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Then he’d disappeared from the face of the earth almost immediately after our arrival in Miami. For all I knew, he was dead. That had broken my mother’s heart.
I took a gulp of wine, then another, prepared to finish the entire bottle. No one was ever going to threaten me again. I wasn’t that girl any longer, the scared fawn ready to run and hide. I was all grown up. I took another sip then lifted the glass in a toast. At least I could start off fresh in a new city with enough money to do so.
“Good girl,” I said out loud, taking a deep breath then easing the glass onto the counter. Then I yanked off my wig, determined never to hide behind one again. I’d started doing so at the request of my mother, pretending to be anyone but who I was. That had helped me cope, finally turning into allowing me to be anonymous while counting cards.
As I tossed it aside, I ripped the hairpin out with my other hand, shaking my head several times until my long red hair finally untangled itself. Then I glared at the damn dress I’d purchased. I’d acted as if I was some damn femme fatale, instead of a girl who just wanted to live a normal life.
If there was such a thing. I was no longer certain it was possible.
Karma had a noose around my neck, ready to drag me to hell. Maybe because I hadn’t been strong enough to get him convicted.
After kicking off my heels, I nearly tore it off, hearing a slight ripping sound. At least the matching bra and thong had been a gift to myself almost a year before. I’d never had an opportunity to wear it under anything as beautiful as the dress. I’d saved it for a boyfriend that didn’t exist and hadn’t for years.
Damn it. Damn it all to hell.
I dropped my head, taking several deep but ragged breaths. I couldn’t let the sight of him control me. He was so handsome and sexy and… What the hell was I doing? I actually thought a beast like him was attractive? I had to be losing it. I closed my eyes, loathing the shiver dancing down my spine as I thought about the sound of his voice, the way he’d looked at me only an hour before.
The hunger I’d seen in his eyes.
Him.
The bastard who’d altered my life.
Him.
The murderer who’d been so callous about his actions.
Him.
The man I’d fantasized about for years.
Then a vacuum enshrouded me, sucking out all my breath as goosebumps popped along every inch of skin. Oh, my God. I’d been right.
He was here. I sensed his presence, could feel his aura.
Then I opened my eyes.
Constantine.
“Hello, Jade. It would seem we have a problem.”
CHAPTER3
Jade
“Constantine,” I whispered.
There was no avoiding his name now. His voice was nothing more than a dark growl.
One of electric hunger.
One of pent-up rage.
And one of the same tone of possession I’d heard all those years ago.
“One day you and I will meet again and when we do, you’ll learn that you already belong to me.”
They’d been the last words he’d said to me before walking out of the courtroom a free man. The same words had fueled the nightmares for months because I’d known then that I would never be free of him.
