My Escape: A Marriage of Convenience

it all merged into a meaningless drone. My mind was a blank slate, wiped clean by the sheer, brut

that no one could match. He didn't look triumphant. He just looked... inevitable. He took Annika by the arm,

the door to a lavish room and pulled her inside. I crept closer, the plush carpet swallo

e was trembling, but there was a current of exc

was low and humorless. "No, A

you still love me? Sa

"I hate you," he said softly. "But God, I still want you. You crawled back to me, t

ho chased me," she whisper

e moved closer to her, his voice dropping to a raw, intimate

e wall. His hands tangled in her hair, pulling her head back, and his mouth crashed down on hers. It wasn't a kiss

ng, the sharp, indrawn breaths, the soft moans. He tore at the bac

gle, choked sob escaped his lips.

crying," she whispered, her voice fil

manded, his voice

ol plaster. My nails were digging into my palms, but I couldn't feel the sting. I just watche

dding her deeper within it. Finally, she passed out from exhaustion. He gently pulled a blanket over her, his touch now tender, his expression full of

moment I fi

ys of the club and stepped out into the cold night air. The world felt tilt

ires was the las

horrifying crunch of metal an

dy beeping of a machine. A nurse was leaning o

ould have been much worse. We need to get you into surgery to set the bone." She handed me a cl

contact. Adle

longings. My vision was blurry. I found his name at the top of my fa

oman answered, her voice

as A

oat cl

the shower. Oh, is this Hazel?" she purred, a cruel amusement coloring her ton

peak. I coul

ping with sweetness. "Your little girlfriend i

voice came on the line, distant and

o whisper, the words scraping my throat

heart-stopping second,

nnika isn't feeling well. I

in the sudden silence. He was choosing her. Even now. My

voice taking on that possessive growl I'd heard earli

nnika in the background, fol

dead. He had

th pity. "Is there anyone else

e word a final surren

an almost illegible scrawl. A drop of blood from a cut on my hand splattered

ness swallowed