He Chose Her, I Chose Freedom

ir

l mirror to the coldness that had settled in my heart. Kaylene stood before me, her face contorted with a mixt

ating menace. His face was a roadmap of scars, his eyes two chips of obsidian fixed on Keaton's retreating form. He wor

d, his voice like gravel. "Stil

ze. He slowly turned, his face b

, his usual composure cra

nt of metal in his hand. A switchblade. "I want what you owe me, Murph

dom encounter. This was a consequence of Keaton'

ton?" I demanded, my voice sha

ter. "This has nothing to do with Blair,

ing on Kaylene. "She's wearing your ring, Murphy. And that little

ging to Keaton's arm. K

aton growled, stepping in fr

n the moment you stole my money to buy your way into this rich bitch's f

ry me? The pieces of his carefully constructed narrative be

a whisper, laced with disgust. "Did you use

and Slater. He remained silent. H

seethed, my rage momenta

prominent belly. His eyes widened, a crue

o build a new empire, Murphy. A little mini-me. Perhaps I should ensure this little heir n

Keaton. Keaton reacted instantly

aton roared, his voice l

rotecting his child, even when faced with a violent thug

them. "But what about your precious Blair, eh? The CEO. The family name." He turned

t. The moment of truth. Would he choose me, his wife, the woman

uldn't choose. He would try to save both, o

y voice surprisingly steady. "Name you

woman who understands business. And what I want, sweetheart, is everything

from behind Keaton. "

Or, you can take his place. Marry me. And I

ster? To save Keaton? The man who had

not for me, but for Kaylene and his child. He was willing

ice cold, devoid of e

ck replacing fear. "Blai

g Slater. "For the sake of the Clayton na

ive sound. "Smart girl. Come here, t

lump in my chest. This was it. The ult

his grip like a vice. He pulled me roughl

mured, his eyes raking over

ough my side. Slater had pushed

later snarled, pressing the blade deeper. "

gly, had fallen silent, her eyes wide with a

sharp, "don't let him take th

e stood there, frozen, wat

backward. I lost my footing, my head hitting the edge of a marble pedestal as I fell. Darkne

ead. The gallery was empty. Slater was gone. Kaylene and Keat

disgust. He had truly chosen her. He had let me b

ered, the words tasting like ash. "Y

rm and sticky. My fury, cold and clear, was now a roaring inferno. He wante

und cut through the silence. The rapid t

ng off circulation. "You're not going anywhere. We still have business

my head was throbbing, my vis

through my already bruised body. My vision swam

blur of motion. A figure tackl

d in shock. He

a brutal efficiency I had never seen in him, fueled by an anger I couldn't comprehend. He wasn't fighting for me.

ling, unconscious. Keaton stood over him, breathing heavily, hi

sitant. He reached out, his hand g

illed with a raw emotion that surprised m

d lost me? He had thrown me away. But for a fleeting moment, as his eyes met