"I'm talking about your whoring around last night on the arm of another man at one of the most important fundraisers of the year. You're supposed to be my girl."
"Peregrine," I said slowly, like I was talking to a toddler. "We never dated. My mother set up a PR relationship for her last campaign. It was never real, and I haven't even talked to you in seven months."
"It doesn't matter," he bit out as he slammed his phone down on the wooden counter between us. The sound cracked through the empty store.
I flinched.
The screen showed an article from some gossip site. The headline, in bright red letters, read: "Senator's Daughter Looks Not So Innocent on Arm of Mystery Mogul."
"How could you do this to me?" he said, then sniffed and rubbed his nose. For a second, I almost wondered if he was going to cry, and then I saw the white powder residue on his jacket.
Cocaine.
My pulse kicked up. This wasn't just Peregrine being entitled. This was Peregrine high and unpredictable.
"Peregrine," I said again, slowly reaching under the desk for the bat. "Our relationship was never real. It was a political fiction. I didn't embarrass you because I don't belong to you. And I never have."
"I don't care, bitch," he yelled. "I have an image to maintain as the man who's going to tame the rebellious senator'sdaughter. You are part of that image. I'm supposed to be with you and tame you and then put you back where you belong, and now you're ruining everything. Do you know what your mother promised me if I could get you to?—"
"Stop," I said, not wanting to hear any more. I reached for the bat again, only my fingers brushed empty space on the wooden shelf. It wasn't there.
Gone.
Panic flooded my veins, cold and sharp.
His face turned red and he snarled, his eyes wide and his pupils tiny pinpricks as he reached out to grab me.
I backed away, barely staying out of his grasp, trying to find a phone, or something that I could use as a weapon—anything to help me out of this situation.
His eyes were wild as he stalked behind my counter, getting closer. Spittle formed at the corners of his mouth around his yells at me. "This is all your fault. I was promised an obedient little bitch who would give me children and never ask questions when I fuck other people. Why do you have to ruin everything? I was supposed to ride your scrawny ass all the way to the fucking White House."
I couldn't find anything to protect myself. The bat was gone, and the only things around me were delicate record albums. But even if I were willing to use them to defend myself, they wouldn't do anything.
My back hit the wall.
Nowhere left to run.
"Peregrine, you need to leave," I said with a strength that I did not feel.
"You don't get to tell me shit, you worthless little bitch." This time, when he reached out to grab me, I didn't have anywhere to go. He wrapped his hand in my hair and slammed my face down on one of the glass cabinets.
Pain exploded across my cheek.
White light burst behind my eyes.
The world tilted.
"Stop," I cried out as my ears rang and my cheek throbbed, a small, warm trickle of blood oozing out.
"You think you can fucking embarrass me? Who the fuck do you think you are?" he screamed, and his words slurred together, coming out faster and faster. His spit flew, landing on my other cheek, and I couldn't get away from him. His fist tightened in my hair, sharp pain radiating throughout my entire skull.
I tried to twist away. His grip held.
My scalp burned as some of my hair was ripped out at the root.
"Help, please, someone," I screamed, not knowing what else to do. He was too strong, the drugs making him unpredictable.
My heart pounded, and I wished Darius were here. He was a monster too, but he didn't scare me. Not in the same way.
