The door closes, and the shock on his face would have been satisfying. Under different circumstances, I would cherish the moment when I rendered Cormac Quinn speechless.
So many times, I watched him smirking as the elevator doors closed in front of me.
Being the one to leave in the middle of the conversation with my boss would have been rewarding. If only I had something to smirk about.
The first tear rolls down my cheek before I even reach the lobby. I wipe it away angrily.
This isn’t defeat.
It’s withdrawal. And I’ll choose my next move carefully.
Chapter 20
Roxy
The regret hit me before I got home. But I filed it as an emotional meltdown. I’m allowed one after a day like this.
Curled in my bed, I stare at the wall as if the off-white paint is the most riveting artwork.
Maybe I acted too hastily. But I’d had it with all the men moving me around. I needed to remove myself from that chessboard.
To regain control.
And now what?
First, I need to sleep for days, and then I can assess the damage and pick the best way forward.
Tee turns eighteen in three months. Father won’t have a legal claim to her anymore. Perhaps we can just disappear together.
The idea gives me a jolt of excitement. The roomspins as I sit up on my pitiful mattress, making me collapse back onto my pillow.
With the Merged credentials, I can find another job. I reckon Cal or Corm would even help me. Maybe I can move to California. And Tee would join me after her birthday.
Father would charge me with kidnapping if I tried to pull her out of there before that. A bullshit charge that he has enough resources to make stick. And he would.
I close my eyes, hoping the newly forged, fragile plan will finally bring enough peace for me to rest.
A knock on the door interrupts that wishful thinking.
Jesus. I roll on to my side, mastering the non-existent energy to stand up.
The knocking turns into a loud bang. I push up to a sitting position. Fuck, I really overdid it this time. I’m so weak.
“Roxy!”
I groan. Liam fucking Stone is on the other side of my door, banging and yelling. The last thing I need is to deal with him. Or the police if he continues.
“Go away,” I call.
“Open the door, Roxy, or I will break it down,” he growls.
A minuscule part of me appreciates the cavemanroutine. I roll my eyes. Something is seriously wrong with me.
I trudge across the small apartment and open the door. “Stop yelling. Do you want to get me into trouble?”
He doesn’t wait for an invitation and pushes past me. Sighing, I close the door and lean against it. God, why does my bed seem so far?
“Here.” Liam lifts a takeout bag.
