Read Online Her Contract (Romance) by Lara West - Free Book Online

are a few specks of blood around the edge, making it obvious that someone has gone full-throttle on it.
    With a hefty sigh, I sit down on a nearby chair and scold myself for not telling that bitch Monique to get the hell out of my office the moment she walked in.
    What have I done?
    How could I have been so stupid?
    Anna probably won’t ever forgive me for this, but I’ll be damned if I don’t fight for her.
    She’s my future.
    The only one I want.
    I can feel it in my very core: Anna Monroe is ‘The One.’

Chapter 17

Anna
     
     
    On the subway, everything is blurry - the carriage, the people, and even my own hands in my lap.
    I barely hear the person sitting next to me when they ask, “Are you all right, honey?”
    Wiping my eyes, I turn to the dark-skinned lady who offers me a gentle smile. “I’m okay, thank you,” I tell her, but, of course, it’s a lie.
    I’m far from being okay. I’m hurt, confused, mortified and, worst of all, ashamed of myself for thinking that Lucas had changed.
    Playboy billionaires don’t ever change.
    Not even the ones you knew before they inherited their parent’s money.
    Even if some deep part of him loves me, it’s obvious he can’t keep his dick in his pants.
    Back in Vegas, he’d gone to see his “old friend” – a prostitute who not only has stellar looks, an A-grade body, and tits that even Dolly Parton would raise an eyebrow at, but who also sucked him off.
    And right before he came back to the penthouse, declared his feelings, and then screwed me into blissful oblivion.
    I mean is that messed up or what?!
    When the carriage stops at my platform in Brooklyn, I give a weak smile to the woman and hurry off.
    I just want to get home, change into my sweatpants and run until my body can’t take it anymore. There’s nothing like a good, long sprint to ease a problem in your life. Even if the relief only lasts an hour or so.
    Once I’ve finished power walking down the street and Dad’s house looms ahead, I jog the rest of the way. His blue Ford isn’t in the driveway. Good. He wouldn’t want to see his daughter like this. Not again. Not after how I was when that asshole, Jake, went from being Superman to bloody Lex Luthor.
    Up in my bedroom, I quickly get changed and slip on my black Asics sneakers. The same color as Lucas’s heart. The prick.
    But just as I bound down the stairs and make for the front door, it unlocks and opens.
    Oh, man. Excellent timing. Not.
    “Anna!” Dad says, pushing the door wide. His arms are packed full of groceries and I can only just see his head. Abigail Hartz stands right behind him, unknowingly demonstrating just how much her son’s smile resembles her own.
    “I thought you said you were going out tonight?” Dad adds. “With that gentleman friend of yours?”
    Keeping a level head, I look from Dad then Abigail then back to Dad again. “Yeah, um, something came up. So we decided to give it a miss,” I say, trying to sound sincere. “I was just on my way out for a run.”
    Dad nods, appearing to believe my story and walks past me in the direction of the kitchen.
    “Hello, Anna.” Abigail’s grin widens as she paces in after him. “I’m glad we caught you actually. There’s something your father and I have been meaning to ask you. Do you think you could spare a minute?”
    Even if I were the most horrible person in the world, I’d have a hard time letting Abigail down. She’s just so polite and unpretentious. Unlike someone else I know.
    This whole situation is weird. Here I am, speaking with my new secret boyfriend’s mom, only I don’t think I can call him my boyfriend anymore. Not after what I’ve just witnessed.
    So I guess she’s my ex-boyfriend’s mom now?
    Oh, and she’s also going to be my stepmom in just over a month.
    Just when I thought all the mind-games had gone on a sabbatical, it comes back early, and with a vengeance.
    “Um, sure,” I say with a reluctant shrug of my shoulders and follow her into