I recoiled from his anger and clutched the shaker in my hand. A sharp sting of tears prickled at the corner of my eyes, and I lowered my gaze to my plate, silently nodding in agreement. My heart shattered into a million pieces, and all I could do was let it happen.
In a burst of anger, he stormed out of the room. Once he left, I sought Marcel’s comforting gaze. The pained expression on his face spoke volumes. The worst part was knowing he knew the reason Ivan was broken, and that blame was mine to shoulder. I’d done this to us. And now I was a walking apology with no one to say it to.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I came face-to-face with the consequences of my actions. I pushed away from the table, excused myself, and ran to my room. The unrelenting ache that settled in my chest squeezed my heart like the carpenter’s box did my body.
A half hour later,Gerald knocked on my door and entered with suitcases and two of the maids.
“Ms. Taylor, good you’re here. Marcus insisted we pack your things from Seattle and bring them along. I now see why. By the way, it’s great to see you again. I’m going to have Mary and Eloise put your things away.” He ignored the fact that my face was red and splotchy from crying.
I nodded and thanked him. Leaving the maids to their task, I went to find Marcus. Branson directed me to the security room attached to the garage.
“Ms. Taylor,” Marcus exclaimed, giving me a big hug. His face lit up with relief and joy when he saw me again, and he kissed me affectionately on the top of my head.
“Thank you for everything. I hope Alek wasn’t too upset with you.”
“He was, but only a little, nothing permanent. It was for a good cause. Did you get your clothes?”
“Yes, thank you for that as well.”
“How are things going with Ivan?” he asked, his eyes full of understanding and concern.
The mention of Ivan brought a lump to my throat, and I hesitated. The memory of our earlier encounter was still too fresh and painful. My heart was heavy, and I glanced away, biting my lip as I tried to find the right words. I took a deep breath, feeling the familiar sting of tears threatening to spill over.
“Not good. He hates me now,” I finally admitted. “He’s…ignoring me. I may as well not even be here. I don’t blame him, but it hurts.”
He nodded sympathetically, his expression softening. “I’m sorry. I’ve never seen him this way before, but I think he’s also hurting. He shows it differently.”
“I wish I could fix it. I have to go, and I don’t want to leave it this way.”
He released me and sighed. “So you’re going through with it, then? Sebastian told me about your plans.”
“I have to. I don’t have a choice.” My shoulders sagged as the reality of the situation hit.
Suddenly, the garage door opened, and I turned toward it. Ivan walked in, his steps heavy and deliberate. He moved with a tension that radiated off him in waves. I gulped while my stupid heart skipped a beat. It was a foolish mix of hope and dread, and it swirled within me once again. I braced myself for whatever was coming.
His beautiful aqua eyes locked on mine, and the fury in his venomous glare seared through flesh and bone. I clutched my chest. His unfiltered rage cut deeper than his blade could.
Unable to withstand another second, I glanced down. Once again, the shame and hurt washed over me, making me feel small and powerless.
“I should go,” I mumbled and moved to leave.
“I swear to god, if you’re going to fucking be everywhere I am, I’ll leave and stay somewhere else. How much longer are you planning on being here?” he demanded, his voice laced with so much hatred it made me tremble.
I stood frozen. It was a question, but did he want me to answer, or was he going to get even angrier if I did? It felt reminiscent of the Mask and how he treated me. The comparison left me physically ill.
Ivan moved closer until he was standing directly in front of me. My heart started beating frantically. This was absolute torture. I stared at his tattoo, longing to touch it. My breath hitched as I willed myself to stay still.
“Answer the goddamn question, girl,” he said through clenched teeth, pushing me back against the wall. His hands went to either side of me. He leaned in so close the heat from his body burned into mine.
“I…I…a…am—”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, you can’t speak now. What? Are you afraid of me all of a sudden?”
The words wouldn’t form. I sucked in air, trying to get my fear under control.
“Do you want to know what I think? I think you use your past as a weapon. You’re a manipulative little bitch. You have everyone in this house fooled, but not me. Not anymore.”
Tears slipped down my cheeks as he leaned down. His lips hovered around my neck, teasing me. I thought he might kiss it, but then his lips fell to my ear, and he cruelly said, “Yes, the tears. So fucking tiresome. I can’t believe I wasted so much time on you.” His words, his weapon of choice, were sharp, and I tried to hold back my sobs. It was almost unbearable.
