Unbound, Boundless Series, Book 2

Chapter Twenty Two

MATT

The pain I felt as she walked away was crippling. I couldn't move. I could barely breathe. The realization she just didn't love me enough to stay by my side struck me like a lightning bolt straight to the heart, paralyzing it for several beats. All she wanted were my Pentagon shares and that was my punishment. I would've preferred for her to hit me, whip me, bite me, scream at me until I bled from my ears—anything to dull this pain. When I found my bearings, I walked back into the restaurant to face my friends. The betrayal of giving her my shares could lead to the end of our friendship as we've known it for over eighteen years.

"What the fuck is going on, Matt?" Kent yelled at me. They were talking loudly at each other when I walked into the room.

I knew my grand plans had gone to shit. I was convinced she wouldn't take my money. We'd negotiated everything to the last detail. I thought our passionate night of lovemaking after the negotiations sealed the deal and we would marry in thirty days as stipulated in our agreement. When she told me she wasn't going to sign the prenup or marry me and would keep the Pentagon shares, I felt my heart ripped out of my chest. I was angry and wanted her to hurt as much as I was hurting. Just when I thought I was taking back control and power in our relationship, she dominated me again.

"I expect each and every one of you to erase the video she sent to you. And like she said, if that shit gets out in public, I'll know one of you did it."

"Relax man, none of us would do that to you," Lark yelled out. "You're the one who put us in this shit. What the hell were you thinking giving her everything, most of all your shares? You protected your medical partners, but you didn't protect us. We deserve better. At least I got to see a video of how good her pussy is because it's the only explanation for you going off the deep end," he accused. I charged at him. Zipper and Kent leapt to restrain me from choking the shit out of him. Flinching, Lark looked afraid. He'd always been a punk ass kid.

I was already bleeding, and Lark poured a dumpster of salt in the wound. I made a mistake. Not only did I lose the woman I love, but I may have lost my lifelong friends over my rash decision. I chose her over the company we've built because I trusted her implicitly. My desire to have her back caused all this conflict. Of all the women I've ever been in a relationship with, I had never imagined Perla would take the option of keeping the fortune. She led me to believe she loved me. Just a couple of days ago, she showed me her love. If she faked any of the passion and pleasure she gave me, she was one hell of an actress.

"Matt, we're the last people you should take your anger out on. Lark pointed out everything we've been thinking since we found out what you did. You threw away twenty percent of a billion dollar corporation for a low class woman. What kind of woman texts other men a sex tape?" Brady argued. He leaned back and watched me as I pushed Zipper and Kent off of me. I wanted to rip the smug look off his face.

Brady had always maintained a cool and calm exterior. We're both the quiet observers of the group. However, we're the most reactive ones too. We've butted heads often over the years, but always had the best of intentions. At the end of the day, we did what was best for the business, even if our friendship had seemed to wane over the years.

"Don't you dare talk like that about her! I will fix this mess, but you're the one who wanted to use her for Pentagram. She's a very intelligent woman, capable of outsmarting us, and we're supposed to be goddamn geniuses," I spat. I paced around, trying not to rip out my hair. "It was your idea to use her to get Liberty."

"Yeah, my idea. I never asked you to involve yourself. You called me after she came to your office, begging to go after her yourself. I had my plan. I'd been working on Pentagram for years. I got all the businesses to complete this project. I successfully worked my angle, but you intervened. That's on you. Now, she has a say in what we do. It doesn't fucking matter if she's a minority holder. She will still be part of our business, which she has no right to be part of. Now, she's threatened our friendship and our loyalty to you with this sex tape. She's pinning us against each other. No pussy is worth that," Brady countered, standing from his chair and pounding on the table.