Page 73 of The Billionaire's Angel

“He came back for me. He’s not going to let mego.”

“He can’t have you,” Gage said. “You belong withme.”

We sat there on the couch until the divorce lawyer arrived, not really talking, just being there. Together. Gage stayed while I talked to Stephanie Marks, holding my hand the entiretime.

She was brusque and efficient, but the fire in her eyes when I explained my situation was comforting. I tried to ask Gage about her fee and he pressed a finger across mylips.

“No.”

“But—”

He shook his head and pressed his fingerharder.

“No, Sophie. I promise I won't hunt down your soon to be ex-husband and kill him in cold blood. In return, you agree to let me take care of your attorney’sfees.”

When he put it like that… I did the only sensible thing and nodded myhead.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Sophie

The next twenty-fourhours were anti-climactic. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for my phone to ring, for a knock at the door, but there was nothing. Anthony had disappeared as mysteriously as he’d appeared back in mylife.

Stephanie Marks filed the paperwork for the restraining order, and it was granted almost immediately. I suspected Aiden's influence. She'd explained that the paperwork itself was as good as useless, but if he violated the order, it would only help my case in the divorce. Useless or not, the restraining order made me feelbetter.

Mrs. W drove Amelia to her appointment since Aiden and Gage had a meeting at the office they couldn't easily reschedule. Gage didn't want to leave me alone in the house, but I reassured him that I'd befine.

The guard at the gate had strict instructions not to allow anyone on the property until they returned. There was another guard on the property, and the alarm wasset.

I was safe in the house and I was going to be brave. That included not asking Gage to sit by my side. Anthony was alive. I was going to have to learn to deal withthat.

The house was quiet with everyone gone. I tried to read a book but couldn't keep my attention on the page. Finally, I gave up and curled up on the couch in the library in front of the fire, listening to the hiss of the gas logs and watching the dancingflames.

My phone rang, discordantly loud in the quiet room. I glanced at the screen before I answered and froze. Unknown number. My thumb hovered over the red ‘call’ button, debating what to do as it rang in my hand over andover.

My heart trying to pound its way out of my chest, I punched my thumb at the button and hoped for thebest.

“Hello?”

“Sophie,” Anthony's familiar cool tone sounded in my ear. “You were so unfriendly yesterday, I almost didn't recognize my ownwife.”

“I have a restraining order,” I said, surprised at how calm I sounded. My breath was strangled in my chest, but my voice was level when I said, “You're not allowed to come near me, or call me, or contact me in anyway.”

“You're my wife,” Anthony said, unruffled. “No one can tell me I can't call my own wife. Now, I've got a problem, and I think you can help me with it. I have an unwanted guest. I'd like to trade her foryou.”

A cold ball of horror gathered in my chest as I heard Amelia's voice echo in the background over the phone. “Don't listen to him, Sophie. Stay where you are and don't listen to him. Don't youdare—”

The smack of flesh on flesh sounded over the phone and Amelia fell silent. I knew that sound, knew it too well. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying tothink.

Anthony said, “I don't have any interest in harming the old woman, but I will if I have to. You have an hour. I'll text you the address. Don't be late or I'll slit herthroat.”

He hung up. A few seconds later my phone chirped with a text message. An address I didn't recognize. I sat staring at my phone, frozen in indecision. Panic told me to run for the car keys and go after Amelia. Every muscle in my body strained to leap off the couch and move, but I stayed where Iwas.

If I showed up there by myself, not only would Anthony get me, he would almost certainly kill Amelia. If I did nothing, he would kill Amelia. I was reaching for my phone when it rang, startling me so badly I almost fell off thecouch.

“Hello?”

A familiar voice said, “Sophie, Cooper. We caught Armstrong's call. I've got a team on the way to that address. We'll get eyes on Amelia. You stay put fornow.”