She swallowed hard, lips trembling. “No,” she whispered. Her voice was barely there, but her eyes never left mine.
“Good girl.” I breathed it like praise, like victory. “I’d kill any man who saw you the way I have.”
I let the silence stretch for just a beat. Then came the kill shot.
“You’re going to marry me.” I leaned in, our breaths crashing into each other like fists. “Tomorrow.”
Chapter 5
Kennedy
I left Nick’s penthouse, my steps quick and shaky. Each footfall echoed in my mind, a reminder that I was moving away from something raw and electric. If I looked back, I feared I’d collapse under the weight of what had just happened.
The elevator ride felt like a slow descent into a different kind of hell, the kind I knew too well. The doors opened, and the air shifted, cold and stifling as I stepped into the garage.
I considered calling a friend, but who could I call? No one would come. And I sure as hell wasn't calling Gary.
Instead, I ordered an Uber and waited. It was only a few minutes, but it felt like forever.
I climbed inside, the leather seats unforgiving against my skin. I stared at my reflection in the window, barely recognizing the girl looking back at me. Flushed cheeks and swollen lips told tales of passion that felt foreign and intoxicating. But it was the hunger in my eyes that startled me most—a flicker of something wild and untamed that hadn’t been there before.
I clutched my phone tightly, every pulse in my hand urging me to delete every trace of Nick from existence. But still, my fingers froze above the screen, refusing to move.
“It didn’t mean anything,” I whispered into the silence surrounding me. The words tasted bitter on my tongue. Deep down, I didn’t believe them.
I blinked hard at my reflection again, searching for some semblance of the good girl who always followed the rules. She seemed lost now—buried beneath layers of confusion and need that thrummed just beneath my skin.
The car pulled away from the curb as if trying to escape what had happened between us, but it couldn’t outrun the truth settling in—the undeniable shift within me.
The car ride dragged on, the hum of the engine blending with my chaotic thoughts. I leaned against the window, watching the city blur by, wishing for an escape that belonged to me—just me. But I had nowhere to go. Not anymore.
As we pulled into the driveway of Gary’s estate, dread settled in my stomach like a stone. The grand entrance loomed ahead, its polished marble gleaming under the soft glow of streetlights. I took a deep breath before stepping out, forcing myself to appear composed.
The front door swung open before I could knock. Gary stood there, a smile plastered on his face as if nothing was amiss. He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to my cheek, warmth that felt more like an icy reminder of how far apart we truly were.
“Hey there, sweetheart! Where’ve you been?” he asked, his voice light and cheerful.
I swallowed hard, resisting the urge to recoil from his touch. “Just… out,” I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.
“Out? You know I’ve been trying to reach you.” His brow furrowed slightly as he gestured toward my phone resting in my pocket. “You didn’t answer.”
“I was busy,” I said, attempting to sound casual, even though every word felt heavy with untruths.
He tilted his head slightly, studying me as if he sensed something was off. “Busy doing what?”
I forced a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Just needed some air.”
I stepped inside, and the door clicked shut behind me, sealing in the tension that coiled tight in the air. Gary’s smile faded slightly as he studied me, a glimmer of something sharp lurking in his eyes.
“Where’ve you been?” His voice held an edge I recognized. Fury simmered just beneath the surface, and I could almost see him calculating his next move.
“I told you—I was out.” I tried to sound nonchalant, but my heart raced as he stepped closer.
He reached for my arm, fingers wrapping around my wrist. The moment he touched me, I flinched instinctively. His grip tightened before he caught himself, the flicker of surprise morphing into a hard stare that felt like ice water splashed across my skin.
“Careful,” he said, voice low and measured. “I'm sure after the scene you caused earlier would keep you from making me even angrier.” He reset his expression quickly, smoothing over the crack in his facade.
My stomach twisted at the threat veiled in his calm demeanor.
