Till Death Do Us Part

Ch. 27 - The Loophole

**Hi friends! Firstly, I hope you guys all had a merry Christmas/happy holidays. Secondly, the smutty chapter is still coming as promised, I just haven't gotten started at all. TBH ya girl was hella horny when I was thinking about writing it and then I got lazy. The day after I asked ya'll was Christmas and it didn't feel right writing straight up porn on Jesus's birthday...here's the next chapter ya'll have been waiting for. I hope you enjoy!!**

Roxie's POV

"Wait, how many people know about this contract?" I asked Jedrek as we all settled into the living room, Ezekiel looking like he was on pins and needles waiting to share with us what he'd come all the way here to share.

"Every lawyer I've ever contacted, my family, Sandra and Tori, Ezekiel, and now you," he murmured. "They tried making me sign an NDA after the contract was signed to keep me from telling the whole world, but I refused. Airing out the issues our family business was having wouldn't have been in our best interest, anyway. There is, however, a non-disclosure clause in the contract that specifically states I, nor anyone else, was allowed to tell you specifically. You were the only one I wasn't legally allowed to tell." 

"Why didn't you just say fuck it and tell me about this anyway? There's no way they could've legally prosecuted you, or anyone for that matter, for telling me because you could've just denied it - then it would be your word against theirs. And if there wasn't any mention of you not being allowed to see other people, why didn't we just continue seeing each other? We could've avoided all this heartache," I grumbled.

"Because you deserved so much more than that, Roxie. I refused to let people around town have something to talk about when it came to you. Not to mention, Sandra would've made it impossible for you to find work or even fucking co-exist back home if we would've continued things as if nothing had happened," he stated logically. "I love you too much to let you settle for a man that couldn't fully commit to you." Dammit, I hate when he's right.

"So, how did you come to know about the contract?" I asked Ezekiel, who looked like he was growing more and more impatient by the minute.

"He told me the entire back story the night we got drunk celebrating our partnership - right after we discussed our futures - but he legally had to inform me of any other outstanding contracts that involved his business before we could enter a contract of our own together. Obviously, I admired the fact that he stood behind his family and their business, but I felt so fucking bad for the poor bastard - especially after I saw how you two were around one another the day we met at the country club in Texas. However, I have the means to end this shit right here," he insisted, shaking the contract in his hand.

"I had my lawyer take another look at the contract, but this time I had him specifically looking for a way out. He knew I was weary about getting into business with Jedrek because there was a possibility that the company could be completely taken from him and put in new, incapable hands. Despite the clause we have in our own agreement that states should that ever happen, our business deal is null and void, I wanted further reassurance and I also wanted Roxie to finally be happy. Especially after everything she's done for me where Ivy is concerned," he murmured while looking at me. I smiled, my chin wobbling ever so slightly.

"Which is why I need you to tell him about your situation, Roxie," he stated. I was confused as to what he was talking about, something he could tell by my facial expression. He moved his hand down to his stomach in a subtle way that only caught my attention, not Jedrek's.

"I can't-" I started to say, but Ezekiel swiftly cut me off.

"It's the only fool-proof way of getting you two out of this contract. I promise. I just don't want to be the one who breaks the news to him."