Bought for Love(34)

The silence in the car was almost deafening until we pulled up to the park. I slid out of the backseat, not giving him time to come around to open it. “I’ll find my own way home.”

“Emily, wait, please.”

The old me would have felt guilty for running off, knowing he felt bad. I wasn’t sure if there was room for that person in my life right now. Clutching my purse, I just ran. I wanted to push myself until I fell out in exhaustion. Anything to stop this sense of betrayal that overwhelmed me in ways I had no idea how to deal with.

That’s what I did. I ran and ran until my lungs and muscles ached. When I couldn’t force my legs to move another step, I fell down on my knees right in the middle of Central Park, and wept. I didn’t care who could see me. My life was officially over!

I didn’t know how long I knelt there feeling sorry for myself, before reality began to set back in. My cell phone was beeping with unanswered messages, but I didn’t have the will to see who had called. Focusing on breathing normally again, I remained right where I was. Finally I saw the strange looks people passing by were giving me, but I didn’t care.

I felt hands on my shoulders and turned my head to see Dante standing there. “Let’s get you back in the car.” The remorse on his face finally made me feel something other than anger and grief.

I nodded, embarrassed at the spectacle I made of myself, and stood up. This was definitely the lowest point of my life. Dusting the dirt from my knees, I followed him out of the park, my legs throbbing in over exertion.

We’d almost made it to the car when Dante finally spoke. “I’m sorry, Emily.”

I assumed he was talking about not telling me about Jack, and in my calming mind, I tried to understand. I knew what it was like to be hungry, and Jack was his boss. It didn’t make it any less painful, but even so, I could understand. “Just let it go.” I couldn’t say I forgave him, because I didn’t, but I wasn’t willing to hash it out.

Once we arrived at the car and he opened the back door, any guilt I had over the way I’d handled things with him was gone. He wasn’t apologizing for not telling me the truth before, but for bringing me straight to my source of agony. Jack was sitting in that back seat, seemingly impatient, and I turned my face to Dante and glared. “I hate you.”

I turned to walk away, but Jack reached out and pulled me inside. He closed the door, and I frantically reached for the lever. “Let me out, Jack!” The scream was so loud in the confined space that it hurt my ears.

“No.” Dante had taken his position behind the wheel, and he turned his attention to him. “Drive.” He rolled up the partition after giving him that order and I stared at him like the demon he was in my mind.

“Adding kidnapping to your list of sins, Jack?” I wanted to hurt him, even though I knew I’d never have the nerve to press those charges against him.

“We’re going to my place to talk, if you want to leave after feel free.”

How could he be so calm? Outside of that tell-tale tick in his jaw, you’d think nothing had changed between us. It made me insane. Without thought, I slapped his face, and began calling him every foul name I could dig up in my vocabulary.

Jack pulled me into his lap, wrapping his strong arms around my wrists, capturing them so that I was hugging myself and basically held me immobile. God! I hated him in that moment. Struggling against his hold, I’d never wanted to kill a man more than him. Since I couldn’t escape, I continued screaming obscenities. When my throat was raw with my emotional outburst, I calmed.

“Are you finished yet?” I could hear the smirk in his voice and it made me want to scratch his eyes out.

“Fuck! You!” Gritting my teeth I let him know in no uncertain terms, that I was far from finished.

“I’m warning you, my patience has limits.”

His patience! The man was completely insane! He had the audacity to threaten me. Now? After all the lies he’d let me believe? Hell no! I could give a sailor a run for his money with the words forming in my mind at the moment!

I didn’t notice that we’d pulled through the security gate on his driveway until the car stopped in front of the house. “I’ll let you know if she needs to be picked up.” Dante looked worried about what was happening, but only nodded.

Jack grasped my arm, pulling me out of the car and I was so angry that I couldn’t even find the will to fight him as we walked up his stairs. It didn’t dawn on me until we were alone in his foyer that this was a bad idea.

The grip he had on my arm wasn’t painful, more firm than anything as he led me to the living room. I was alone with this sick bastard in his house. It finally hit me that being here with him this way could be dangerous!