Page 97 of When Everyone Abandoned Me, the Billionaire Chose Me

"Y-You must really think I'm stupid."

I actually find myself trying to make a joke of the whole thing, but it's just the biggest mistake ever because somehow...the words have me laughing, and then I'm crying, and then I'm laughing and crying and I can't seem to stop. Even when it starts getting hard to breathe, I'm just laughing and laughing and crying and crying and—

"It's okay."

Mr. Everford hauls me into his arms as he says this, and I don’t understand why this makes me feel so strangely—

"You're safe now."

—safe.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this."

My safety is something I took for granted my whole life.

But now that it's really sinking in to me, how I was almost not safe—

"I'm sorry."

That's when my body starts trembling and my head starts feeling light.

I don't know if it's shock or delayed panic.

I don't know if it's PTSD or something else.

All I know is that all I can suddenly see is the wild, crazed look on Jerry's face. All I can remember is the crippling sense of helplessness that gripped my body when he shoved me against the wall. All I can hear is his grunt, his breath against my ear—

I'll make this a night you won't ever forget.

And after everything that's happened—

Sandy cheating on me.

Being kicked out of the house.

Being homeless.

Broke.

And almost being raped.

This time, it's real.

My world turning dark.

And I remember...just before the darkness swallowed me whole, I remember a part of me wishing that I would never wake up again.

Chapter Eleven

I CARRY HER OUT OF the stockroom, and the manager makes the mistake of trying to follow.

My men handle it, and I don't look back. Whatever the manager wants to say isn't for me, and the only thing in this building that matters to me right now is in my arms, and the only direction I'm walking is out.

Montero has the limousine door open before we reach the curb.

"Where to, sir?"

"My home."