Descent (Black Heart Romance presents Heaven & Hell)

I roll my eyes and echo her own words back to her. “Spare me the monologue, please.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, full of attitude. “Is this the villain-hero showdown? Winner
takes Hallie?”
“No.” But I smile, liking her melodrama. “I take Hallie no matter what, and there are no heroes
here.” To emphasize my point, I place the Charity blackmail packet down on the table. The corner hits
the plate and knocks one of the tiny toasts onto the table. “See, that’s one of the glaring differences
between us.” I meet her gaze. “I know what I am. You? You’re a bit deluded.”
Laugh-scoffing at my audacity, she says, “I’m the deluded one?”
“Yes,” I say calmly, opening the folder so she can see the contents.
Her face falls instantly. Then it pales, and she sinks back down into the chair. I watch her
swallow, grabbing at the paper and pushing the top one aside to see the photograph underneath.
She cringes.
“Where did you get these?” she asks quietly.
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that I have them. That they exist in the first place.” I spread
out the photos so she can see the one beneath it. “As if it wasn’t bad enough to have sloppy sex with
your best friend’s moronic boyfriend…” I lift the piece de resistance—a copy of a medical form she
had to sign when she left the abortion clinic. “You didn’t know if it was his or Tyler’s, did you?”
Her eyes fill with tears. She swallows and glares up at me. “You’re a fucking bastard.”
“I know,” I say almost sympathetically. “Now, I don’t want to use any of this, but I will. I’ll
show Hallie everything—the texts, the pictures, the paperwork… I’ll show it all to her if you make
me to get you out of her life.”
She shakes her head miserably and angrily dashes away a tear that betrays her by falling.
“But I don’t want that. That will cause Hallie immense pain. She loves you, and I would like for
you to stay in her life because that’s what she wants.” I lean down over the table so she feels me near
and her gaze shoots back to me. “And I will always look out for Hallie.”
She sniffles and her nose twitches. She wants to be defensive, but she knows I have her nuts in a
vise.
I withdraw from my intimidating stance—I don’t need it anymore—and take a seat across from
her. “However, the only way you’ll be able to stay in her life is if you don’t pose a threat to me. She
hasn’t had a chance to tell you yet, but Hallie is pregnant. We’re getting married. We’re having a baby.
I am here to stay, same as you. So, we will have to learn to live with each other.”
Charity shakes her head. “She won’t believe this. I know you’re a psychologically abusive prick
who is willing to stoop to murder; she’ll never believe I just decided not to care.”
“She will because she knows I’m blackmailing you.” My hand is playing out well enough; I