“I used to swallow all your crap,” Alan growls, voice low.“Not anymore.I’ll destroy you.”
I can barely breathe as I watch them.My heart hammers in my chest.
“Let me go!You’re nothing without me or Peter!”Amy spits, struggling.
“No, Amy.You’re the one who’s nothing without me.”Alan’s grin is cold.
“What the fuck?!”she shrieks, still fighting.
“I’m leaving this place with Fenella.With all the money you gave me.”
“Bullshit!”Amy snaps.
“All thanks to you.You taught me everything.I learned how to move that money from you.Without you realizing it, I’ve been draining your accounts dry.You should’ve treated your middlemen better.”His grin widens.A flicker of horror appears in Amy’s eyes.
“How dare you!”She swings a slap at him, but he catches that hand too.
Amy stares at her wrists, trapped in his grip.Her eyes widen when Alan leans close, a dark chuckle rising in his throat.
“Now that I think about it, I’m much stronger than you now.So, thank you.”Without warning, Alan headbutts Amy hard in the face.
Amy groans, stumbling back onto the bed.Her hands fly to her nose as blood spills down her fingers.No one hears her.Everyone’s too busy listening to Peter’s speech about donation drives in the ballroom.His voice booms through the speakers, and the crowd’s applause drowns out Amy’s cries.
“My nose!My nose is bleeding!You broke my precious nose!I just had it done last month!”she wails, tears mixing with blood.
“Come on, Fenella.We’re leaving.”Alan grabs my arm and pulls me up.
“I’ll kill you!I’ll tell Peter, and he’ll kill you both!”Amy screams, but Alan doesn’t even flinch.
“Move!”he says, tugging my arm.We rush for the door, but Amy lunges up and yanks my hair.
Not this time.I chop my hand right at her throat.She grunts, mouth gaping, gagging like she’s about to throw up.
“Take that, you bitch!”I snap, my voice hoarse.
“Come on!”Alan urges, pulling me toward the hallway.Amy dragging herself after us, her gold dress stained with blood.
“Get back here!”she screams, but when we don’t stop, she spins toward the ballroom.Alan and I dash into a long, narrow corridor.
“Where are we going?”I ask, breathless.
“Far from here.”
“Ah!”My heel slips, and I tumble hard, pain shooting up my ankle.“Damn.”I grimace, clutching my foot.I shouldn’t be running in these four-inch Oscar de Ragetti heels.
Alan stops and crouches beside me.“You okay?Come on, Fenella, we have to move.Can you stand?”
I grip his arm and try to get up.Pain spikes again.My ankle’s red and swelling fast.“I think I sprained it,” I say, wincing as tears sting my eyes.
“It’s okay.Get on my back.We need to get out before Amy tells Peter.”He crouches in front of me.
“I—I can’t.Just go.I’ll be fine,” I breathe out, shaking my head.
“No.We go together.As far as we can.Just us.”His voice is firm, almost pleading.
“But—”
“Come on, baby.Trust me.”
