“Don’t play games with me, Kennedy. I saw you with Nick Maddox,” he spat.
I swallowed hard, my heart racing. “He just talked to me.”
“Talked? Is that what you call it?” He stepped closer, invading my space. “You think I don’t know what he’s done? How many times he’s taken cheap shots at me and your brother on the ice? You think it’s just rivalry?”
“I don’t care about hockey rivalries!” I shot back, frustration spilling over.
“Maybe you should!” His voice rose as he continued. “That guy’s a menace. He plays dirty, Kennedy. You think he's going to treat you any better than he treats the people around him?”
“Gary—”
“Don’t Gary me!” He stepped forward again, grabbing my throat with a grip that felt like ice against my skin. “If I see you talking to him again—if I find out anything happened between you two…” His voice trailed off but hung in the air like a death sentence.
I tried to pull away from his hold, but he tightened his grip slightly as if daring me to fight back. Panic clawed at my insides as his gaze bore into mine.
“I’ll kill him,” he said coldly. “And I’ll make you watch.” A tremor ran through me at his words; the threat was clear and terrifying. “It’ll be your fault if anything happens.”
His fingers dug into my skin just enough to remind me of who held the power in this room. A shudder ran through me—not just from fear but from the reality that I had walked right into this trap.
My breath quickened as I met his gaze, desperate to break free from the suffocating atmosphere closing in around us.
I paced back and forth in my room, heart racing as Gary's words echoed in my mind. “If I see you talking to him again…” My stomach twisted at the threat. I couldn’t let him hurt Nick. Not after everything that had happened between us.
Without thinking, I grabbed a small bag from my closet, stuffing it with clothes and essentials. Each item felt like a lifeline—a reminder of the freedom I desperately craved but hadn’t fully grasped yet. I didn’t know where I was going or what I was doing, but I knew one thing: staying would only lead to more pain.
As I zipped up the bag, panic gripped me tighter than Gary’s hands ever could. If he found out about Nick… The thought sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t bear the idea of him harming Nick, using me as leverage against him.
I pulled out my phone and called for another Uber, fingers trembling as I typed in the address: “Ravencourt Towers.” The moment I hit send, dread washed over me, but there was no turning back now.
When the car pulled up outside the sleek high-rise, a wave of uncertainty crashed over me. I stared at the building’s polished facade, hesitant to move forward. My heart pounded against my ribcage; every instinct screamed at me to turn around.
But then again, what choice did I have? The alternative was worse—Gary’s rage and a life of suffocating control.
Before I could second-guess myself any longer, I stepped into the lobby. The concierge stood silently behind the front desk, an expressionless mask that offered no comfort or reassurance.
“Can I help you?” he asked professionally, his tone neutral.
“Uh… Kennedy Hathaway,” I managed to say, swallowing hard as he nodded slightly.
He reached beneath the counter and pulled out a small black box, placing it on the counter before me with practiced precision.
“Mr. Maddox wanted this delivered to you personally,” he stated flatly.
My fingers trembled as they brushed against the box’s smooth surface. A sense of foreboding washed over me—the weight of his intent hung heavily in the air. But curiosity gnawed at me just as fiercely; what could be inside?
I stood in the elevator, the polished metal walls closing in around me as it ascended. The box felt heavy in my hands, almost like a weapon—an object I could wield against the storm brewing inside me. My mind spun, grappling with the chaos of my thoughts. Nick had left this for her?
Why?
What did he expect from me?
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and I stepped into his penthouse. The stillness hit me first. Everything lay shrouded in dim light, shadows flickering across the walls like whispers of secrets held tight. The space felt both inviting and foreboding, an oasis that offered safety but also reminded me of the dangers lurking beneath its surface.
He wasn't here.
I knew he wasn't.
I refused to try to figure out where he could be.
