Page 80 of Twisted Prince

And as terrible as I feel for turning around and begging Gleb for help, I don’t know what else I can do.

Gabby releases a bright giggle, making my lips turn up in a smile despite my distress. I can’t wait to get her out of here. Now that I feel the walls closing in, I’m grateful to have an escape, someone I know will help me out of trouble despite everything I said.

I’m going to owe Gleb the biggest apology after all of this is said and done.

And hopefully, he’ll forgive me.

But the pain I caused, the betrayal on his face that night, is not something I’m confident we can come back from.

Taking a deep breath, I force the thought from my mind. I need to focus on packing. It’s nearly eight o’clock, and I don’t know how soon Gleb might arrive. Zipping the overstuffed duffle bag closed, I look around the room. We’re almost ready.

And punctual as always, Gleb must have just arrived because I hear a fist pounding firmly on the front door downstairs. Snatching a grocery bag, I open up the last few drawers and start to scoop the contents into it. Amazing how two people’s entire lives can fit into a single suitcase, a duffle bag, and a few plastic bags.

Someone knocks lightly on the door, making my heart flutter.

“Come in!” I call, keeping my eyes on my task.

The door creaks open.

The silence makes me glance up.

And my heart stops.

“Vinny,” I breathe, my eyes widening as he steps into the room. “How did you…? What brings you here so early?” And why did Kieri let you up?

Probably because I never warned her I’m running away. The page I left her on is that he’s my fiancé. Of course, she wouldn’t object if he said he came to see me.

But he appears to have no interest in small talk as his eyes take in my packed bags on the bed, the empty wardrobe, and open drawers. His expression darkens, his blue eyes glinting with cold fury. “What the fuck is this?” he snarls, stepping closer.

“I-I—” I have nothing. My mind is a complete blank as I realize just how bad this looks. I really have no way to talk myself out of this hole.

Dropping the bag I’m holding, I start to back up, bringing my hands before me in a pacifying gesture of surrender.

“What, did you think you could run from me? You decided my offer wasn’t good enough?” he demands, closing the space between us.

“No, it’s just… Please, I can explain,” I insist, my eyes flitting toward the open door of my room. Can I make it? Not likely. The room’s too small. He’d catch me for sure, and that would definitely make me look guilty.

“You lying, little cunt. You can explain? Well, go ahead then. Tell me why it looks like you’re moving out in such a hurry.” His fingers close around my neck as he shoves me back against the wall.

And that familiar sense of panic rises in my chest at the way he traps me there. Fingers scrabbling for my throat, I gasp. “I w-was p-packing to show you I’m ready. To come live with you. Now.”

For a fleeting moment, his grip softens, like he might actually believe me. And I rake in a painful breath while I still can. Then his eyes glance down at the grocery bag of toddler’s clothing that burst across the floor when I dropped it.

A snarl twists his cold face, ruining what could so easily pass for handsome. “I made it perfectly clear last night that the brat’s not coming. So why the fuck are her clothes being packed?” he demands. And as he cusses, he tightens his grip to slam me back against the wall for emphasis.

The air rushes from me, and my ears ring as the blood pounds against his fingertips, trying to get to my head.

“Answer me, you lying little slut!” he bellows, spit spraying across my face.

But his grip is too tight for me to even breathe, let alone speak. And for a second, I think he must realize that as he releases me. Then his hand comes flying out of nowhere, backhanding me so forcefully that it brings me to the floor.

I crumple, my knees screaming and my hands catching me just in time as the world around me does a sickening twirl. Then his fingers are curling in my hair, wrenching my head back to make me look at him.

“You—”

Before Vinny can finish his sentence, an arm snakes around his neck, cutting off his voice and air supply all at once.

“Let her go,” Gleb commands, his dark, menacing voice sending a shiver down my spine.

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