His fingers move to my scalp, undoing the twist, combing through my hair.
“Mr. Maddox! Oh my god!” An attendant in blue overalls appears, running over from somewhere on the other side of the garage. “What happened?”
I drop the hand holding the handkerchief to my nose. Adrian grabs my hand and presses it right back where it was. “Hold it, dammit.”
The attendant stops between us and the car, his gaze snapping back and forth.
Satisfied that my head’s not bleeding, Adrian’s hands move to check my ribs. “What were you fucking thinking?” he mutters. “You could have fucking killed yourself. Jesus Christ, Cora. What the fuck?”
“That’s gonna be a total loss,” the attendant says, swipinghis ballcap off his head out of respect. “How did it happen? Did she mix up the gas and brake?”
Adrian’s hands fall, and he pivots so he’s partially blocking me from view.
“I was driving,” Adrian says, his face perfectly straight. “My foot slipped.”
The attendant gawks at him wide-eyed. “But I—”
“My foot slipped,” Adrian repeats. “I must’ve had more to drink than I thought.”
Just then, two men from building security spill from the stairwell, jogging over.
“Mr. Maddox, are you okay?” one pants. “Should we call an ambulance?”
My blood freezes.
“No,” I gasp, panic flooding the empty space left by my receding hysteria. I didn’t mean to do it. It wasn’t me. Not really.
They’ll say that’s why I need to go. Get help. Feel better.
They’ll take my girls away. I moan.
My teeth chatter. I’m drenched in sweat despite the cold December air.
Adrian takes a half-step back toward me, his back to my face as he blocks me fully from the men’s view. “There is no need. As you can see, we’re fine. It was just a minor accident, although, obviously, it’s going to be an expensive one.” Adrian reaches into his interior jacket pocket and draws out a thick wad of bills.
All three men’s attention pivots from the smashed car to Adrian’s hands. He slowly counts out several bills.
“I’m sure I can rely on your discretion.” He hands the attendant a stack. “I am, of course, embarrassed.” He hands the first guard a stack. “And the CCTV video—” He offers a stack to the second guard.
The man immediately palms the cash. “Taken care of.Don’t think twice about it, Mr. Maddox. We’ve got you covered.”
“Thank you.” Adrian takes a card from his wallet. “If you’ll call this number and let them know there’s been an accident, the man who answers will handle the tow truck. I’m going to take my wife home now.”
“Yeah, of course. I’ll, uh, get a fire extinguisher, and, uh, extinguish the fire, eh?” The attendant gestures at the smoking hood.
“I’d be obliged,” Adrian says, passing him a few more bills. The man trots off.
Adrian wraps an arm around my waist and guides me toward the elevators. His muscles are taut with rage. My steps stutter. He holds me tighter, his fingers digging into my ribs.
“No you don’t,” he growls. “No more shit from you.”
As soon as we’re on the elevator, he turns to me. “Give me that.” He snatches the handkerchief from me and pinches my chin to lift my face toward the light.
“Ow.”
“That hurts, does it?” He gently feels along the bridge of my nose. “How about that?”
I shrug. It’s not broken. I can breathe out of both nostrils, and I don’t have that heaviness under my eyes you get with a busted nose.
