Reborn to Dodge the Bad Marriage novel Chapter 208

Chapter 208 On Speakerphone

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Finished

It hit Mandy that Adrian might actually dump her. Being reborn was her one chance to change her life, and she couldn’t let him walk away!

She thought fast. Without a word, she held out the last butterscotch candy, her eyes brimming with tears, and looked up at Adrian, quiet and hurt.

Adrian looked at her, then at the candy in her palm, and it was like being back on that rainy night.

His hand was still raised. He wrestled with himself for a long moment, repeating the same words in his head. Mandy’s the girl who saved me that day. Whatever else she’s done, she’s never been bad to me. She didn’t mean what she said. I can’t hit her again.

In the end, the debt he owed her won out, and Adrian lowered his hand.

But that line about one bastard having another had lodged in him like a splinter, right in his sorest spot.

He didn’t take the candy. “We both need to cool off.”

When he turned to go, Mandy panicked and grabbed the hem of his shirt. “Ace…” she choked out.

Adrian looked down coldly at her hand and didn’t say a word. Somehow, his silence was even scarier.

Mandy had meant to beg him not to go, but she could feel how dangerous he was right now. So she changed tactics. She tried to press the candy into his hand and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

Adrian still said nothing. He pushed her hand away and walked off.

Mandy didn’t dare go after him. All she could do was watch him leave. She squeezed the candy he’d refused, her mouth still full of blood, and ground out through her teeth, “Nora!”

Victor had slapped her today, and so had Adrian, all because of Nora! She wasn’t letting Nora get away with it. She was done waiting for the Westons to go bankrupt so she could watch Nora go down. She’d make Nora pay long before that!

*****

In the car, Julian kept his eyes on the road while Nora sat in the passenger seat, watching the scenery go by. Neither of them said a word.

Her phone pinged with a message from Ryder. He’d sent a few photos and a couple of videos.

She opened them one by one. There was Mandy getting blasted by kids with water guns, then falling flat and coming up with a mouth full of blood, then taking a slap from Adrian. The last one showed her limping through the park all alone, soaked like a drowned rat.

Nora burst out laughing and texted Ryder, “What happened? Was that you?”

Julian heard her laugh, bright and clear, and glanced over. She was holding her phone and smiling, completely relaxed.

Then, her phone rang, and Julian saw Ryder’s name on the screen.

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Chapter 208 On Speakerphone

Nora picked up with a smile, and Ryder asked, “So? Feeling better yet, Nora?”

Finished

She laughed. “I wasn’t upset in the first place. But watching Mandy get what’s coming to her definitely made my night.” Then, she asked, “Did you set that up?”

Ryder was leaning his tall frame against his sleek motorcycle. “Yep. She paid people to throw cake and bottles at you. Nobody messes with my favorite person in the world. I had to return the favor.

“But cake and wine on trash like her? That’s a waste of perfectly good snacks. Ditch water works better. At night, that stuff’s crawling with bugs. It’ll gross her out for days.”

Nora had to admit that was downright evil. “Next time, don’t do this behind my back. Bring me along. Isn’t it way more satisfying to kick her while she’s down in person?”

Ryder raised an eyebrow. “That’s exactly why I’m into you. You’re so bad!”

Nora didn’t know whether to laugh or roll her eyes. She glanced at Julian, who was getting colder by the second, and warned Ryder, “Cut the flirting. My husband’s right here.”

Ryder laughed. “Even better. That makes it more exciting.”

Julian slammed on the brakes, and the tires let out a piercing screech. A second later, he snatched the phone right out of Nora’s hand.

Nora stared at him in surprise.

Julian held her phone up and spoke into it, his voice low. “You think this is exciting, Mr. Kane?”

Ryder froze for a second at the cold, deep voice. Then, he flashed a cocky, wicked grin. “Oh, Mr. Weston. You’re there too.”

Nora could feel the chill coming off Julian, and the air in the car had turned heavy. She reached for the phone. “Julian, give me my phone back.”

Julian unbuckled his seat belt and kept the phone out of her reach. “Want something even more exciting, Mr. Kane?”

“Huh?” Ryder didn’t follow. “What?”

Julian put the call on speaker and set the phone down. Nora was halfway across the console, still reaching for it, so he cupped the back of her head and kissed her.

Nora made a muffled sound. The kiss came out of nowhere, and her eyes went wide. She stared at Julian, his face right up against hers, unable to believe it.

For a moment, she couldn’t even think, let alone react.

“Nora?” Ryder called through the phone, confused and worried. “Nora, are you okay?”

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