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

been watching them, they’d been watching him.
    “Funny thing happened,” Cyrus continued, obviously enjoying himself. “We found out who he was working for. I thought he was another low life paparazzi, but imagine my surprise when he mentioned Davis Williams. It was easy enough to figure out this had to do with our divorce, and with a few more questions we found out all the details of your plan. Then I made the problem go away.”
    Daniella shoved the pictures back in the envelope and dropped it on the table. “You paid him off.”
    “It’s amazing what people will do when you quadruple their fee. Sad, isn’t it? The lack of ethics in today’s society.”
    “And you exploit it.”
    “It’s not my fault people can be bought.” He looked pointedly at Roland, who shifted uneasily in his chair. “How are things with your little software company?”
    His condescension didn’t stop Roland’s chest from swelling with pride. “We secured an injection of cash thanks to a generous investor. We’re on our way to bigger and better things, and our software will change the world.”
    “Is that right? You made good use of the million dollars I gave you after all. I had my doubts.”
    “Stop it,” Daniella said, embarrassed for Roland.
    “It’s inventory tracking software, isn’t it?” Cyrus asked. Something about the tone of his voice gave Daniella the distinct impression Cyrus already knew the answers to his questions.
    “Yes. It’ll aid manufacturers and retailers in communicating better than ever. We’re about to change Just-In-Time into In-The-Moment.” He sounded proud of his accomplishments, and he should be. He’d worked hard for years to get to this point.
    “I’m happy for you, but I thought I told you to stay away from my wife.”
    “That’s enough,” Daniella hissed. “Do you have to be so rude?”
    “I paid him a million dollars. Despite my wealth, a million dollars is not a little bit of money.”
    “That was more than four years ago,” Roland said.
    Cyrus’s glaze slid to Roland, his eyes as black and hard as coal. “A deal is a deal, and I don’t like it when people renege on deals.”
    Roland licked his lips. “Give me some time, and I’ll give you the money back.”
    “I don’t want the money. I want you to stay away from my wife.”
    “What I do, when I do it, and with whom, is none of your business,” Daniella interjected.
    “That’s where you’re wrong,” Cyrus said. “Everything you do is my business because it affects me and reflects on our marriage. Therefore, I forbid you to see this snake again.” He spoke in an imperious tone, as if he thought she’d simply fall in line with his dictate.
    “Snake? Wait a damn minute,” Roland blustered.
    “Roland, please.” Daniella could feel frustration course through her body. Back and forth, back and forth they went, and she was caught in the middle. She took a deep breath. “Cyrus, you can’t forbid me to see anyone, and even though you found out about the investigator, I’m not done. I won’t give up.”
    “You’re wasting precious time. Neither of us is getting any younger.”
    “We should leave,” Daniella murmured to Roland. She stood and both men promptly followed suit.
    “Time is up, Dani,” Cyrus warned.
    She looked up into his granite features. “You don’t scare me.”
    His mouth twitched into a half-smile. He seldom smiled, and more often than not, when he did, he wore that damned half-smile. Which she hated. It reeked of arrogance and a superiority complex—fed by the way people danced around him, rushed to do his bidding, and damn near curtsied in his presence.
    He leaned in close again and she stiffened her spine, forcing herself not to withdraw. He whispered in her ear, “There are consequences for your actions. I hope you can live with them.”
    His scent surrounded her, and a mixture of fear and arousal caused a faint tremor to rattle through her system.
    “I can live with them, as long