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"I know he’s never hurt me. Never hit me. Never violated me," I retort.
Andrew rolls his eyes.
My hand is flying through the air before I realize it, but right before it makes contact with Andrew's cheek, he catches my wrist in a painful vice grip. "Look at you," he snorts, his fingers gripping me so hard I think my bone might crack, but I refuse to let him relish in my pain. "The next time your hands touch me, baby, it will be in pleasure."
I yank my hand away; it takes two pulls, and Andrew gives in for my hand to be free. I cradle it to my chest.
"Julian’s lied to you," Andrew claims as his eyes look around the lobby. Yet again, he got away with hurting me. No one else saw.
"You thought I was bad. Did you stop and ask who Theo Sterling was?"
What does Theo have to do with this?
Like the perfect predator, Andrew uses my confusion to strike. "Let me ask you this, Poppy: how is it that you got an apartment in Julian's building and a job at his office?"
How does he know all of this?
The cameras. He was watching and listening all along.
I step back, ready to leave this futile conversation. I got nowhere. Andrew only saw my fear and fed off it.
He tips his head back and laughs. "Julian’s been lying to you," he says again, like he's a goddamn printing press trying to force me to read his story.
"No," I snap. "You’re the liar," I shout.
But deep down, his words take root.
I hate it. I want to pluck them out, but I feel their roots reaching and trying to grasp something.
It was just a random act of fate that landed me living and working for Julian.
Right?
Yes.
"Poppy!" Julian shouts in both anger and worry, and everyone in the lobby looks at him.
Andrew’s eyes turn pure evil; then they pivot to me. "I’m going to save you from him. You’re going to beg me to. But in the meantime, I’m going to make you suffer," he reaches out and cups my jaw painfully, "I have to. You crossed me, and I have to teach you a lesson. I’m sorry, baby. I’m going to break you and everyone you love. But don’t worry, I’ll build you into something better. My perfect girl."
A shadow covers us, and all I see is Julian’s wide shoulders and then his back as he flies between Andrew and me. Julian’s massive fist lands right into Andrew’s jaw, and there’s a sickening crack.
I hope he broke it.
"You come near her again, and I’ll kill you!" Julian roars so loud I’m sure the entire building hears.
Hands grasp me, and I scream, only to find Theo, Julian’s brother, dragging me away.
Why am I allowing Andrew’s words to make me question people who have never hurt me?
Theo’s eyes look so much like Julian's—sharp and a light grey shade—but Theo’s have streaks of blue in them, making him look colder and more calculated.
I shake my head. Stop. Don’t listen to Andrew.
Theo positions me behind his back, and then he looks at Andrew and grins. That smirk tells me that everything I wanted to doubt might have a sliver of truth.
Andrew was correct. I don’t know who Theo is; the man I’m seeing now isn’t the same man I first met. He’s more devilish. The question is, how much so?
Andrew spits blood onto the polished marble floor, then looks at Theo. "I know who you are."
