~Abigail's POV~
I can't breathe...
The sight of that name 'Darius Rassais' blurs with the tears stinging my eyes. I force them back, refusing to look weak in front of my father.
"No..." Slamming the contract on the desk, I shoot to my feet.
"I'm not signing this! You can't just marry me off to a stranger!" I scream, watching as a vein throbs violently in his neck.
"I'm trying to be calm, but it seems you want me to force you. Is that it?" My father's voice is disturbingly calm, though his eyes burn with rage.
I shake my head and rush to the door, fumbling with the handle. Locked. Of course.
The moment I turn back, a sharp slap crashes against my cheek. Pain blinds me, stars bursting in my vision, before it clears enough for me to see his enraged face.
"You ungrateful child!" he roars. "Do you have any idea how much I'll lose if you don't sign that contract?!"
I flinch, my pulse hammering. He steps back, trying to catch his breath, and I eye him warily.
"What did you do? Did you make a deal with him? He's dangerous, Father. He's one of the most powerful men in the world!"
"I know!" he bellows, and my entire body goes cold. "And that is exactly why you're going to marry him in return for the debt I owe."
He storms back to the desk, snatches the contract and pen, and shoves them into my trembling hands. "Sign it. Now."
"A debt?" My voice cracks. "You owe him, and you're selling me in return? I just beat him in court, Father. That case—"
"I don't fucking care!"
The slap comes fast, snapping my head to the side. This time my lip splits, the metallic taste of blood trickling down slowly.
"My life is on the line here!" he roars. "Just marry him! It's that simple. Or I'll kill that fiancé of yours and let my friends play with you for a while. Maybe that will bring you back to your senses."
"No!" The word escapes, raw with fear, before I can even think. My hand shakes as I snatch up the pen and scrawl my signature across the paper. I shove the contract back at him, my chest heaving.
He glares, snatching it from me. "Now, was that so hard?"
Bile rises in my throat. I almost throw up right there in his office.
"Don't hurt Liam! Stop using him to threaten me!" I snap, spinning toward the door. This time when I grab the handle, it turns. I storm out, brushing past the guards, rushing down the stairs, out of the house, straight into my car.
My hands tremble as I start the engine, tears spilling freely. I call Liam again and again, but he doesn't pick up.
And now I'm sobbing, my heart breaking as reality crashes down on me. My father has forced me into marrying someone I despise, threatened the man I love, and promised to throw me to his friends if I disobey.
I choke on a sob, pulling my car to the side of the road, breaking down completely. My life has been destroyed once again by my father, and by that bastard, Darius Rassais.
I need to see Liam. I have to tell him everything. Maybe together we can think of another way. We'd always planned to run away... to escape my father's grip... but now, with Darius involved, it's going to be harder.
Still… there has to be a way.
That thought is the only silver lining I have left.
"There must be a way out of this. There must be," I whisper like a mantra, over and over, until the tears finally slow.
By the time I've calmed myself, night has fallen. I quickly start the engine and drive to the hotel where Liam and I were supposed to have dinner.
I'm an hour early, but I have the key card to his room, so it doesn't matter.
I park, fixing my face as best as I can. My eyes are still rimmed red, my hair's a mess from running my fingers through it nonstop. But it's better, I guess.
Slipping inside the hotel, I take the elevator up, my body vibrating with the desperate need to just hug Liam, to cry into his chest and let him tell me it will all be okay. That maybe, just maybe, I can forget the nightmare my life has become.
The elevator doors open. I head straight to his room, slide the key card, and step inside.
"Ugh! Faster, baby, faster," a moan of pleasure pierces the air. A voice I know all too well.
I freeze.
The rhythmic sound of flesh against flesh echoes through the room, followed by a deep groan and cries of ecstasy. My legs feel like lead as I force myself forward, my stomach twisting.
And then I see him.
Liam... buried deep between the legs of his secretary.
My chest caves in, the air sucked from my lungs.
Wow… it's that easy, huh?
The girl's eyes snap open and lock on mine. A panicked scream rips from her throat, and Liam whirls around. His face drains of color, and he stumbles back, pulling out of her immediately.
"Baby? Baby, please!" he stammers, already begging.
I feel numb. My chest is heavy, my throat tight. My eyes sting, and hot tears roll down my cheeks but I'm exhausted....
Without a word, I slip the ring off my finger and toss it aside.
"Please, Abby, please," Liam pleads, running toward me. He drops to his knees in front of me, completely naked, desperation etched into his face. "I promise it wasn't intentional, I didn't—I…"
I shake my head slowly, my gaze drifting to the wide-eyed girl frozen on the couch. Then I look back at the man kneeling before me and sigh.
"It's over, Liam," I whisper, my voice weak but final. "Have a nice life without guilt. I'm not yours anymore."
Turning away, I head for the door.
"No! Abby!" He scrambles up, grabbing my arm.
I snap my head toward him, glaring. "Let go!"
His eyes widen. "Your cheek… your lip… what happened?" He reaches to touch me, but I shove him off and kick him straight in the groin.
"Stay away from me!" I yell.
He collapses to the floor, howling in pain. I don't look back. I storm out, make it to the elevator, and descend in silence. By the time I reach my car, the weight crashes over me all at once.
I slam the door shut, bury my face against the steering wheel, and scream through sobs. "Fuck my life!"
"Hmm. He broke your heart, didn't he?" A low, deep voice rumbles from behind me, smooth and mocking.
My head jerks up, and my blood runs cold. In the rearview mirror, emerald eyes meet mine.
Darius Rassais sits casually in the back seat, his expression calm, almost amused. He raises a hand in a mock salute.
"Hello there, Wildcat."