I walk in with Miloshhh close behind me into the silence.
“Come here.” He doesn’t bother to turn.
He doesn’t need to. He owns me. So, he thinks anyway.
I run through my day wondering what this is about. I made damn sure I hid the money I stashed in the locker at the gym discreetly. I was alone. I know that as fact.
But his voice is dangerous, it’s emotionless. That means I need to tread carefully.
The only sound in the apartment is the clacking of my heels on the hardwood floor as I follow his orders and stand beside him. I just need to hide my hatred for him a little longer.
He turns to face me and there was a time his handsome face made me happy, excited and hopeful. Now it just makes my blood run cold.
“Is there anything you want to tell me?” He takes my hand gently, tracing his evil fingers over mine.
My heart falls, and my stomach churns, but I keep my face blank and shake my head.
He licks his lips and I know I’m playing one of his dangerous games. He can’t have known about today. I was alone in the change room. There was no way. He’s testing me. But about what?
“Think, my love.” He gives me a soft encouraging smile.
Fuck, think. What could he be talking about? My eyes move to Miloshhh, thinking he must have said something.
BIG MISTAKE
His hand lashes out and grabs me by the jaw, forcing me to turn toward him.
“Eyes,” he demands.
And it’s not bad enough he does this at all, but I hate that he does it in front of his men. They just stand and watch. It’s humiliating and probably why he does it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Pathetically my voice comes out weak.
He tilts his head to the side and narrows his eyes. “Did you get a coffee today?”
I frown. Yeah, I did, but what does that have…
Oh.
Fuck.
My eyes widen and he squeezes harder. “That’s it. Good girl.”
I did get a coffee. Miloshhh was outside on the phone. I ducked in and waited in line. But when I was standing there, a guy, just an ordinary guy, tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a five-dollar note. I didn’t even realise I had dropped it. So, I said I didn’t think it was mine. Then he said how about he uses it to buy me a coffee. But Jeremy’s face flashed into my mind, the poor doorman that I ruined and obviously, I told him no and that I was engaged. He said he was a lucky man, then picked up my hand to look at my ring. I thought it odd, but just said thank you and turned around.
That’s it.
“You let him touch you?” His hand drops to my throat and his fingers wrap around my neck.
“No. No, I didn’t.” The words come out choked and he squeezes harder. “Ask Miloshhh, please. I didn’t.”
“I don’t need to ask my own fucking man!” he booms, as his hand grips tighter, pain shooting through me as the air begins to thin. “You think you’re so fucking great that some strange man can’t resist you?”
With his grip around my neck, he throws me onto the floor. My side hits the corner coffee of the table and I cry out. I can’t help it. The pain is excruciating, and the thud of my head against the floor sends a wave of blackness over my vision. I close my eyes, trying to stop the swirling room, but it just makes me sick.
But I open them again just in time to see his boot come crashing towards me.
“No,” I beg, as he lands a blow to my rib cage.