Chapter 10

“You did what?”I demanded, utterly stunned as I stared into Wick’s dark eyes.

He didn’t even blink. “I bought the company you work for and sacked your piece of shit boss.”

Holy crap. Holy crap.

My brain struggled to comprehend what he was saying. “But this just happened an hour ago.”

“Technically, almost two,” he corrected with a scowl. “It took Saul nearly forty minutes to drive you home. Have you considered a work from home position? Or, you know, not working at all. I didn’t want to push the issue at first but?—”

A hysterical laugh bubbled out of me, and I scrambled off his lap so fast I almost face-planted on the floor. Wick tried to grab me, but I moved too fast.

Or, more than likely, he let me up because he knew I was about to freak out.

“What am I supposed to do? Stay home all day and just wait for you to be around?” I gesticulated wildly, a sure sign that I was close to losing it. The more worked up I got, the more emphatically I talked with my hands and the higher my voice went.

And right now, my voice was a decibel short of a condor’s screech.

Wick didn’t stand. He sat on the sofa and watched me with that never-ending calm. “Of course not. I’m just pointing out your options.”

“Options?” It felt like all the air was suddenly sucked out of the room.

His brows lowered. “Of course you have a choice, Sia.”

“I stopped having a choice the moment you entered the picture,” I hissed, jabbing a finger at him. “Do you realize how completely ridiculous it is that you bought the company I work for?”

“I won’t apologize for protecting you,” Wick stated, popping his neck.

“Do I even want to know how you bought the place where I work? Doesn’t stuff like that take weeks?”

He was silent, his gaze drifting to a spot behind me.

“Oh, my god,” I whispered, my hand flying up to cover my mouth. “You’ve been planning this for weeks?” That feeling of safety I’d felt when I’d been wrapped up in his arms moments earlier was suddenly gone.

I stumbled back, shaking my head. “Is my life just a game to you?”

Now he stood, quickly and fluidly. Like a panther going from sleepy to predatory in the span of a heartbeat. “Of course not. You’re my wife, Sia.”

“You keep saying that, but all it sounds like is I’m one more possession you’ve acquired. I mean, that”s why you used Wife For Hire in the first place, isn’t it? A wife isn’t something you want; it’s just another box to check.” My chest heaved as I glared at him, the accusations turning the air between us toxic.

His face went hard. “You truly think so little of me?”

I threw my arms wide. “What else am I supposed to expect, Warwick?”

He drew in a sharp breath. “Think whatever you like, Alessia. I’ve done everything I can to show you that I’m here for you?—”

“More like I’m here for you,” I countered with a scoff as I wrapped my arms around myself.

“Then go,” he said coldly. “If I’m such a monster, leave.”

“What about our marriage?” My heart thundered as I wondered if he’d divorce me and what that meant.

“Your call,” he replied with an indifferent shrug while shoving his hands into the pockets of his sweats. “I’ve done everything I can think of to get you—You know what? It doesn’t matter. Do whatever you want, Alessia.” He spun on his heel and stalked from the room.

I watched him go until I was standing in the middle of the room, all alone.

It took a second for me to move, but when I did, I sprinted down the hall to my own room and slammed the door.

As fast as I could, I stripped out of my work clothes and put on a pair of leggings and an oversized hoodie. I shoved my feet into a pair of sneakers and grabbed an overnight bag from my stupidly large closet. Grabbing a few changes of clothes and necessary toiletries from my bathroom, I packed everything I would need to get away for a few days. I didn’t know where I’d go. Maybe a motel, or maybe I’d call Mr. Devane.

All that mattered was putting distance between myself and Wick.

As I practically jogged past the kitchen, I glanced at what would’ve been an amazing meal.

But now it was just as ruined as my sham of a marriage.

I was an idiot to ever think this would work.

And I was an even bigger fool for forgetting that Wick had a habit of derailing my life regardless of our marital status.

Tears blurred my eyes as I slapped the button for the elevator. As soon as the doors parted, I ran inside. I white-knuckled the rail as I patiently waited for it to descend the nearly fifty floors.

When the doors opened into the lobby, I ducked my head and hurried for the building entrance.

“Good evening, Mrs. Forrester,” Cliff greeted as he pulled open the large glass door. His expression faltered. “Are you all right, Mrs. Forrester?”

“I’m fine,” I whispered, wiping at the tears starting to fall again.

“May I call you a car? Or call Mr. Forrester?” Cliff followed me onto the sidewalk, looking concerned.

“No. I’m fine,” I repeated, hating how my voice broke.

