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There he stood, the man who made my life a living hell for nearly a year. Henry’s hair was a disaster from running his hands through it, the normally slicked back black hair sticking up wildly. His cheeks were red and his eyes… that was something I’d have nightmares about. It was as though there was nothing there. They were just… empty. The normally put together, well dressed doctor looked more like a mad scientist.
“I meant it,” he said now, his fists clenching at his sides. “You’re so beautiful. So smart. In the time I’ve been watching you you’ve completely transcended. You’ve just… come so far. I have to tell you, Abby, I don’t think this Knox person is good for you.”
My breathing was shallow and I was dizzy. How was any of this happening? I wanted to kick my own ass for leaving Knox’s and I wanted to cry. How had I not known that it was my own shrink? Not even my own, the family shrink. Were there signs? Was I so goddamn stupid that I couldn’t have figured this out?
“You…” I trailed off not knowing what to say. I gripped my phone in my hand and took a step back, him taking one step forward.
“I know,” Henry said soothingly. “I know this is a lot to take in and I know I’ve scared you. Just breathe, okay? Just like we practiced. Remember? That night on the deck when you let me teach you how to breathe. You let me rub your back…” A wistful expression crossed his face and I felt bile churn in my gut. “Your hair smelled so nice that night, like roses. I wanted to kiss you and I think you wanted me to kiss you, too.”
I couldn’t hold back the tears that overflowed and cascaded down my cheeks. All I could think about was that it was Henry, someone I trusted. He knew about all the things that made me tick and the fears I had all while being the reason for those fears. It was some sick, cosmic joke.
“Henry,” I said with a shaky breath, hating how small my voice sounded. I angrily wiped away the tears on my cheeks. “I think you should go. I need you to leave right now.”
He laughed what seemed like a genuine belly laugh. It was horrifying. “Abby, honey, we both know I’m not leaving,” his face turned serious. “We need to have a little chat. Okay? Let’s just talk. Let’s talk a little bit about Knox, hm?”
I tried to stay calm, tried to think about all the articles I’d read about handling someone who wasn’t mentally well. I bit my lip against the sob that rose up my throat. “I… I think Knox is good for me, you know? I think he-”
“No!” he shouted, the veins in his neck standing out. “No, Abby. He isn’t. I’ve seen the way he looks at you, the way he… touches you. Like that night in the sand dunes.”
My eyes narrowed and all at once anger trumped fear. Anger at him for taking away my life, my freedom, my piece of mind. That night we made love in the sand dunes he was watching us? Bile rose up my throat and I p
ut a hand over my mouth, shaking my head. I felt so violated and so vulnerable.
“You were watching us?” I finally managed to whisper, the words barely audible.
“I was disgusted. I wanted to kill him. I nearly did after you fell asleep, but then I saw the fight you two had the next day and I knew I was right.”
“Right about what?”
“He’s not good for you, Abbigail. But I am. I’m so good for you. I’ll touch you better than he touches you, I’ll make you moan and-”
“Stop, stop, stop,” I shook my head violently and put my hands over my ears.
“You’re mine… I brought you gifts.”
I brought you gifts. All of a sudden I was back in my apartment and he was throwing me around. He bought me flowers… he brought me gifts...
Chapter 20
I was terrified. There was a chance I’d never make it out of this. I’d never get to see my family again, or tell Knox that I loved him one more time. Goddammit, why did I leave? Why did I spend five years away from home? I hated myself for being for being so stupid. I was going to die in my brother’s living room at the hands of a-
“Fucking psycho,” I spat. My eyes widened as I realized what I said. Stop, don’t do that! The voice in my head was screaming at me to shut my mouth. My fear had transformed into an immense resentment towards the man in front of me, and I couldn't stop. “You’re sick. You put me through this for a year and I trusted you. I opened up to you and… and this whole time you’ve been watching me. Stalking me. You’re a fucking freak.”
“Don’t say that!” his deep voice boomed and I jumped back. “Don’t you say that to me. I love you, Abbigail. I brought you gifts. You’re mine.”
“I will never be yours.”
The atmosphere changed then. Something snapped. I stopped breathing and Henry’s face froze. His eyebrows were furrowed and his jaw was clenched. He looked like a big monster and I wanted to scream at myself for opening my stupid fucking mouth. But if I was going to die tonight, then I was going to say everything I needed to.
Fight or flight instincts took over. But Logan said it himself, I was going to get through it because I was an Ashford.
“Why’d you do it, huh?” I asked and stepped to the side, behind the couch. “Why did you do that in New York and then take your time here?”
He smiled and I saw sweat trickle down his temple. “Because we’re supposed to be together. I had to wait for you. I had to hope that you’d come to your senses that it was me all along.”
I shook my head, not caring that I was crying in front of him. I wasn’t the same weak woman that he hurt before. I was different now, stronger. “We’re supposed to be together? I will never be with you.”
Henry roared and I jumped back, gripping my phone tightly. I was behind the couch now and I knew that he couldn’t see below my elbow. I eyed him as he began to pace, frantically running his hands through his hair as he tried to figure out his next move. Casting my eyes down, I unlocked my phone with shaking fingers and dialed 911, watching and waiting for the call to go through.
