Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

thought they could walk all over her and still get her to show up to help them out of a bad situation.
And they were right.
Obviously, I don’t say that.
She’s still like that, and I don’t want to cure her of it. That tendency to forgive is the only reason
she’s sitting at the table calmly discussing this like we’re having a minor marital tiff rather than
running screaming to the police station with all she knows.
Which is a lot. That night at Purgatory she couldn’t have done much to me, but with all she
knows now… well, that would be hard to get out of.
I don’t acknowledge that she holds some power over me now. I’m sure she knows, but she’s not
the type of person who needs to flaunt it.
“Oh, I bought you something. Forgot to pick it up, though. I’ll send Hollis to get it before dinner.”
She levels me a look that tells me she is not amused. “This is not the time for presents.”
“It’s always time for presents.”
“No. This is the part where you promise not to arrange anymore murders on my behalf.”
I shake my head. “Not going to do that. I will promise not to kill Charity, though. It’s important
you know that’s true, because the things she has been digging up… If your friend’s not careful, she
will get herself killed. Nick won’t show lenience to nosy new lawyers who start poking around his
business. He can’t. He hasn’t been boss for that long, he can’t have people thinking they can walk all
over him. Charity needs to stop playing Rambo and get her little ass out of my business.”
Fear flashes across her face, but I can see that she believes me. “I’ll tell her,” she says
nervously. “She’s not trying to be nosey, she just wants to protect me.”
“I know.” I add an extra dash of compassion on because I’m grateful as hell she believed me so
easily. It’s the truth, but with all that just came out, I thought it might be harder to convince her. “You
don’t have to talk to her about it. I will.”
Hallie frowns. “You?”
I nod. This is where I have to lie to her. I don’t like it, but it has to be done.
“I’m going to tell her about the blackmail.”
Hallie’s eyes widen. “What? No, Calvin, you can’t. If she knows you’re blackmailing me—”
I shake my head, interrupting. “That’s not the part I’m going to tell her. If you want to, that’s your
prerogative. I wouldn’t because then she’ll really get the idea that you’re in a bad situation. I’m just
going to present the blackmail to her and… well, use it on her. Obviously, I’m not blackmailing you to
be here anymore. We’re in love and having a baby, it’s all real now.”
“In love,” she echoes dimly.