Not A Trophy Wife

Chapter Twenty-One

Dark eyes. A menacing look. Hands clenched into fists. Veins, prominent. Pulsating. Charting the path of adrenaline raging in the blood.

Pretty hot, I'd say, in any other situation.

"I'll smash his haughty face!"

I had never seen Jayden so angry. Except for the night when he punched that driver in the pub. I could only imagine what he would do if Dominic had stood before us at that moment.

But Dominic was not that truck driver. No. Dominic was powerful. He had friends and connections everywhere. He had the money to hire the best lawyers. To bribe judges. Whatever he wanted. He'd said it himself—I can and will do whatever I want. He could procrastinate. Play me. Make fun of me. And he would. I already knew that.

"You can't change anything, Jayden."

"Perhaps we should test that theory."

"Please." I placed my hands on Jayden's chest. "That's just going to make the situation even more complicated."

"He's playing you."

"I know. He said he was going to make the divorce hell. And he's started to do that." I sat on the curb and put my head in my hands. "He knows perfectly well that I can't pay him the money for the ring."

"You don't owe him anything, Savi." Jayden sat next to me. "You don't owe that son of a bitch anything."

"I hope the lawyer can set a trial date soon. The legal route is my only chance."

"Everything will be fine."

I turned my head to him and smiled slightly. "A moment ago, you were ready to leave for Boston, and now you think everything will be all right?"

"I'm still ready to go. Just say the word."

"No. I don't think this is the way."

"Then we have no choice but to believe everything will be okay."

Jayden stood up, took my hand, and nodded toward the car.

"Will you drive me to Carmen?" I asked.

"Of course. Come on."

He dropped me off at the motel and headed to the garage.

Before I went in, I ran to the phone to make a call.

"I know you have the ring. Why are you doing this, Dom? Are you really this cruel?"

"Savannah, I don't have time. You can call me to tell me that you've decided to end this madness and want to come back to me. Or that you're ready to give me the ring or the money. Otherwise, please don't waste my time with stupid questions."

"I hate you!" I yelled, but I didn't know if he'd even heard me before he hung up. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" I angrily slammed the receiver into the phone booth.

Why had I even called him? Did I really think it would make a difference?

I squeezed my hair with my hands. Breath! Everything will be okay.

I took a few seconds to calm down, and then I entered the motel.

"Carmen, hey," I greeted upon entering, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Hello?" I heard a noise coming from the storage room. I reached for the handle. "Carmen?" At that moment, the door opened, and I jumped back, startled. "God, Carmen, you scared me."

"Savi?" she exclaimed, pulling her t-shirt down.

Her hair was shaggy, sticking out in all directions.