Jennifer was hooked on the correspondence between Aubrey and Roman now that she was directly involved. Aubrey had a nightmare. A terrible nightmare, and she had written Roman about it. Jennifer was beside herself as she followed the complicated relationship Aubrey had cultivated with the dominant Alpha, Ian.
Letter #48
(As filed by Jennifer Mills, Office Assistant)
My dearest Aubrey,
I am alarmed at this nightmare you wrote me about. WTF? I know you are a competent psychiatrist, but you are in way over your head. I doubt you can step back and interpret this dream and its meaning.
But I can.
Are you so serious about Ian that you are going to marry him?
I won’t allow it.
Listen, Aubrey, you need to get your shit together and decide what you want.
ME OR HIM.
I’m not giving you an ultimatum or anything; I want you to come to your senses.
When I am released, and if you are married to him, you can bet it won’t last long.
I’ll see to that.
If I can’t have you, he can’t either.
You are on notice.
Aubrey, I love you. That’s why I put you through school and bedded you. To make you feel worthy and beautiful. Not for some half-assed entitled billionaire to come along and abuse you. You are too good for that.
If you can’t see that, then I am telling you it is true.
Don’t make me blow my parole because I have to kill this guy.
I mean it, Aubrey.
Have some self-respect.
I am disappointed in you, Aubrey. Instead of sending me this whiny bullshit, pull it together and tell me more about your book and your divorce from Foster.
Otherwise, don’t bother. When I passed this letter around the prison, even the guards got pissed off.
You really don’t know how many people are rooting for you. Consider this the next time you feel frightened or out of control.
Your protector,
Roman Hayes
When Aubrey handed Jennifer the response to Roman’s scathing accusations, she didn’t bother to seal the envelope.
“You’ve been reading my letters to Roman,” she said.
Jennifer felt her stomach drop.
“What do you think?” Aubrey asked, “I need support and objective opinions. Keep reading, and we’ll keep talking.”
With that, Aubrey turned on her heel and went to her office. She closed the door and stared off into space.
“How do I get myself out of this?” she asked herself.
Jennifer read the next letter.
Letter #49
(As mailed by Jennifer Mills, Office Assistant)
Dear Roman,
You are absolutely right. That letter was to get your attention.
And your sympathy.
What a whiny bitch I’ve been.
But if you don’t mind, I am going to see where this relationship with Ian is going. I need him for my book. He’s the whole and perfect example of what lengths a man will go to blindly crush someone.
Anyone who doesn’t obey him.
I think he wants to get married, and I will follow him the whole way up until planning the wedding date.
Then I’m out. I’m frightened, Roman. I’ve never gone this far with anything in the real world.
I’ve always hidden behind textbooks and lectures. This is my first field study, and I am scared as hell of all the variables and everything that could go wrong.
I think Ian might go so far as to hurt me physically.
Thank God he doesn’t know about you and me and what we are planning.
No one talks about our letters, do they? I mean outside of sharing them in prison.
I wish you hadn’t circulated them, but it gives me a sense of what readers want in my book.
Jennifer has all of the letters on file, and I will use them with your permission.
I think the relationship between us will put everything into context.
I look forward to seeing you in the fall, and don’t worry. I feel much better now. I am going to see one of my favorite boys next week, so that should cheer me up.
(Calder. I told you about him.)
Love,
Aubrey
Jennifer put the letter in an envelope and sealed it.
“Let me get this right,” Jennifer thought. “Dr. Aubrey Prentice has a handsome millionaire for a husband. Two billionaires fighting over her and some young boy on the side. And she’s putting it all in a book. This is getting better and better!”
Jennifer was beside herself with glee and envy. For sure she was going to stick around to see how this panned out. Forget her education, Jennifer was focused on the profits and glamour of being the assistant to the woman leading such a fantasy life!
Imagine it!
Book tours.
Lavish hotel rooms.
Money.
Fame.
People wanting to talk to Jennifer about how it all began.
Jennifer was an inside source.
The girl who was there when it all started.
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