all the way to France.

But he wasn't the type of man to pander to a woman just to satisfy what was between his legs.

Zoe's behavior these past few days had far exceeded what he could tolerate.

He figured his leniency had made her lose all sense of boundaries.

And now, it was time she thoroughly understood his rules.

"He even told me to—"

Zoe thought of the inappropriate, suggestive tone Philip had used.

When referring to her and Hayden, it sounded like he was talking about a transaction between a client and a cheap hooker.

Hayden watched her tear-filled eyes.

Zoe's chest heaved violently as her emotions ran high.

His hand rested on her waist, gently stroking. With just a few passes, his large palm measured the perfect ratio of her soft, narrow waist. Her incredibly long legs were just as alluring.

Zoe was furious. What exactly had he done to her over the last five years?

Their marriage didn't feel like a contract built on love; it felt like a transaction.

And a transaction Hayden was reluctant to be part of, at that.

Hayden pulled firmly, and Zoe tumbled right into his lap.

He stared down at her, his eyes quickly darkening with a thick, predatory lust that couldn't be disguised.

She had been with him a few times now, and whenever this happened, Hayden made absolutely no effort to hide his desire.

She pressed her hands against his chest, her voice trembling.

"Hayden, I'm trying to talk to you about something serious."

Hayden chuckled low against her ear.

"Mrs. Thorne, if you're going to be so proper, how are we supposed to negotiate?"