Page 109 of If You Stayed

Before the words could finish falling from my tongue, he placed his two tear-soaked hands against my shoulders and shoved me hard, sending me flying against the wall where his broken glass had shattered. I fell to the floor, a piece of glass slicing through my hand. I yipped and picked up my hand, trying to shake off the dizziness from the impact of the crash. I pulled the piece of glass from my hand and looked up to find Henry staring my way. He still had tears rolling down his cheeks, but he looked wild. As if he was no longer there, and all I could see was his father staring back at me. A switch had been flipped, and Henry was gone.

He stood from his chair and moved over to me. He knelt and placed his hands above me on the wall, boxing me in, and lowered his face to mine. “You’re not leaving me, just like she didn’t leave him. Do you understand, Kierra?” he said as he crouched over me. He gripped my chin in his hand and pulled my face toward him. “You said the words. ‘’Til death do us part.’ So, either youdieor youstay. You’re mine.” He then forced his lips against mine, kissing me with his whiskey-drenched tongue, infecting me with his threats that felt like terrifying promises. I sat still as his mouth engulfed mine. Once hefinished kissing me, he shoved my face away, making my head hit the wall behind me. “Stay away from Gabriel Sinclair, or I swear to God, you’ll regret it and I’ll make his life as miserable as yours.”

He walked over to the roses on the table, pulled out a handful of them, and threw them at me. “And to think I bought you all these roses.”

28

Gabriel

Gabriel:Hey, Kierra. Missed you this morning at the coffee shop. I hope you’re doing okay.

Kierra:Hi, sorry. Crazy morning. Henry’s in a mood. All is well. I’ll reach out later on.

Gabriel:Are you okay? Do you need me?

Kierra:I’m okay. Can we talk later?

Gabriel:Always. How are you?

She didn’t answer.

I knew I shouldn’t have read into her messages too deeply, but frankly I was worried. She seemed nervous. At least to me she did. That shit worried me more than anything, based on the man she was married to and the way I knew he fucked with her mind. I could hardly imagine the mind games Henry was playing with Kierra. Her text was seemingly simple, but I could almost feel her anxiety coming through every letter she’dtyped.

It wasn’t until her husband showed up to my office in a huff later that day that I grew extremely worried for her safety and well-being.

“Stay away from my family,” Henry said as he marched into my office. He was dressed in a designer suit and messing with his cuffs. “Do you understand me?”

“You have a lot of nerve showing up here,” I said, rising from my chair. “It might be best if you leave.”

“Trust me, I’m not planning on staying long. I just wanted to make one thing clear, and it’s that I want nothing to do with you. I want you nowhere near my property. Your staff can handle all the details from now on, but you will not set foot on my property.”

“Is that it?” I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

“No, that’s not it.” He marched toward me, puffing out his chest as if trying to be the alpha. “If I find out you touch my wife again, I will destroy your life.”

“From what I can tell, you don’t have a wife. And Kierra damn sure doesn’t have a husband.”

“That’s not for you to decide. I mean it. Stay away from her and my daughter. Or else.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Is that a threat?”

“It’s a promise,” he said, sliding his hands into his slacks pockets. “You think Kierra is unhappy with me now? Trust me…I’ll make her life a living hell if she keeps seeing you. I will not only destroy you; I’ll ruin everything good she has going for her.”

“You’re a fucking bitch,” I growled, feeling my protective nature grow as he spoke about harming Kierra. “If you hurt her—”

“That’s my right,” he cut in. “She’s mine to have, and mine to handle. So stay the fuck away and stop texting her. You sound pathetic.”

“You’ve been reading her messages?”

“She’s my wife. Mine. I’m allowed to read anything she sends out. And the last I heard, she made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with you. So, do us all a favor and stay far away from us all. You’re lucky I don’t press charges against you for hitting me. A punk-ass hit, too. If I’d had my footing, it would’ve never stuck.”

Sure, Henry. Whatever you fucking say.

“Are we done here?” I said through gritted teeth, knowing he was trying to get a rise out of me. A part of me wanted to step toward the challenge, yet another part worried what he’d do to Kierra and Ava if I did step up to him. If I did knock him out. Because I would. I would knock him out faster than he could say a word.

“I think we are. Pretty sure you got the message.”

“Loud and clear,” I muttered.

---