Page 10 of Gilded Whispers

He means he bribed everyone from dirty low-level cops to high officials who can make paperwork, evidence and people disappear with a snap of their fingers.

I take another step back to put more distance between me and the spiteful man looking to ruin me in every way he can think of.

Baby blues swing up to Lucifer in human form. “William, baby. What is this woman talking about?”

Baby?My stomach rolls.

“Nothing you need to worry about. She’s just jealous I didn’t want her dirty pussy. Moone blood is trash, and she knows it.”

His old insult doesn’t sting as bad as it used to. I guess I made more progress than I thought with therapy. Which is great given the price tag that came with the hospital bill and scar.

One of his unfortunate dates keeps her pouty face toward William while the other lady nails me with a look of fake pity written all over her dolled-up expression.

“It sounds like you just weren’t woman enough to pleasure a man like our William.

Whatever. I’m so over this night. “Yeah. sure. Think on that while you’re getting your insides put back in by an E.R. doctor.”

The only thing keeping me on my feet right now is sheer determination and fake bravado. Every red blood cell I possess in my veins quivers with renewed fear. Bile stings the back of my throat, but I swallow it and force my heart to calm down.

I focus on keeping the tears burning the edges of my eyes from falling, too. I will not let them see me weak. I can cry later.

I turn on my heel feeling proud of myself for not kneeing the asshole in the balls so hard he tastes his own nutsack when a harsh grip wraps around my arm.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going? I didn’t give you permission to leave. And you sure the hell don’t turn your back on me. I’m the man here. You obey me. End of story. Got it? Don’t test me, bitch.”

I whirl in shock that this fucker would actually lay a hand on me again.

An ache filters into my chest and leaves behind a pain I remember all too well. The smell of copper. The cold kitchen floor. Worst of all was the soul-deep betrayal. I thought he loved me. I knew down to my soul this man was the one for me. Or I thought I did. I gushed to my mother about him. And then…

It doesn’t matter. I was a fool in the end, and I nearly paid for it with my life.

I swallow the putrid ball of fear clogging my throat. Roots try to take hold and spread throughout my body, but I fight them back. He can’t win again.

Do not show fear.I push back the fringe of blackness edging into my vision.

Rage fires through me. “Get your filthy hands off me, William,” I seethe, feeling the fierce anger of a thousand avenging angels coursing through my veins and lending me their strength. No man gets to control me.

I try to wrench my arm from his death grip, but no matter how hard I pull, his iron fingers only tightens further. Bruises will show up on my fair skin by morning. The thought of wearing his disgusting fingerprints on me for days to come shoots red across my vision.

“You don’t get to leave until I let you. It’s laughable you’re here. Who the fuck do you think you are? I thought I taught you trash doesn’t belong in my world. No one in this place wants to touch your filthy cunt.”

His dark eyes gleam with twisted glee at driving his lacerated word deeper into my chest.

I don’t remember the exact thought process in perfect sequence that has us suddenly surrounded by the club’s security. One minute his face is in mine and I smell the stench of his aftershave. In the next, my palm is smeared with his blood.

I take particular satisfaction in the juicy sound of his nose cracking and the girly squeal that comes out of his mouth.

I wince at the pain on his face, but not out of pity. Out of sheer pleasure and a gross amount of satisfaction.

A sudden calm comes over me. Ice cold control purges the fire in my system.

William stumbles back and catches the bar’s hard corner in the ribs. Serves him right.

“You fucking bitch.” His face turns a nasty red and his words come out slurred with pain.

“Ouch. Poor baby.” I turn an icy look on his dates who look mortified for a man they only think they want to be with. “You should run while you can,” I urge, but neither of them budge. Instead, they can’t stop looking at me likeIam the insane one.

Fools. Or they are money hungry.

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