From New York Times bestselling author Mary B.  Morrison comes the sizzling tale of two friends and the provocative bet that forever changes their lives. Now, with their futures up in the air, who will play one vengeful game too many? And who will wish she wasn’t left standing?   I’m the wife Madison’s husband really deserves. Why won’t she let him go? Nursing wealthy businessman Chicago DuBois back to health was the least Loretta Lovelace figured she could do. After all, it was her bet that made Madison the object of a crazed stalker’s affections and put Chicago at death’s door. With Madison’s marriage on the rocks, Loretta couldn’t resist looking after Chicago’s interests and reigniting his passion for life. But now Madison wants to take back what’s no longer hers. . . .   I’ve got a fresh chance to start over. But letting Loretta walk away with my old life—that’s not going to happen. Madison’s life was perfect before Loretta introduced her to Granville Washington and initiated the bet that ruined Madison’s reputation and marriage. Now with a baby on the way and a family empire to save, Madison knows it’s past time to make some tough decisions. To get her life back on track, she’ll have to settle the score with Loretta and deal with Sindy Singleton, another woman who’s trying to make a play for Chicago. But this spoiled beauty has just the plan to handle her competition, her stalker, and her straying husband…. Mary B. Morrison , a recipient of the AAMBC Francis Ray Trailblazer Award, is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels about women who shape their own destinies. A frequent public speaker and motivator, she is a SheSource Expert and host of The HoneyB Morrison Show on Worldstar Hit Radio and Celebrity Media TV. She is also the playwright and Executive Producer of the theater production based on her HoneyB novel, Single Husbands. Female empowerment is the focus of all Mary’s work, and she is the founder of Healing Her Hurt, a non-profit that promotes the emotional, physical, and financial health of marginalized women and girls by providing self-empowerment tools, resources, and education. The proud mother of the award-winning children’s book author Jesse Byrd Jr., Mary lives in Atlanta, GA and can be found online at MaryMorrison.com. I'd Rather Be With You By Mary B. Morrison KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP. Copyright © 2013 Mary B. Morrison All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-7582-7302-4 CHAPTER 1 Madison Have you ever loved someone so much you could kill him?My signature was a heartbeat away from doing that. I'd signedthe authorization to take my husband off life support. He was a goodman. But there were times when being a good person wasn't enough.Some would say he did all the right things in our relationship, but hedid them for the wrong woman. I'd disagree. Unlike most women, Iknew my self-worth. The brilliant diamond wedding ring on my fingerwas there because I'd earned it. "Mrs. DuBois," the doctor softly said. "I still have the paper in myhand. It's not too late to have a change of heart." He stood in front ofme as though my time was up. In a small private space, there was a desk, two chairs, a computer,the doctor, and me. The door with a large square windowpane wasclosed. The room suddenly got colder as though someone had locked mein a morgue, alone, with the Grim Reaper. The chill penetrated me sodeep I froze from the inside out. Reminded me of a trip I'd taken toNew York City to celebrate New Year's Eve. I was in the midst of tensof thousands of people bundled in coats. Their faces were wrappedwith scarves. My feet were stuffed in fur-lined boots. My hands wereinside cashmere-coated gloves and I was in Times Square, freezing. Tapered to my body, the sleeveless black dress I'd chosen to put onthis morning was midthigh. The back of my legs stuck to the hardplastic chair. I hugged myself, then slid my hands up and down thechill bumps covering my arms. I wiggled my fingers; they were stiff. Ipressed them together; then I rubbed them back and forth. I wantedto cry for my husband, for myself, but this was not the time to breakdown. There were too many what-ifs in my mind competing for attention;it felt like my head was going to explode. My unchanging heartwas heavy and numb. I'd heard the doctor, but I didn't respond. I sat staring at the beige tile beneath my four-inch black platformstilettos. What if my husband died before I made it to the hospital'sexit? What if all of his football fans blamed me for his death? What ifI hadn't had sex with that idiot, Granville? What if the baby growinginside me was the result of my infidelity? What if the tape Granvillestole from my house of us having sex ended up online for millions tosee? What if I continued to delay having surgery for my breast cancer?What if something went wrong with my operation and I ended up onlife support? Would I want someone to take me off? Gazing into the doctor's eyes, I