“Mrs. For?—”

I pulled up my hoodie and quickened my pace. “Goodnight, Cliff.” I seamlessly merged into a crush of people walking between streets, losing myself in the bustle of the city.

Walking without a purpose, I soon saw the wrought iron gates that framed the southern edge of Central Park. Using one of the many paths that twisted into the city’s largest park, I released a shaky breath and slowed down.

The sounds of the city, of cars and people, muted the deeper I walked into the park. The sun was starting to set, and other than a few cyclists and joggers, I was mostly alone.

It wasn’t long before I recognized the path I’d subconsciously chosen as one that led to my favorite spot in the park—Belvedere Castle.

As a little girl, my parents, and then my grandparents, had brought me there for picnics. I’d run around the castle like I was its princess, gripping the stone walls to peer out to the park and all the people below.

I lengthened my strides as the castle turret came into view. The gray stone was worn and weathered, but it felt like coming home.

Rounding the corner of the path that would cross the 79th Street Transverse, I heard the yipping of a dog and someone shouting.

“Please! Catch her! Stay, Gigi!”

Turning, I spotted a blur of white puff zipping toward me. I knelt and clapped my hands to get the dog’s attention. Its tiny ears perked up as it ran, a bright pink leash trailing in its wake.

Gigi jumped at me with an excited bark, and I closed my fingers around the leash as her owner’s shape materialized from the darkness.

The lamplight behind me flickered on, illuminating the area with a golden glow as I looked up at the owner with a smile that instantly fell when I realized I knew the person coming toward me.

The leash slipped from my hands and Gigi scampered away, and it was all I could do not to follow her.

“Well, if it isn’t my trouble making assistant,” Mr. Covington sneered. “Was ruining my career not enough for a whore like you?”

I straightened and started to back away. “Mr. Covington, I had no idea?—”

“Lying little slut,” he spat, lunging forward and grabbing my wrists.

I glanced around, but all I could see was Gigi’s leash disappearing as she went over a hill. “Your dog?—”

“Fuck the dog,” he snarled. “It would seem I have my hands full with another bitch this evening.”

Fear surged in my veins as I realized I was on my own. Even if I could break free, my best shot was to run for the transverse where cars were cutting through the park. With my luck, Mr. Covington would catch me and shove me into oncoming traffic.

“Please—”

“Shut up!” he roared, dragging me toward a copse of trees.

I opened my mouth, ready to scream. As soon as I dragged in a breath, he clamped a sweaty hand over my mouth while shoving my back against a tree. My spine hit the trunk of the tree with a crunch that I felt from my ass to my shoulders. Air whooshed from my lungs.

Mr. Covington kept a hand over my mouth as he used his other to paw at my hoodie, like he could forcibly rip it from my body. His fingers squeezed over my breast, and I cried out in pain, my eyes squeezing shut.

“Fucking cocktease,” he spat. “Gonna show you?—”

Mr. Covington was ripped away from me, there one second and gone the next. I lost my balance, dropping to my knees.

“Motherfucker,” Wick growled, standing between us like an avenging angel. He took a menacing step toward Mr. Covington, who tried to run away but was blocked by Marcel.

Movement to my right had me gasping and whirling, but it was Saul kneeling down to help me with his palms raised. “Are you okay, Mrs. Forrester?”

“She started it!” Mr. Covington shouted, pointing at me.

Marcel pushed him toward Wick as he rolled his eyes. “All yours, boss.”

Mr. Covington opened his mouth, put Wick’s fist shot out in a furious blur of movement. The audible sound of Wick’s fist connecting with my former boss’s jaw made me flinch. Mr. Covington dropped into the dirt and didn’t move.

“Oh, god,” I whimpered, letting Saul help me up. “Did you kill him?”

“No.” Wick sounded disappointed. “He’s just got a glass jaw. Fucking bitch. Call this in, Marcel.” He turned and moved to me, taking me from Saul and pulling me into his arms. “I’m so sorry, Sia. I lost you for a minute when you entered the park?—”

“You followed me?” I peered up at him in stunned amazement.

His brow furrowed. “Of course I did.”

“You told me to leave,” I murmured.

His lips twitched. “I told you that you could leave. I never said I wouldn’t follow you. I never said I wouldn’t bring you back home. Because I will. Every time you leave, just know I’m coming, too.”

A crack opened up in my heart, threatening to split it wide open. “Why?”

With a soft breath, Wick leaned in and kissed my forehead, his touch almost reverent. “I haven’t been totally honest with you, wife, but if you’ll come home with me, I’d like to tell you some things. A lot of things.”

I laid my head against his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heart as I inhaled his musky scent. “Take me home, Wick.”