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CHAPTER 1

My tiedsteel into parts of me that were previously weak and bendable

So, even whendoard into a pool of ridiculousness, my brain knew better My brain planned for the inevitable, for the disappointment, and the disaster that lay ahead My brain made sure that there would be a parachute to catch me, to ensure that my weak heart wouldn’t doo hiha soft kiss on the back on it "Relax," hehtly to relieve the tension there

"Mrs Dumont!" The dark-skinnedforward and enthusiastically shakingIt’s a pleasure to esturing to Nathan "Mr Brantling, this is Nathan Dureeting ritual "Come, come Let’s step into lass cube, right off the lobby, with torn chairs in front of a crowded desk I had envisioned riding an elevator, walking through ornate halls and lobbies until we reached a large corner office I set down my purse and shift uncomfortably in the chair

"No can we help you this iven the fact that my name is the one on the account

"I’d like to transfer all of the funds inout the card that Nathan had given me two days prior, the account nu the bank?" This seems to be of concern to the man, whose eyebrows meet in a worried pinch above his brown eyes

Nathan leans forward in his chair "No, they will be transferred to my account, here at the bank"

"Very well" The man smiles "Is that the account nu it before hiins to type, his attention on the screen "I’ll need identification, preferably a passport, for both of you Mr Dumont, may I have your account nuht treh blue plastic, opening it slightly to seeconfidently back at me Jennifer Ann Dumont

I am Jennifer Ann Dumont I was born on June 6, 1984 I am Jennifer Ann Dumont

"Mrs Dumont, can you verify your social security nurateful for the ti Jennifer’s social Then I hand over the passport, aware of the change in power that is occurring right here, right now The weight of influence shifts with every dollar that transfers from Jennifer’s account to Nathan’s After this, I will be expendable, my purpose fulfilled No reason other than honor to keep his promises and care for my father

It is done entirely too quickly, the entire process taking less than five minutes 54,236,30159 transferred from one person to another faster than a twenty-dollar lap dance Nathan is unhappy with the aure "What’s wrong?" I whisper, scrawling a signature as I have been shown to do: a big, looping J followed by a swirl of squiggles, then the last na under his breath about the poor rate of interest and then signs the for other than elation on his face, seeing as he is suddenly fifty-fourBaha about our plans for the rest of the weekend

Nathan loops an ara quick kiss on my neck "We just came into town for this transfer"

The man frowns "You didn’t have to come here just for that If you have any transfers in the future, please know that we can easily handle that over the phone, provided that you fax or email us your identification docuently on my hand, and we move toward the door "I may have wanted to steal a few hours of her in a bikini"

"That I can understand," theand s, we step from the bank and onto the sidewalk, the flavor and sounds of Nassau all around us As the doors close, it is like a weight lifted It is done; we have escaped unscathed The rips ht

"Are you happy?" I ask, holding up a hand against the glare of the sun

"Ecstatic" He bea down to kisshis ar a squeal to leaveme The limo, this one a small improveesturing with his hand "After you, Mrs Du atinto the car and waiting for his heat to join h the shops of don, filling the car with shopping bags, and eating lunch oceanfront at Fish Fry, a colorful strip of local eateries In full view of the paparazzi, Nathan is the picture of a perfect husband, purchasing every ite me sweetly over fried conch and plantains We walk into the hotel at four, dropping our bags inside the suite’s front door, our hands on each other before the door even clicks shut

He lifts s around his waist and carriesa frantic battle of ownership When he bends, settinga moment to study his face so close to mine His thick brows rest perfectly above dark blue eyes, the color of deep water and just as dangerous, rihtly burnt, evidence of our ti his All-American perfect bone structure Those lips -- full, pink, kissably irresistible I reach up, needing hi confirmation that he is, in fact, here with me That he is, indeed, mine in this one moment of time I wrap my arms around his neck and pull hi It can s that are not real It can seduce your mind and lead it blindfolded to the cliff that will be its de andup for air in between soft caresses with his asp, I arch, I dive I’h to think that it has been lust this entire ti and begging for ad a bed and conversation with this beautiful specimen of a , allowing the scary thing called love to work its way in

The afternoon sun is streaas inside ives a few final thrusts, his thighs treainst me as he buries hias my li beside y to roll over and curl up against his hard body He her untilrhyth and secure There, with his hand tracing a soft pattern on my nad back, I sleep

I wake up to a di soft awareness over the roo over the space The crashing waves give the e presence I lay there for a ht be I have a faintme back down, the soft warmth of a blanket pulled overthe blanket back and standing,a note on the bedside table, my cell on top of it