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“What’s possible?”
Ashton lifted the champagne glass to his lips and drank, when he was done the glass was empty. I sat waiting for his next words.
“It’s possible that I might stick around this summer, not just for my nieces but maybe for you as well.”
His gaze became so intense, that I was sure he was flirting with me.
My heart did a few summersaults in my chest and my palms started to itch. “For me?”
He nodded. “You’ve been taking care of the girls for me. That was a lot to throw on you. I’d need to be here to do my share. My work has kept me so busy, and I am sorry about that.”
My mouth had seemed to have gone dry, and his intense stare had my skin growing warm. Ashton didn’t strike me as the type to say sorry. My stomach couldn’t help but flutter. For six months he’d been aloof and distant. I’d thought that it was a mixture of a few things including him not liking me and also becoming a surrogate father so quickly.
“Just know,” Ashton leaned across the table and held my hand which immediately started to sweat.
Part of me wanted to yank it back and wipe the sweat against the silk fabric of the dress, the other part of me, the part that won out enjoyed his touch. “Nothing has gone unnoticed.”
I was thankful when the waiter returned with our food even though my husband's touch seemed to linger long after it was gone.
Two glasses of wine later and a few soft laughs, I excused myself to go to the restroom. I peeked over my shoulder and caught him watching me walk away. It was so stupid, but I hadn’t worn any panties because I didn’t want any lines to show through the dress.
Chuckling to myself, I entered the empty restroom. Everything after that was a blur. Someone managed to grab me from behind and pushed me against a wall.
“Let go of me!” I managed to yell as the door to the bathroom slowly closed and the bathroom fell silent.
A hand clamped itself over my mouth and I felt something push against my side. “Golds…have you missed me? Because I’ve missed you...”
My mind was racing, and I was suddenly paralyzed completely by fear. They had found me. I wasn’t imagining that fucking note.
“Now listen to me, baby…I can’t take you now. No, not right now but soon. And its nothing even your criminal husband can do to save you. You belong to me. Always have...”
His other hand began to slide over my body, cupping one of my breasts in his hands and squeezing.
“I’ve missed you, Halo…”
My eyes widened and I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t find my voice. All I could feel was their warm breath blowing against my neck making me nauseous and fear riding down my spine like a river of hot electricity.
Baby, I thought.
It had to be him, the voice was so familiar to me but I hadn’t heard him speak in years.
White hot tears began to slide down my face and I whispered. “Please...please don’t hurt me.”
Finally, he flipped me around and I found him wearing a bear mask much like the ones my stepbrothers had worn for Halloween that year. It had to be him but where were the others?
“I’m going to hurt you, but not tonight…”
He began to ease the dress up, moving his hands to go between my legs while the knife remained pointed at my side.
“And you’re going to beg me for it, Halo, when it’s all said and done…”
I couldn’t stare at him for another moment and looked away as I tried to push his hands away from me. “Please stop, please!”
“I’ll be seeing you,” he whispered.
I heard the door open and didn’t dare look to see if he was gone. I found myself running into the large stall and pulling it behind me. My body began to rack with sobs, as fat tears fell down my face, staining the beautiful silk dress.
Ashton finally found me, still sobbing in the stall. He eased himself down onto the ground with me and I saw the guards looking around, their faces stern.
