Page 108 of My Dark Divine
“I’ll give you the address. You have three days to decide, Venetia,” he answers, his tone sharp and deliberate. This was all planned by him and Joseph long before today, and there’s no point in denying it. “The rules are simple. Give us what we want, or we’ll release everything.”
“Everything?” I counter, pretending to be skeptical, though fear twists inside me. I know that, out of everyone around me, these two men have always known the most, but I need to figure out exactly what they have before deciding my next move. “You mean the imaginary evidence of your delusions?”
“No one listened to Stella back then.” Her name sends a sharp chill through my body, goosebumps spreading across my skin. I haven’t heard about her in years. “But we did. Credit where it’s due, you did an amazing job hiding her away, making sure she stayed tucked out of sight in that hospital. But we were her friends, sweetheart. She told us plenty about you. And now, we have everything we need.”
From his pocket, he pulls out a flash drive, waving it just inches from my face. “The proof of my so-called delusions: conversations, messages, photos—more than you’d expect. Play nice, or everybody will know how much you hated your husband and what you did to him and the woman he fell in love with. And believe me, you’ll lose far more if you refuse.”
My voice is gone, swallowed by terror. I’m left trembling, a puppet with every nerve strung tight, powerless against the fear that consumes me.
Itcan’tbe real.
But it is. Just when I was about to put my life back on track, they came back, throwing me back into the claws of my past.
“I can tell you don’t believe me.” His smile widens as he tucks the flash drive back into his pocket. “I’ll send a preview of what we have when I get home. Just a taste, so you know it’s real.”
The bathroom door slams open, shattering the tension and jolting me out of my frozen state. “What the fuck are you doing here?” West’s voice drips with fury as he glares at Logan.
But Logan merely turns away, throwing me a smug wink before offering a quick, insincere apology and slipping past him, completely unfazed.
Struggling to steady my breathing, I bow my head and place my palms flat on the cold sink. “Netia, what was he doing here? What did he say to you?” Moving closer, he grabs my shoulders, spinning me to face him, then cradles my face in his hands, his gaze heavy with concern. “Why are you crying? Should I chase after the fucker?”
“No,stay, but I’m—” I swallow hard and reach up, desperately trying to pull his hands off me. Every inch of his touch sends waves of burning discomfort through my skin.
Iwon’tlet them touch me again. Iwon’tlet anyone lay a fucking hand on me without my consent.
“Please, just… don’t touch me now, West,” I beg him, but he doesn’t listen. He tries to cuddle me, to hold me close, and I snap. I slap his hands away and push against his chest, shoving him back forcefully. “I said don’t fucking touch me!”
He stumbles, his expression puzzled, his gaze intent as he searches for answers in me. I quickly wipe away the tears that keep flowing, feeling the weight of his worried eyes on me.
I’m sorry. I’m sorry, West, I’m so sorry.
He’s worried about me, and he can’t comprehend why I shut him out. I act out, either aggressively or with silence because that’s how my stupid fucking brain knows to deal with things. He doesn’t deserve to be treated this way.
“Can we go home? Can you take me to my place, please?” I beg, my heart racing with fear. I just need to be somewhere Logan and his shadows can’t follow.
I need to run away.
“Alright,” he murmurs in agreement, though there’s a subtle reluctance in the way his voice falls.
I don’t wait for him to catch up as I rush out of the bathroom and head straight outside. I know the meeting’s still in progress, but right now, neither of us cares. With every step away from the office, one truth becomes agonizingly clear.
I’m fucked, and I have no idea how to escape.
Ican’t stop shaking. My worst nightmare has caught up with me, and now I’m forced to make a decision. I know I should sit down and think it through, but instead, I’m pacing around my room, my thoughts a chaotic whirlwind. I pour myself a glass of cold water, hoping it might calm my paranoia, but it only makes things worse. Just as I’m about to snap and throw it against the wall, I set it on the nightstand instead, abandoning the thought of trying to feel better.
West keeps trying to reach me, but I block him out, desperate to find a rational conclusion to this situation. But no clarity comes. In every possible scenario, I see only loss.
“I’m asking you one last time, Venetia.” Tension radiates from him as he stands in front of me, his words forced through clenched teeth. “What the fuck were you talking about?”
I shake my head vigorously, torn between wanting him to pry and needing him to back off. “I can’t tell you, West.”
He chuckles, but the sound is devoid of humor. “Are you fucking serious right now?” The familiar, scorching fury breaks through, only intensifying my discomfort.
“Yes, I am,” I reply, gesturing toward the door. “Worry about your own problems; I’ll deal with mine. I asked you to drive me home, and you’ve done your part. Now leave me alone.”
“After everything we’ve been through, you’re just going to fall back into this? Is that what you want?”
“What do you expect from me?” I snap, locking eyes with him. We’re both on the verge of breaking, and I can feel the explosive energy cracking and bursting at the seams. “I never promised you anything. You can’t just expect me to open up at the snap of your fingers.”
