Sentenced to Marriage by MadlainQ

Idea

I leaned back in my seat, my head spinning as I couldn’t process what Jack had just told us. Anger buzzed within me as I thought that Callan was messing with us even after he died. “This is absurd! You told us before that the pathologist couldn’t find any evidence that Callan’s death was a murder, and now you can be accused of killing him?!” My frustration went beyond the limits I could handle.

Aren placed his hand on top of mine. “Calm down, Cora. We will find a solution; we just need to think carefully.”

I inwardly slapped myself for enjoying Aren’s touch and then slipped my hand away from his. As I did, he glanced at me with a hint of odd sadness flashing in his expression. Was he surprised that I was going to avoid his touch? Well, too bad he hadn’t thought about it before degrading everything we had to casual sex. Jack noticed our change in behavior right away. “You two had a fight?” My “yes” came simultaneously with Aren’s “no.” We looked at each other slightly awkwardly. Jack chuckled. “Aren, you should hurry up and apologize, or I can sense no sex for weeks if you don’t.”

He got that right. Aren might have been the sexiest guy I had ever dated or even the sexiest

guy I had ever seen, but I was not going to surrender to my desires, not anymore. Aren slid his hand around my waist, pulling me closer. “Forgive me, beautiful,” he purred seductively, his lips curving in an alluring smile. I wished I could kick his balls at that moment. Did he truly have no idea what he was doing to me and how much it hurt? Sadly for him, I wasn’t going to play the part of a good and

forgiving wife.

“If you think that your half-assed apology could make me spread my legs for you again, then you miscalculated, handsome,” I said before jerking his hand away with a bright smile painting my face.

Aren glared at me, but that only made me smile more beamingly. I could have been his contractual wife, but I demanded respect and I was not afraid of him. Jack burst out laughing. “Cora, you are a ray of sunshine in this shitty life of mine.” As I shifted my eyes to him, a sting of guilt pierced my heart. “I’m sorry, Jack. We shouldn’t have bothered you with our little problems when you could be prosecuted for something you haven’t done…”

Jack shook his head. “It was a nice form of distraction.”

irresistible urge to tease him. I blinked my eyes. “Don’t be mad at me, husband. You said

his own weapon against him. He raised

WE

just did, was he? I waved off that thought as we finally focused on Jack and the investigation. “Do

to mess with the FBI. I know that they have some connections in the NYPD, but this would be too big of a case for them to handle.” “Any other suggestions?” Jack smiled wryly. “If not the Wintons, then I guess it must have been the guy who kidnapped me and locked me in that warehouse,” I said, glancing at Aren. He nodded. “If he could gather an army of men to assassinate me, then who knows, maybe he has good political connections as well.” “Someone from the political family, from the government, or the senate?” Jack suggested. Aren smirked. “Not necessarily. Money talks louder than any political beliefs. All you need to do is to find the right person, willing to do whatever you need to get the money.” I felt shivers down my spine as I listened to his words. “You sound as if you were saying that from experience…” I laughed nervously. “You don’t want to know, beautiful.” He winked at me. Jack took a deep breath. “I guess that narrows the list down to the richest people in New York.” An uncomfortable grimace painted Aren’s lips. “Not necessarily New York…” A sound of frustration escaped Jack’s throat. “Fuck, Aren! How many people outside New York have you pissed?! Can we narrow this down to a few states at least,

or lost their wealth, and now they certainly wish me dead, but they

said, making Aren and Jack

Jack

no names, but this guy mentioned that he would make Aren pay for

found out?” Aren smirked cockily. “How the fuck should I know? When they come to me, they don’t

throat and looked away. Of course, I was aware that Aren used to have a

Idea

w

couldn’t help but feel the stir Unfortunately, my reaction was far too obvious for Jackor Aren to ignore. “Dude, you are digging your own grave.” Jack slapped Aren’s arm, glancing at me with an amused grin. Aren leaned over my ear and

I muttered under my breath. Aren might have heard it since he shot me a

only way to find out is to track Packton,”

day, and I don’t know who to trust anymore.” “I can give you trained men who could tail Packton if you want me to. We can also plant a bug in his office,” Aren suggested. “A bug in the FBI’s field office? I don’t see how anyone gets near enough Packton without raising suspicions.” Jack gave Aren and me a crooked smile. “I can do it,” I said as I hesitantly raised my hand. Aren’s eyes widened at me. “You?” “Well, he wouldn’t suspect a blonde of putting a bug on him, would he?” I chuckled