Merina let Conner take her back to the hotel when he felt confident. They’d purchased everything they needed. When they reached the hotel, the front desk clerk gave Conner a note at the front desk from his father. Gabriella and Lillian were there, and they’d joined forces. When he mentioned it to Merina, she rolled her eyes before she spoke. “Marvellous. I’m glad we’re leaving in the morning. Lillian and Gabriella working together against me. I won’t have any peace.” “You? Why would they go after you Meri?” Conner asked. He now called her Meri again after the confrontation at the police station. She looked at him and avoided swearing aloud. “Conner, my father got his release from jail with a minor fine. Joseph and Galen are still in jail. Unbeknownst to them, I’m the target and the cause of both men’s incarceration. They will see the involvement of my father and me. I will be their first target, not my father. Today Conner acted as her protector an

“I am not taking this lying down Lillian. Merina has somehow blackmailed her way back into Conner’s life or something. There’s no way they were married earlier. We would have heard about this before.” Gabriella said. She now paced her room. The hotel forced her to accept a downgraded room, because they’d had an earlier booking and needed the suite. “If we are talking about odd facts. Gabriella, what did Conner mean by Merina was seven steps ahead of everyone? Since when did Merina become a genius? Then he mentioned she’d done something with the money her mother gave her. Why haven’t I heard anything? It’s my first-time hearing about it. Lillian asked. She’d returned from confronting Conner with more questions than answers or actions. Both women were furious, and Merina was their target for their anger. “That’s my point. You must have dropped the ball. Ignored something she did or discounted something important.” Gabriella said. She waved her hand. T

Merina watched Conner step toward her the entire time they spoke. He didn’t touch her until he made his displeasure clear to her. Conner didn’t need to touch her; his mere presence held her in place. Merina’s memory of his hot command of her body and the erotic visuals he loved so much played in her mind. They were like a dirty private sex video and her body was there, aching for more. Her heart rate sped up and her breathing match it when she caught his scent. “Come on. You and I need a reminder of how its going to be between us. Merina, you aren’t in control anymore and you’re no longer abandoned. I won’t allow you to fall through the cracks.” “You won’t allow me to fall through the cracks. Conner, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” “Of course you don’t Merina. You’re protecting yourself from the disappointment your family has heaped on you. You don’t see you’re pushing everyone away before they can hurt you. Well, it’s too late to push me

He was right; he was. Conner had control of the situation and her. He held her hips in a viselike grip. She couldn’t straighten or move on his shaft. Conner controlled their marriage and relationship, even the purse strings right now. She never considered the source of the money. “Alright, we’ll try things your way Conner. Tell me what you want.” “I want you to stop your plans of revenge and focus on us. Our lives and marriage. Our future. Your father is the past. He’s just a minor character in our lives, and seldom present. He isn’t influential in our lives anymore. You are now an O’Keefe. I’m the man who matters to you. Listen to me. My life and yours have become entwined now for better or worse.” Merina whimpered. Her body ached with the need for him to continue his cock became a constant reminder of her desperate need to find her completion. “Alright, please, can we discuss this later? I can’t think straight with you like this. Can we finish this, Con

“I tell you Helena she’s crazy. The woman stalked Conner all the way here and forced him to marry her. Then she accused Galen of trying to rape her. He’s in jail.” Gabriella said. She pretended to cry over the phone to a friend she’d garnered during her time here. Helena Loen latched onto Gabriella, believing she would rise in the esteem of their social circle if everyone saw her hanging with Gabriella. “I thought your father was in jail.” Helen asked to clarify the facts. It seemed she couldn’t keep pace with Gabriella’s words. “He is. Conner’s assistant accused him of attacking her. Then she quit and left. I can’t get either one of them out of jail because I’m a woman. Galen’s mother is here, and she has a lawyer working on it. But it’ll take time. I don’t know if I can survive Conner’s exes.” She desired Helena to perceive her as the victim, deceived by a man with no heart, and a conniving home wrecker. Helena’s lack of interest made it diffic