Read Online Johnson Family 2: Perfect by Delaney Diamond - Free Book Online Page B

hangings, even furniture remained that she’d chosen. How could he live here with all of these reminders of her and their failed marriage?
    Because in his eyes, their marriage hadn’t failed.
    Her confusion gave way to the anger that had prompted this visit. He hadn’t removed anything because he’d had every intention of forcing her to come back. By any means necessary.
    With her anger freshly nourished by thoughts of Cyrus’s manipulative tactics, Daniella started once again toward her destination.
    At the end of the quiet corridor, she flung open the door and slammed it behind her, happy to have the element of surprise on her side. Cyrus paused in the middle of pacing behind his desk, tension ball in hand.
    For a fleeting second her heart tripped. This was the third time she’d seen him within a short period, and the additional contact was doing strange things to her nerves. So was the fact he didn’t have on a suit jacket and looked particularly stylish and attractive wearing a pair of wide suspenders over his white shirt. Tiny vibrations filled her stomach. He’d always looked so damn good in his suspenders—downright delicious, in fact—and this time was no different.
    Damn him.
    “We need to talk. Now ,” she said. She marched forward and slammed down the correspondence Roland had dropped off. “What is this?”
    Cyrus carefully set the ball on the desk and bent over the phone. “Gentlemen, we’ll have to postpone this conversation.”
    Her cheeks flushed hot, and she allowed herself a brief moment of contrition. She hadn’t known he was in the middle of a meeting when she barged in.
    “I have a hysterical woman in my office and this may take some time to resolve. On Monday I’ll have my secretary contact you to reschedule our meeting.” He hit a button and turned off the speaker.
    Daniella bristled at the disparaging remark he used to describe her. She’d show him hysterical if that’s what he really wanted.
    “What is this?” She jabbed a finger at the wrinkled letter she’d dropped on his desk.
    He slid it toward him and scanned the contents. “Looks like a dismissal letter,” he said.
    “ Your dismissal letter. You bought a majority interest in BoldMine, Inc. and fired Roland. How could you? He’s worked hard for years to get this company launched.”
    Cyrus folded his arms across his chest, the movement bringing attention to his hard pecs. Was his chest bigger? Even his biceps looked larger.
    “He did such a good job of selling the company at dinner the other night, I have no doubt I made the right decision to invest in BoldMine.”
    “All of a sudden you’re interested in inventory software?” Daniella demanded. His personal investments tended toward real estate and businesses that complemented his family’s businesses.
    “You know I have a diverse portfolio.”
    “It’s not that damn diverse. Don’t patronize me, Cyrus. Your investment had nothing to do with diversifying your portfolio. You wanted to destroy his life.”
    He sat down and rested his hands on the cushioned arms of the chair. Leaning back, his expression turned indolent, uncaring. “Destroy his life? You’re being a bit melodramatic, aren’t you?”
    “If anyone’s being dramatic, it’s you. Those were your words three years ago, remember? And you followed through. For no good reason, you had Roland dismissed from a company he founded.”
    “Maybe he should have stayed away from you.” His tone grated on her nerves.
    That was why no man within the entire city of Seattle would come near her or risk being seen with her. Not while she was still Cyrus Johnson’s wife. His power and influence was far reaching.
    The Seattle social circle for the rich and famous was small, and every other single man her age—even those who were older—steered clear because of her ties to Cyrus. None of them wanted to risk his wrath—yet another reason she needed to be free of him.
    As long as she remained his wife, she