Page 72 of Hard To Stay

Everything inside me rattled. I was shaking. “I don’t understand.”

“I know you’re new to New York, but you recognize who my dad’s two buddies are in the picture, right?” He pointed to the photo. “You see my dad and the Mayor are old friends. They go way back. College actually. It turns out Mayor Decapio is Dad’s little fraternity brother. So, of course my family agreed to give very generously to the Mayor’s campaign because he’s up for reelection soon.”

“I guess that explains how you were able to get the charges dropped.” I said feeling everything inside me snap.

His grin was wide and his eyes were dark. “It’s good to have friends in high places.”

“What are you going to do with these pictures?” I didn’t want to ask the question because I was afraid of what the answer would be. But I wasn’t stupid. I knew exactly where this was headed.

“Now, that is entirely up to you. You see there isn’t a lot of love lost between the Police Commissioner and the Mayor. And seeing how much respect the Mayor has for my family he wouldn’t give ending the career of your lover boy or his goons a second thought. In fact,” He flattened his hands out and dramatically spread the photos across the table. “I think there is enough evidence here to send your boyfriend to prison for a few years. We all know how much the inmates love a dirty cop. He would certainly be a fresh piece of meat for the boys.”

My heart was beating so fast I thought I might have been having a heart attack. “You’re blackmailing me?”

His eyes narrowed. “Blackmailing is such an ugly word, Alexis. I didn’t come here looking for trouble. I only came to win back the woman I love. I actually think it’s quite romantic.”

“Why would you want to be with someone who doesn’t love you?”

He set this whole thing up. Every move, every step and every minute was planned. He was sick and sadistic. My brain was searching for a way to end this nightmare. I couldn’t let him destroy Brad along with everything good in my life. But I had no other choice but to comply. Colton wouldn’t stop until the man I loved and everyone he cared about was finished.

“I know you still love me. You just don’t realize it. You don’t spend ten years of your life with someone and not care about them. I need to get you home where you will be reminded.” He said, in a sick attempt to rationalize his warped way of thinking.

The only thing I felt for this man was a visceral hatred and disgust. Georgia was no longer my home. My home was here with Brad.

“I’m not going anywhere with you. You’re forgetting that you attacked me and threatened me. We’ll get the best lawyers money can buy and we’ll fight this.”

“Really?” Colton said in feigned shock. “Where are your injuries? Did you record our conversation? Do you have any proof? I have documentation of three separate occasions where your boyfriend threatened my physical health. Even if Mr. Morgan is able to avoid jail time, my father has assured me that the Mayor will see to it that the careers of all those involved will be finished. By the time I’m done, they won’t even be able to find work as mall security guards.”

Deep down I always knew this day would come. I didn’t want to believe it; I didn’t want to acknowledge it. My past was colliding with my future and right now Colton had the upper hand.

“What am I supposed to tell Brad?” I struggled, keeping my tears back. I refused to give him the emotion he wanted. He would only use it to control me further.

“Tell him whatever it is you need to tell him. Just make sure he knows it’s the end. You have one week.” He stood up, picked up his bag off the floor then walked out.

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