“I quit, Dad. I’m not going to work for the company anymore.”
My father’s jaw went slack as he gaped at me. “You can’t be serious.”
God, it felt good to say. As if the weight of a dozen men had been lifted from my shoulders. Or maybe just the burden of a tyrant of a father. “I’m dead serious. I’ll stay on for my two weeks’ notice, but then I’m gone.”
Coldness crept into my father’s expression. “This is that girl’s doing. She was always trouble. I should’ve known she’d mess up your life.”
“This is me, finally waking up after years of abuse,” I snapped.
He scoffed. “Like your life has been so hard. I’ve given you everything.”
“Except for the one thing I needed. The knowledge that you gave a damn about me.”
My father laughed, but it was an ugly sound. “And you thinkGraedoes? All she wants is your money and status.”
He was grasping at straws, and I knew it, but her name on his lips had me searching the room anyway, unease settling over me when I didn’t see her anywhere. She’d gone to the restroom twenty minutes ago. She should’ve been back by now.
I shoved past my father.
“Hey! I’m not done talking to you,” he snapped.
But I didn’t give a damn. I needed to find Grae. Now.
40
GRAE
White-hot pain flaredin my scalp as someone yanked me back, hard, into a room. The door slammed behind me. A hand went over my mouth, making it hard to breathe. I squirmed and clawed, trying to break free.
“Fucking bitch!” the man spat.
I knew that voice.
My stomach roiled as I fought harder to get out of Gabe’s hold. My fingernails dug into his arm, and he cursed, throwing me to the floor.
My head clipped the edge of a chair, and flares of light danced in front of my eyes.
“Serves you right,” he spat.
I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my vision. It took a count of ten for Gabe to come back into focus. It was then that I saw Clint’s fallen form in the corner of the room.
Fear grabbed hold, digging in its icy claws. I had to get out of here, needed to run. To get help. I cursed myself for finding a bathroom in an empty hallway too far away for people to hear me scream.
“Don’t even think about it,” Gabe snarled. He pulled something from his waistband.
There was a flash of metal in the lights of the meeting room, but it took my mind several precious seconds to recognize it as a gun. My heart hammered against my ribs, my breaths coming quicker.
“What? Nothing to say now? You always had such a smart mouth.”
I swallowed hard, trying to assess the situation the best I could. I took in Gabe, clad in his tux, gun pointed straight at me. More than just the weapon was wrong. Gabe’s face was clammy with sweat, his hair matted to his face, his eyes wild.
“What do you want, Gabe?” I tried to keep my voice as even as possible, even though everything in me shook.
He snorted. “You’re just like him. Think you’re better than everyone.”
“Like who?” But I knew. Gabe had always looked at Caden with distaste, but that had morphed into true hatred over the years. I just didn’t know why.
Gabe’s chest rose and fell in ragged breaths. “He thinks he can take everything from me.”
