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“Carl, please! You’re scaring me,” I cry, but then my back hits the wall and I realize I’ve retreated until I’m in a corner with no way to escape. Tears stream down my face as I do the only thing I can think of and drop to the floor, trying to make myself a ball. At least I can protect the baby, and I wrap my arms around my stomach so that my back and head will take most of the blows. My shoulders are shaking with sobs now, and Carl’s now only mere feet away. I can’t look up. I can’t see what he’s about to do to me, and to my unborn baby too. But I can see his shadow on the ground and with horror, I watch as the club raises, ready to swing down and deliver a powerful blow. I tighten my arms around my belly and squeeze my eyes shut.
“I’m so sorry, baby,” I whisper to my child. “I wish this weren’t happening.” With that, the beating begins.
10
Bruce
* * *
There’s a knock on the door to my office, and Mark, the head of our security team pops his head inside.
“What can I do for you, bud?”
His expression is grim.
“Mr. Wilshire, there’s something I think you should see on the security cameras at the hotel drugstore.”
I frown and logging into our security system, I pull up the cameras and my eyes are immediately drawn to Jemima. She doesn’t look like herself but that’s to be expected because she’s been feeling unwell for a while now. I hope she’s okay. I need to go check on her when I’m done here with Mark.
As I watch, the buxom brunette makes her way inside the drugstore and heads straight for the family planning area. My eyebrows shoot up and I exchange a look with my head of security. This better not be what he wanted me to see because I’m not really interested in watching my girlfriend pick up some Tampax, but Mark just shakes his head. He nods at the screen and says, “Keep watching, boss.”
Sure enough, Jemima’s ex, that asshole Carl makes an appearance and seems to be taunting her. It’s clear from her body language that she’s not happy with whatever he’s saying even as he brandishes a pack of condoms in her face. But maintaining her cool, Jemima turns to walk away when suddenly Carl reaches out and seizes her arm. He’s shouting at her, that much is clear, and I stand immediately, my hackles raising.
I narrow my eyes at Mark. “Where is he?”
My head of security looks tense. “You’re not going to believe this boss, but Ms. James led him out of the drugstore when he started getting loud. I saw them on the cameras going into your private elevator.”
I’m across the room so fast that my chair falls backwards, slamming to the floor. “Bring a security team,” I hiss before running for the stairs. Fortunately, my office suite is only a few floors below the penthouse, so it’s a quick dash. After bolting up the stairs, I enter my private hallway and then my feet skid to a stop before the front door to my apartment. Holy shit, I can hear a man shouting even through the thick wood. Carl.
“Nobody throws me away, you fat whore!” Carl screams like a deranged man.
I burst in, kicking the door open so violently that it slams into the wall behind it. The sound gets the blond man’s attention and he turns just in time for me to seize his wrist. I grapple with him, and we both go crashing to the floor before I wrest the golf club from his grasp.
“You fucker!” I roar. “You were going to hit a woman with a golf club? Fuck you!”
Then I punch him a few times in the stomach before landing a blow to his face. His nose cracks and it sounds like lightning striking a tree. Then, blood starts pouring from his nostrils.
“Eeeek!” he cries. “Owowowwo!” But Carl hasn’t given up yet. He draws his arm back and swings at me, but I move quickly, jumping out of the way so that his momentum carries him forward before he collapses to the floor in an ungainly heap.
“Stop!” Jemima screams her corner. She’s holding herself in a protective ball and the sight sends a new rush of fury boiling through my veins.
But Carl staggers up and swings at me again. This time I don’t duck. Instead, I block him and seize him around the throat, ready to squeeze. But before I have a chance to kill the man, Mark and several other members of the Wilshire’s security team burst through the door. Mike grabs Carl in a chokehold.
“Get your hands off me!” the blond golf pro screams, his eyes bloodshot. “Don’t you touch me!”
