Two Can Play (Celeste and Dominic) novel Chapter 475

And then I remembered the day Sparrow threw that contract at me, asking me to be his wife for one year.

It had been a chance. A real chance, the kind so many people would do anything to get. Even though the marriage would have been fake, that one year would have given me a different standing in the eyes of the world. Back then Tasha did not really know Sparrow. But I did. I had done my research on him long before I ever knocked on his door, and I knew exactly what his name was worth.

The truth was, I had wanted to accept it. God help me, I had wanted to say yes, because I was so tired, so unbearably tired of fighting with nothing but my own two hands, and one year of his protection would have been the easiest life I had ever been offered. But then I looked at Tasha, and I remembered that Big Bryan was still alive, still out there, still breathing. I did not know about Sparrow's plans to get rid of him back then. Sparrow had promised he would take care of Bryan, but I had no idea how long that would take, and the not knowing terrified me.

If I married Sparrow, I would be protected. But what about Tasha? No one would know her. Bryan could come after her whenever he pleased. He could take her away, sell her off to those disgusting men the way he had always planned, and she would not survive it. But if Tasha married Sparrow, she would carry his name. She would have his protection. Even Big Bryan would think twice before laying a hand on Sparrow's wife.

That was the only reason I handed her the contract. So Tasha would be protected. So she would be respected. So that for one year, at least, she would have a good life, and then, when it was over, we could both start over.

I had given up literally everything for that girl. And today she had slapped me and called all of it pretence. She had looked at a lifetime of love and sacrifice and seen a web I had spun to trap her. Tasha believed the worst about me. How could she think that way? And what exactly had she gone looking for in Sparrow's room that had made her come out believing I had orchestrated her beating?

So many thoughts churned through my head, but the feeling underneath them all was simple and it hurt worse than the slap. Betrayal. I did not expect anything else from her. I never asked Tasha for anything in this life. Just a little trust. Was that too much to ask?

"I'm a fool, Scarlett. I'm stupid. I'm useless. An idiot. How could I raise my hand to you?"

"Stop it." I grabbed her wrists before the next slap could land. "Tasha, stop."

She raised her face to me, and the tears were rolling freely down her cheeks, her whole body wracked with sobs, shaking so hard I could feel it through her hands. "I'm so sorry, Scarlett. I don't know what I was thinking. I don't know what came over me. How could I raise my hand to you? Of all people. Please, hit me back. Hit me back or my mind won't be at ease. I won't feel better until you hit me back. Please, Scarlett. Please forgive me. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that to you. I shouldn't."