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KENNEDY
The Styx’s empty bar room is eerie, and I almost wish I’d told Enzo to meet me anywhere else. But I don’t know where else I could face my ex down. There are two entrances to the bar, so he and his men can’t sneak up on me.
The minutes tick by, and I wonder if he’s decided to play a game of cat and mouse. Unfortunately, it’d be all too like him. But this time, I’m a mouse that has teeth.
Then I hear the sound of heavy footsteps and I’m on my feet.
I grip the gun in my bag, the weight heavy and reassuring. This time, the safety is off and I have every intention of using it.
Enzo strides through the entrance to the bar. His expression is unreadable and I wonder if he’s expecting a trap. He scans the room before his gaze settles on me. For a moment, I see a flicker of something like relief before he shutters it.
He's a fool for underestimating me, but I'm glad for the advantage.
He takes his place across from me, nodding at me with an air of familiarity that both repels and draws me in. Despite myself, my heart flutters nervously at his presence and I’m reminded of why I ever fell for him in the first place. But this time things are different—I’m not here to be vulnerable. I’m here to fight for control of the situation, no matter how much power he thinks he has over me.
He breaks into a smirk as he crosses his hands on the table and stares at me with an intensity that feels like a challenge.
“You had me worried, darling,” he says, coming to a stop a few feet away.
I keep my eyes on him, not moving.
“Did you call off your men?” I need to know Blaze and the rest are safe. “They wanted me gone, so there’s no point in risking your men’s lives.”
Enzo scoffs. “Those bikers are of no consequence to me. Only you, my darling.” He approaches me, and I have to keep myself from rearing back from disgust. His hand strokes my cheek before delving into my hair, gripping tight until I cry out in pain. He bends down and hisses in my ear. “Did you think you could get away with that stunt of yours? Did you forget who the fuck I am?”
I struggle against his grip, but his other hand wraps around my throat, cutting off my air.
I struggle against his grip, but his other hand wraps around my throat, cutting off my air. He leans in close and I can smell the liquor on his breath. “Do you know who has the power here? Do you think anyone will care if I do what I want with you?”
My eyes widen in fear as he pushes me back into my chair. My heart races as he steps away, and I can feel my control slipping away.
“Please,” I wheeze. “Let go. Let go!”
He pulls away, his eyes wild and dark. “I’m taking you home. And this time, you’re never leaving.”
He grabs my wrist, twisting until I drop my bag. The gun clatters to the floor.
“No! Please!”
Enzo grins and picks up the gun. He puts it into his waistband, then he drags me to the door.
“No, please, let me go!”
I try to yank free, but his fingers are like a vise around my wrist. I twist, using the moves I learned in my Brazilian jujitsu class to knock his legs out. He crashes down with a curse, and the gun skids away on the wooden floors.
But Enzo is strong… and angry.
He’s on me, pinning me down, and his hands closes around my throat. I stare into his hateful eyes. How could I ever have thought this monster loved me?
“I should kill you,” he growls. “I should snap your pretty little neck and leave you for those bikers to find.”
I can’t speak. The pressure of his hands are like a vise, squeezing tighter and tighter. I struggle but it’s like trying to push a brick wall. My vision starts to fade.
Then his hands are gone. I gasp, sucking in lungfuls of air. He grabs me by the hair again, and I wrap my hands around his wrist, trying to dig my nails between his tendons. It’s useless, though. I scrabble against the floor, trying to get my feet under myself or any type of leverage to fight back. Panic is taking over, as much as I try to fight it.
I can’t go back to him. I’d rather die.
The gun. It’s within reach.
