“And I know hisheart,” I say easily. “I’m pretty sure you don’t know shit about that. You may know him on the surface, but I’ve known him for far longer than you have, and I’m positive that he’d want nothing to do with you if he knew the kind of person you really are.”
“Are you threatening me, you worthlessbitch?” She leans closer. “Are you sure you wanna do that? Because I can end you in a minute; I can destroy you and your family with a blink of an eye.”
I’m taken aback by the pure malice on her face, and my head feels heavy at the seriousness in her voice.
She means it. She really fucking means it.
“I’m glad you’ve understood that I’m not bullshitting you, Nia. Iwillruin you and your loved ones if you don’t back off.” She sits back in her chair and assesses me with narrowed eyes.
“Who is threatening who, now?” I sneer.
“You think you’re smart, don’t you? Let’s see how well that tongue of yours will help you once I’m done teaching your family a lesson for your arrogance.”
I fist my hands when they start shaking. “Youwouldn’t.”
“I will if you continue to act like a rebel and disagree to get out of Cass’s life.”
“You havenoright to–”
“Do you wanna know what would happen ifCaféConnellwere to suddenly go out of business?” she asks calmly. “Isn’t that…quaint little thing the only source of income for your family, Nia?”
Bile rises in the back of my throat.
Amanda latches onto my inability to speak, and smirks. “Have you imagined what would happen if customers stopped showing up to your café, and your financial numbers plummeted as a result of that? What would that do to your business-oriented brother and retired parents? Have you thought about any of it?”
“How do you…” I clear my throat. “How do you know all this?”
She snickers. “You think I haven’t been doing my research? When Cass introduced you to me yesterday, I knew you were the Nia he’s had a tattoo of on his wrist for all these years. I justhadto know all about you, and so, I did. Didn’t take long, to be honest, given there’s hardly anything to you and your…life. Your ex-husband was more than willing to spill the details to me after a few rounds of beer. Good-looking guy, by the way. A pity you let him go. You two must’ve looked quite adorable during your time together, I’m sure.”
I glare at her. “Well, why don’t you havehim, then? You two would fit right in – you know, with being venomous snakes and all.”
“Careful, girl.” She pulls her phone out of her fancy clutch. “One call, and you’ll be done for. I don’t make idle threats, so you better watch your mouth.”
I glance at her phone, then at Cass. He scratches the back of his head and chuckles at something his mom must’ve said to him. The happiness on his face, the spark in his eyes – they make me want to choke on my damn fate.Hemakes me want to fall to my knees and beg the Lord to help me find a way.
A way for me to not be in the situation I currently am.
A way for me to come up with something –anything– to keep my normalcy, andhim, by my side. A way for me to rise above Amanda’s crude promises.
But…as I keep looking at the man who is the very foundation of my newfound, rocky little empire with hot, helpless tearsrunning down my eyes, I can’t, for the life of me, think of anything that will help us get what we really want.
“You don’t come for those I care about, and I’ll do as you asked,” I tell Amanda, feeling an ache building in my chest.
“You have my word,” she answers with a slight tilt of her head.
I avert my gaze from her as I push back my chair and get to my feet. Holding onto the edge of the table when a wave of dizziness hits me, I manage not to rock on my feet, and then, once I’m sure I won’t fall, I sidestep a server and walk away from Amanda.
I’ve only just stepped out of the diner when Cass turns, still on the phone. He looks at me, and the smile vanishes almost immediately from his face. He makes as if to come to me, but I move back, turn around, and run away from him.
“Nia!” he calls out, panic clear in his voice. “Nia, wait!”
I don’t. Ican’t. I keep running, and running, and run–
“Ouch!” I exclaim when I bump into something.
“Thehell, Nia?” Bran says.
I look up at him, and try to simmer down my rage when a sudden urge to punch a hole in his chest takes over me. This dickwad is the reason Amanda humiliated me so easily, tried to break me with words and threats I had no counter for.
