"Not a fucking chance. You want a fight? You think you can beat me? Well, game on. I'll make you pay for trying to walk out on me." Tyler's face twisted in a sneer, his mouth opening to spew more venom.
I cut him off. "Move aside and let Parker leave, or I'll make you move." Tyler only stared at me in disbelief. "I'll give you ten seconds to move." No response. I started to count. "Ten. Nine. Eight–"
Tyler stayed where he was, arms crossed over his chest, his chin pushed out in a belligerent stance that gave me a vivid flash of him as a child, angry that I'd eaten the last biscuit at tea. He'd always been a whiny brat. Not much had changed.
When I got tofive, he jumped me. Turning on one foot, I pivoted, letting his momentum carry him past me. Closing a hand on his wrist, I used that momentum against him, swinging him around and twisting his arm until it was behind his back and he couldn't move without a gasp of pain.
To Parker I barked, "Go, meet me in the lobby. I'll be there in a minute." Parker hesitated, then grabbed the handle of her suitcase and left the room, her heels hitting the hardwood in brisk clicks until the sound faded away.
I wrenched Tyler's arm up a little higher. "You're a real piece of shit, you know that? Bad enough that you were cheating on her, but you hit her and you expect her to come back? Just let her go, man. You don't love her, anyway."
"And you do?" Tyler grunted against the pain. "Forget it. She's mine and she's not getting a divorce. And I'm telling my lawyer I found you in bed together."
I rolled my eyes. Shoving him onto the mattress, I stepped back. "This is a waste of time. If you come for me again, I'm going to knock you the fuck out. Do you understand?"
Tyler just glared at me. I nodded. "You understand." I picked up my phone and strode for the door. Tyler didn't follow.
Parker waited in the vestibule outside the front door, watching for the elevator, her toe tapping on the marble floor. Her warm hazel eyes lit with relief as I closed and locked the front door behind me. If Tyler came after us, the lock would slow him down long enough to give me a warning.
"I recorded all of that," I said. "Angie might be able to use it."
Parker nodded, her eyes focused on the elevator, her toe tapping faster. The light went off, and the doors opened. Parker rushed in, jabbing at the 'Close Door' button the second I was inside, her eyes fixed on the still locked front door of the penthouse.
"It's okay, Parker. He's not coming."
It was as if she couldn't hear me. She didn't relax until the elevator began its descent, letting out a long gusty sigh, her shoulders slumping forward in exhausted relief. I wanted to pull her into my arms again, wanted to promise her everything would be alright.
Now wasn't the time. Despite her relaxed posture, I knew Parker's guard was up, her perfect, polished shell back in place. Nothing was getting through. Not even me. Maybe especially not me. I could live with that. For now. We had time.
The elevator door slid open on the lobby floor. I gestured for her to exit ahead of me. "Let's get you to the airport."
I could only take so much temptation. The sooner she was out of New York and back in Sawyers Bend, the better.
ChapterSeven
PARKER
Dawn peeked through the grey sky, the rays of light from the rising sun filtering through the clouds, the overcast sky the only hint of the storms that had canceled my flight the night before. I leaned on the window, the glass cool against my cheek, and resisted the urge to look over my shoulder.
There was no one there. Well, there was an entire gate packed with people waiting for their flight, but no one who meant anything to me. I was just one more anonymous traveler, wishing they were anywhere else. I gave in to the urge and shot a quick glance over my shoulder at the crowd.
No Tyler.
Of course, he wasn't there. How would he know where to find me? And why would he bother to look? Despite his angry words the day before, Tyler didn't really want me. Certainly not enough to chase me to the airport and try to stop me from leaving.
I couldn't help the cool wash of relief as I scanned the crowd and saw only strangers.
I knew about Tyler's temper before we got married, knew he could throw a fit and sulk when he didn't get his way. I'd hoped he'd grow out of it, hoped he'd learn to communicate like an adult. I'd hoped we'd finish growing up together.
None of that had happened.
Tyler had no interest in growing up.
Tyler's temper had never frightened me. Not even the three times he'd hit me. I'd been furious and deeply ashamed, but I hadn't been scared. Not until he'd stared me down the day before and sworn he'd never let me leave him.
Why did he suddenly care so much? Was it the money? Was he hanging on for his cut of my inheritance? If that was it, I wasn't sure his bet would pay off. I didn't think Griffen would drain our trusts, but I couldn't quite believe there was anything in there to be drained.
Logic told me that Griffen would have given us a heads-up if Prentice's will was a scam. My heart said that leaving money to his children did not fit anything I knew about my father. Promising us money if we did what he wanted and then yanking the rug out from under us once he had what he wanted? That was vintage Prentice Sawyer.
