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He knew what the dress meant to me. Every fucking person knew the history and tradition of the gown. He’d stolen my dream, stolen so much from me—I hated him with every fiber of my being.
Why had I put up with this shit for so long? Where was my self-respect?
I’d let him destroy it. I had allowed a fucking man to put me in a cage, take away my rights, and then manipulate my mind.
Never fucking again.
Never once had I broken my wedding vows, even when he deserved it. The two men I loved, had always loved, were with me all the time now, and we never acted upon the desires and needs that burned between us.
The bastard had stolen what we had.
A burning sensation filled my lungs, and a wave of exhaustion cascaded through my limbs, forcing me to stop at a nearby bench. I gasped in heated air as my heart beat rapidly into my ears. Through blurry vision, I studied the area.
Fuck.
This couldn’t be right. I focused on the street sign.
Had I really pushed it over ten miles?
I bent over, setting my hands on my knees, my pulse still thundering in my chest.
At least some of the rage boiling in my blood seemed to have settled to a simmer.
Somebeing the optimal word.
How was this my existence? For weeks I’d trained with Nyx and Devani, studied with Lilly, and believed there was an end to this, but until someone took Andraius down, I was still stuck.
Meeting Nyx, Lilly, and Devani had shown me a glimpse of the future I’d have had if only Papa and Linus had lived—a future my sisters would have had.
The logical part of me understood Papa would have taken some convincing to accept my relationship with Theo and Xander. But in the end, he’d have come around, especially with Mama knowing about it and being on our side.
My lips trembled. There was no point in even imagining that scenario. Life had dealt me completely different cards filled with many painful lessons.
Still, what I wouldn’t give for some comfort, a tiny sliver of intimacy and tenderness to release me from the loneliness. This yearning from afar destroyed a little piece of me, day by day.
Fuck. The sooner I found a way to escape with Mama and the girls, the better.
A breeze picked up, and the shift in the sunlight meant it would be dark soon.
When Theo and Xander found me, they would give me hell. I could sneak into the house through one of the secret pathways, and no one would notice.
Yeah, that’s what I’d do.
Now to make the long trek back home.
Shit. I probably shouldn’t have lost myself in the run. Taking a cab was pointless—with rush hour at its peak, it would take at least an hour or more to get back home. A brisk walk was the better choice.
I stood up straight and wiped the sweat off my forehead—time to follow the same path back to the compound. Pivoting, I stumbled back as I met the unmistakable fury in Theo’s gaze.
My heartbeat accelerated, and all I could say was, “Hi.”
“You left the house without giving anyone a heads-up.” The vein on the side of Theo’s face pulsed, and the rigid set of his jaw told me he wasn’t in the mood for any excuses.
Before I could respond, he bent, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me to a waiting limo.
“What the fuck? Put me down, you jackass.” I banged on his back.
Climbing into the car’s open door, he tossed me on the seat, closed the door, and then joined Xander on the opposite bench. He knocked on the window, giving the driver the signal to move.
