ss as I pushed with all my might, but it was useless-my feeble at

bulky body pressing into me. His hands fumbled urgentl

ruggled, even after what felt like an eternity, I barely managed to create a tiny gap. Maximus grabbed my delicate ankle and yanked me toward hi

could disappear. But my body had no strength-n

s my face again, but I b

ly above a whisper. "Don't touch me, or

"Don't think I don't know," he said with a grin. "You've al

and tried to explain, "No,

hort by the sound of my

er's

ght wa

feeling the effects of the high-proof whiskey the foreign clients had offe

cautiously, his voice soft. "Bos

s meant my pent

and, slowly opening my eyes

etly, "Take me t

and once upon a time, it had been my fa

it was the alcohol, but I found myself wanting to see her gentle and compliant, ev

ly complied, st

table, and lowered the window to get some fresh air. As I did

ling broadly as she spoke to a chubby, ba

d, a sense of un

e car,"

uickly

escorting the bald man into a hotel bef

va

g. I flung open the car door and steppe

ne in front of the van, pulling out her phon

et chilling voice sudd

phone. She quickly turned around, plastering on a

tone cold as I responded, "And y

ward laugh. "I was ju

g, making it clear that she couldn't leave if she wanted to. After

h Arabella... it was all her doing. S

. It was sharp enough to make her instinctively

kened, cold enough to send a sh

r. "Arabella said... that your marriage was u

ed, the temperature dropping sev

had already planne

new... you were plannin

face a mask of ice, an

, I'll make sure she understands that no matter how

mine-no matter what, even if it

ode past her, the air around me still thi

ill so attach

her? Or... had Arabella b

nt to keep fighting

g her anger. If Arabella dared to deceive t

to Arabella, all to use her as a pawn for leverage. I

for Arabella to fight

anning to have Alexander look into it

el the slightest urge to intervene. A night's sleep in exchange for a $50

ing with cold fury. My rage simmered beneath the

ne roare

adache worse, and my growing irritation caused the veins i

I couldn't hold it in any longer. I p

ver, and the moment the call con

, mechanical tone of an automated message: "Sorry, I'm un

d my anger further, like p

ed teeth, slamming the phone into t

h echoed

his body instinctively curling

n't enough. I kicked the seat in front of me with

down, and the cold

ing my lip hard, my face stone-cold and

ned inexplicably, a heavy sense

in them barely contained, my c

chubby man was-the head of Sterling Crest Bank,

, at this hour, in such an ambigu

d it

d up, my voice shaking with t

rned the wheel. However, there was traffic in the adjacent lane, and i

th terrifying force, sending it careening violently to the side. The window shattered

crash threw me back. Then, as the car flipped, I was thr

skin, and blood pou