“Meghan,” he says, like a man accepting his grim fate. “I’ll—”
“Hell, no!”I yip loudly, my voice shreiking through the car. “Grayson isn’t yours anymore!”
Silence.
A loaded beat.
Chapter 27
Charlotte
“Rowen,” Meghan growls, her venom carried through clenched teeth. “If I am on speaker, take me offnow.”
I am about to yell once more, but Grayson hits the mute button and shakes his head.
Gently, he brings my knuckles to his lips, savoring a kiss. Then he holds my hand to his cheek.
“Charlotte. Trust me. She’s right. You don’t belong with an animal like me. If I stay, I’ll damage you. You know it, too. I can tell.”
I scoff. He can’t be choosingher!
He lets go of my hand and retrieves his phone to disconnect from the car and talk to her privately—
But Ismackhis hand.
His head whips toward me. “Did you just slap me?”
He’s stunned. But I’m shaking, vibrating with rage and helpless love.
Something shifts. Nope. I’m not scared anymore. This woman’s unhinged. He’s broken like her, but in ways I don’t understand.
And maybe, I’m supposed to be the hero this time!
“You can’t go back to Meghan!” I shout. “She’s crazy.”
He snickers. “I don’t need your help, Piggy.”
That should discourage me, but it doesn’t. It just drives me harder. “No, Grayson. She’s manipulating you. And, uh— you’re mine!”
Her wicked laugh carries through the speakers, shrill. “Game over, girl. Restart with a man more like you.”
I disconnect the call entirely.
His face twists, taken aback by my sudden fire, but I can’t stop.
I snatch his phone, spit in his face, and rush out of the car so fast, I trip and fall to my knees. I chuck his phone into the bushes and crawl on all fours, as fast as I can, panicked.
Because I hear it.
His heavy footsteps growing louder.
I’m grabbed, yanked upright like I weigh nothing, his hand gripping my arm too tight.
I look up, heart pounding, head spinning. “Uhh... sorry,” I breathe. “Sorry... butnotreally! She’s forbidden, Grayson!”
He rolls his eyes. His voice is sharp and mocking as he says, “Forbidden?”
But he leans down, brushes the dirt from my scraped knees, then tugs on my dress so it sits in place, like he owns me.
