C2, PT. 1 (Patreon)

“Jasmine.”

A hand gripped her arm, making her jolt and open her eyes. She stared up at Roth as a tear slid down her cheek.

“It’s just a dream,” he said.

She shrugged off his touch as she sat up and swiped at her tears. It wasn’t a dream. It was a memory. One she hadn’t thought of in decades that her subconscious unearthed from the archives. Ariana hadn’t understood Colette’s reaction that night because Colette never confided in her about what was happening. Finding Warren alone with three young girls must have been Colette’s worst fear come to life. Was that the night Colette decided to strike a deal with Warren to protect her sisters from him? Jasmine clenched her teeth as her stomach lurched.

As young as she’d been, she’d sensed something was wrong, yet she hadn’t said anything. Even though Colette would have denied it had she tried to bring it to light, she couldn’t help feeling guilty that she hadn’t tried. Especially now, when she realized how much her sister had sacrificed. She dropped her face into her hands and resisted the urge to scream in helpless frustration.

She couldn’t lose it here. Thousands of feet up in the air in Roth’s new jet with Johan, Mo, and a ridiculous amount of security present. Roth stood before her, so close she could feel his body heat. His cologne, a scent that should have soothed her, made her ill.

Why was he here? He should be at the Trentham Ball, making the most of this incredible opportunity. Tonight he’d been the honored guest of one of the most influential men in the world, granting Roth an all-access pass to the most sought after royals, politicians, and brilliant minds on Earth. Instead, he was here, escorting her to God knew where.

It had been a knee-jerk reaction to seek refuge in the mountains. Mountains signified solitude, and she needed that desperately. She needed away from the city, away from society. Away from Roth most of all, but he insisted on coming with her. She had no clue why. Curiosity? Some latent protective instinct that had been roused when she returned to the ballroom distraught, disheveled, and in tears? Her being upset was nothing new. In fact, just a few minutes before Warren shattered her world, Roth accused her of being too emotional and here she was, hours later, still crying. She tried to get a grip on her rioting emotions, but it was impossible with him just inches away.

She’d already been metaphorically on her knees from the emotional blows she’d taken from Roth and Tucker Baldwin when her father’s crony cornered her in the library. Warren saw straight through their romantic propaganda to the cold-blooded business deal it really was. Warren accurately surmised that she had sacrificed herself to save Hennessy & Co.

Everyone benefitted from their marriage of convenience. Her sisters got to keep their dignity and reputations intact and, in the future, would regain full control of the company. Marriage publicly allied Roth with her family, which solidified him in the American business world and society, two things her father had denied him seven years ago. Her brothers-in-law got first dibs on business opportunities through Roth. Their collective net worths were going to skyrocket.

But, what did she gain from their union?

The one hundred million dollar settlement Roth wrote into their contract was immaterial, since she inherited three times that from her father. Why had she sacrificed a year of her life for a company she had no financial stake in and for money she didn’t want or need?

The answer was humiliatingly obvious. She suspected everyone had seen it right from the start. That’s why Lyle tried to talk her out of it—he knew she was setting herself up for an epic fall.

She loved him.

If any other man had taken control of her father’s company and offered her a deal, she wouldn’t have considered marrying him. She accepted because it was Roth. Despite their past, despite all the questionable things he’d said and done since their reunion in Colorado, she hadn’t been able to resist the opportunity to be with him again, even temporarily.

Roth never concealed the fact that he had other agendas—revenge, alliances, financial and social aspirations... Still, she clung to the vain hope that those quiet, intimate moments meant something to him too. That maybe, they might actually have a happily ever after.

Warren mutilated her hopes and forced her to see her life as it was, not what it could be. His suspicion that Roth deliberately dressed her inappropriately to tarnish her image even further before casting her aside cut to the core. The fact that she couldn’t dismiss the possibility because Roth was totally capable of doing something so petty and vengeful made her realize what a fool she’d been.

Warren knew Roth wouldn’t keep her. Knew that soon, she would be adrift again. Warren suspected she’d be as desperate for attention as her mother had been, willing to accept favors from anyone, even her father’s peers she’d known since she was a baby. And since she’d proved she was following in her mother’s footsteps by selling her body to Roth, they wanted their turn.

Her stomach rocked with self-loathing. What the fuck was wrong with her? She really was a whore—selling herself to a man who had always seen her as just a means to an end. This morning, he made it crystal clear that he viewed her as nothing more than paid staff.

We made a deal. You agreed to fulfill all roles as my wife for the year that I own you. That means when I want you to fuck me, you fuck me. When I want you to travel with me, you pack your fucking bag. And when I tell you to attend an event with me, you do so, no questions asked.

The multi-million dollar diamond on her left hand was just part of her uniform, nothing special. His parting, I expect to get my money’s worth, Jasmine. Don’t let me down, was a reminder that she had to perform to his satisfaction or their deal was off.

Despite his cruelty, she played her role and did her best to guide him through the social minefield at the Trentham Ball. But, by the end of the night, he realized what everyone else already did—that she was the defective Hennessy. I gave you too much credit, believing you could play this role as well as your sisters. It’s no wonder Maximus didn’t bring you to many events. You’re a loose cannon.

She sacrificed everything for the same man twice. A man who never proclaimed to love her. A man who saw her as an itch to work out of his system. He never allowed her to forget their deal or deadline.

She’d always used hope as a buffer against reality, but Warren smashed it to bits, leaving her with nothing to shield her from the cold, bitter truth. She was still that little girl begging to be loved, but no one ever had. Not her father, mother, or the man she’d married twice.

**This is a raw draft of Bitter Sins. Please do not share or distribute.

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