o

h with panic as I lunged forward and grabbed her by the wais

ent my heart straight into my throat. Fear-raw, suffocating fear-gripped me so tightly I could barely breat

sband. I'm here to take you home." My voice cracked, betraying

, ready to step into nothi

ld stop myself, I dropped to my knees right there on the bridge. People had g

f in prayer. "I'll take you back. I'll bring you home. Just don't

second. The thought of watching her die-right in front of

t survive

I knew I had push

ity, her security, her place in my life-e

always been alone, fighting life with bare hands. I still remember the first time I saw her-standi

l for her

lue. They couldn't understand why I chose her. But I didn't care. At twenty-t

oks. I was the man every woman dre

said she

t went

her father, making sure he lacked nothing. I gave her cars and houses-two mansions-on her birthday

that

still look

ing we had and make me a fo

eavy with pain. My chest ached wit

r. That wa

t was my bigg

uld love her the way I did. They warned me-again and again-t

sed to

eerful and b

onest-but she told me they were harmless. She t

ieved

ffee shop, I ignored the discomfort gnawing at me. Even when she

ade me

d

and saw every si

e I had

ke me-smart, powerful-reduced to

hit harder tha

s. The silent trea

rti

he couldn't gi

everything ne

ad been rig

othe

bed after dragging her away from dea

inside m

ve...

n as anger surged through me. She looked fragile,

new bet

at soft, helple

all a

rfec

ated per

ld blame me. So I would carry t

he fa

ldn't let

hundred mill

e of that. She had nothing left, no one t

wouldn't

I want

eel everything sh

ow

nfu

y... then she would re

groan escaping her lips. She shifted on the bed, her

s-only to shut them again as sunl

dn't

ing her like a preda

it

d again, scanning the r

lashed acro

ing here, Row

ile tugged

e?" I shot back coldly. "Or would you rath

ion hardene

ut steady. "You divorced me. You threw me out. Why didn'

nd, something fl

i

swallowed by the st

usly calm. "But that doesn't mean you're free. You still

flashed w

eep me here?" she snapped. "Where do you

g smile spread

I said, my voice dropp

eath h

closer, my gaze

g my slave