“For what you did.” His green eyes roved over my face, studying my reaction. “For putting me in jail. For turning your back on me.”
A laugh, cold and humorless, slipped past my lips. “I didn’t put you in jail, Jax.Youdid that all by yourself.”
His jaw ticked. Just the smallest movement, but I saw it and the shift in the air.
“Come on, Elise,” he murmured, his voice still laced with that charming, slippery sweetness that had once convinced me to fall in love with him. “We had something good. I know you remember.”
I did remember. I remembered the laughter, the flowers, the way he used to press his lips to my temple and tell me he’d never hurt me.
And I remembered the first time he hit me.
The way he apologized. The way I forgave him. The way it happened again. And again. And again.
I lifted my chin. “I’m not the same girl you used to manipulate, Jax. And I sure as hell don’t need yourforgiveness.” I glared up at him, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. “I’ve moved on.”
His expression didn’t shift right away. He held the easy, charming smirk a beat too long, like he thought I’d take it back and change my answer. When I didn't do either of those things, the mask dropped. Fury flashed across his face, twisting his features into something ugly. “Moved on?” His voice dipped, dangerously low. “With who?Nathan Edge?” Something dark and venomous crawled into his smirk. “Yeah. I know about the two of you. I thought you told me I didn’t have to worry about him, Elise. You remember that? That’s whatyoutold me.” He barely contained the rage in his voice. “Rich, powerful, thinks he can buy anything he wants, including you.” He leaned in, his breath once again hot against my cheek. “You always were easy to impress, weren’t you?”
I swallowed back my disgust and forced my voice to stay steady. “Step back, Jax.”
His fingers twitched. “You think you’re too good for me now?” His voice was rising, the false charm crumbling. “You think some rich asshole can just erase what we had?”
The elevator was not moving fast enough.
I edged backward, my hand sliding toward the emergency button, but he was faster. His hand shot out, grabbing my wrist in a bruising grip. “You think he can protect you? Well where is your billionaire boyfriend now?” Jax taunted. “You weremine, Elise. And youthrewme away.”
Panic clawed up my throat. I struggled, wrenching my arm, but his grip was unrelenting.
“You wanna act like I don’t exist?” His voice was raw with rage now. “Like I’m just some mistake you can forget about?”
The third floor button lit up.Almost there.
Jax must’ve realized it too, because his rage boiled over. His free hand snapped out, fingers tangling in my hair as he slammed me back against the elevator wall.
Pain exploded in my skull. A cry tore from my lips.
“Well I'm sorry sweetheart, but if I can't have you, no one else can.”
The last thing I saw before my vision blurred was Jax’s furious face, inches from mine.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
NATHAN
MY JAW LOCKEDso hard it ached as I pushed the car faster than I should have, every second away from her stretching too long. I shouldn’t have left in the first place. I was trying to focus on the road, but my mind kept dragging me back to Elise. Her voice, her touch, the way she curled into me last night like I was the only thing keeping her safe.
I forced the thought aside as I slid my phone onto the passenger seat, the last text from her still glowing on the screen.Someone has to,she’d replied after I told her she was always taking care of me.Smartass.
But she had taken care of me again. The document she’d dug out from her old files shut Sutter down in ten minutes flat. One clause, one neat little amendment, and suddenly he had nothingleft to throw in my face. I’d never admit it out loud, but Elise saved me an entire day of wasted arguments.
I was just about to slip my phone back into my pocket when it lit up, vibrating against the leather seat.
Kelsey.
A sharp, cold dread sank into my bones.
I knew. Before I even answered, I knew.
And the second I heard Kelsey’s voice, tight with urgency, my world tilted on its axis.
