I keep listening, hoping that at some point he’ll grow concerned about my wellbeing, maybe even consider calling the cops to tell them his daughter may be in trouble, but he doesn’t.
Two days later:Skye, whatever Prince tells you about me is crap. Don’t believe him. I…I may be away longer than I expected. If you want your next allowance, call me! Or maybe you think you’re old enough to not need your dad anymore?
I blink several times before I realize the obstruction in my eyes are tears. I sniff and hit the next one.
I had an interesting conversation with Prince today. He’ll drop his bullshit allegations in return for keeping you.He laughs.Hell, he’ll even toss in another two million more for the privilege. I knew he was a devious bastard. He’ll never get my blessing to keep you, but since I’m not there to stop him, I’m happy to take his money.
A sob rips from my throat and bounces around the room. The air conditioning has turned my sweat to ice. Or maybe it’s the realization that my captor and lover has negotiated to buy me from my father?
I stagger to my feet and try to move, but my legs give way and I crumble to the floor. I’m trying to catch my breath when the latest text message arrives.
I stare in horror at the line and the pictures attached.
In case you don’t believe me, this is what the double-crossing piece of shit did to me.
My father’s face is bruised and swollen, his features almost indecipherable. A horrible, broken noise jumps from my chest.
I hear footsteps and Everly bursts into the room. Before he can reach me, he’s pushed aside and Jared is there, staring at me with terror and regret in his eyes. “Skye!”
He lunges for me. I scuttle back. “Stay away from me!”
“No! Princess, please—”
I shake my head frantically, my hands held out as if I can stop him if he really wants to touch me. He doesn’t come closer but his eyes burn with the need to. I’m aware there are other people in the room but Jared is the only that matters.
He’s the only one that’s shredded my heart.
“You agreed tobuyme? Then had my father beaten up when he wouldn’t give you his blessing?”
“How do you…?” His eyes widen in horror when he sees the phone in my hand, and his throat works. “What did he say to you?” he growls, then jerks toward me.
“Touch me and I’ll scream all one hundred and twenty-five stories down, Jared. I swear.” I shake my head. Everything I fooled myself into believing about him was wrong.So wrong. “God, what sort of a monster are you?”
He blanches. “Please, angel. Let’s talk about this.”
“Tell me which part of it is false. Did you or did you not agree to let my father get away with stealing from you in return for keeping me here?”
A muscle ticks in his jaw and his gaze dips to the carpet. My heart drops lower, all the way to the street, and I feel the moment some random Mack truck runs it over.
When I move from the glass wall, his head snaps up and he shifts as if to head me off. “It’s not all like that.”
I swallow the boulder in my throat. “Did you have him beaten?”
“No. They were supposed to just…” He pauses.
“Just what? Rough him up a bit? But did you definitely tell them not to lay their hands on him?”
He rakes a hand through his hair and his nostrils flare. His chest rises and falls in desperate pants. “I didn’t think I needed to. Shit, I know this looks bad, angel, but—“
“But nothing! You give the instructions around here. The buck stops with you. And you’re not careless, Jared. You’re meticulous. And you’ve shown me a thousand ways how gentle you can be. Which tells me that you didn’t really care what happened to my father. He could’ve died for all you gave a shit.”
His jaw works and he shakes his head. “I’d never let that happen.”
“Well, it almost did.” My voice chokes. “I know he’s a piece of shit to you, but he’s still my dad. And I could’ve lost him because you can’t let anything go, can you? Well, guess what? I’m the one thing you’re not going to have a choice but to let go.”
He turns ashen and for a blind second I wonder if he’s going to faint. But I shrug it off.
My heart may be flattened, but it’ll wither to nothing if I stay here.
“Dammit, Skye, don’t go. We can straighten this out.”
I stare down at the phone, the pictures imprinted on my mind. “Not this.”
His eyes squeeze shut and he looks like hell has opened up and swallowed him whole. “Ask me for anything, but don’t ask me to let you go. Jesus, Skye, I can’t,” he bellows.
I shake my head. “You brought this on yourself. You could’ve chosen forgiveness. You didn’t.” My every dream turns to ash as I play the only card I have left. “If you’re not a monster, prove it. Let me go.”