Chapter 62
Audrey’s POV
Blake’s words froze me mid–motion, an icy chill replacing the warmth of Ethan’s protective embrace. I knew exactly what that tone meant – Blake Parker
didn’t make idle threats.
“That’s your go–to move?” Ethan’s voice crackled with the particular brand of righteous anger that only youth could justify. “Threatening a woman you claim to care about?‘ His grip on my shoulder tightened, less protective now than defiant. “If you’ve got a problem with me, just say it. Don’t hide behind threats.”
Blake’s icy glare was terrifying. That calculated smile played across his lips as he drew out his phone with deliberate slowness.
“Ethan Davies. His voice carried the kind of casual menace. “Such an… interesting profile.”
He scrolled through his screen with exaggerated care, each word carrying danger. “Twenty–two years old. NYU sports science senior. Rather impressive academic trajectory, especially for someone juggling athletic commitments with grad school applications.”
The streetlight caught the predatory gleam in his eyes as he continued. “Though I must say, your family background is particularly fascinating. Parents and grandparents are still alive. Living in a town three hundred miles from here? And your sister…” He paused, letting the implications hang heavy in the air. ‘Such a bright future ahead of her.”
I watched the color drain from Ethan’s face as Blake’s words hit their mark. The young man who’d been so boldly defiant moments ago now looked like prey realizing it was already in the trap.
Blake wasn’t done, his gaze sweeping over Ethan with cold calculation. “Tell me, Mr. Davies… How’s your sister’s SAT prep going? Scored 1450 the first time, wasn’t it?”
*Stop!” His voice shook. “That’s enough! How… I never told…”
“Want to know how long it took to dig this up?” Blake’s voice was deceptively casual.
Ethan remained silent, but the fright in his eyes was evident.
Blake didn’t even cast a glance at him. “My assistant pulled it up on the drive over.” He looked at his watch with deliberate indifference. “Ten minutes, give or take.”
I watched a tremor run through Ethan’s shoulders, though he held his ground. Young, brave, and so terribly naive.
“Here’s the thing, boy.” Blake’s hands stayed casually tucked in his pockets, but there was nothing casual about the way his presence seemed to fill the space between us. “Your life story? Your family? Couldn’t care less about any of it.”
“But cross me?” A cold laugh tugged at his lips, his voice filled with mockery. “And I’ll destroy you without breaking a sweat.”
He pulled out a fresh cigar, lighting it with casual elegance. His gaze finally shifted to where I stood behind Ethan’s protective stance. “Audrey Sinclair.”
Smoke curled between us. “Last chance. What’s really going on here?”
Everything happening before my eyes went far beyond what I’d imagined possible. Though I’d always known how ruthless he could be in business, had heard whispers about what happened to those who crossed Blake Parker in New York, this was the first time in our three years of marriage that I’d seen his venomous fangs exposed so clearly.
My hands clenched and unclenched at my sides as stepped away from Ethan. “There’s nothing between us.”
‘Is that so?” Another cloud of cigar smoke.
“Everything he said was a lie.” The words tasted like ash. “He’s just someone I hired to help look for Snow.”
Blake took a long drag from his cigar before letting out a cold smile. ‘Come here.”
I drew in a deep breath, turning to give Ethan an apologetic look before walking to Blake’s side with measured steps. Each step was hard, full of regret !
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Chapter 62
couldn’t express.
–
He ground out his cigar beneath his heel, then draped his arm across my shoulders. The gesture was pure theater a performance of possession aimed directly at Ethan. “Listen, boy.”
“We’re not divorced yet.” The words rolled off his tongue with arrogance. “You’re punching way above your weight class here.”
I watched the transformation happen in real time – Ethan’s bright energy dimming like lights going out.
The boy who’d spent hours helping me search for Snow, who’d made me laugh despite everything, now stood deflated under the weight of Blake Parker’s casual cruelty. Thinking about this, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of pain.
If you’re done with the threats,” I managed finally, looking up at Blake, “will you take me home?”
His response was pure Blake Parker – a dismissive removal of his arm and a graceful slide into the waiting car, as if the whole scene had been beneath his notice all along.
Ethan.” My voice caught as I faced him one last time, taking in the wounded look in those young eyes. “Astrid will handle the payment for today.”
The words felt like ash in my mouth – reducing hours of genuine kindness to a simple transaction. A sigh escaped before I could catch it. “Thank you. For everything.”
I didn’t wait for his response. Couldn’t. The darkness of the car’s interior beckoned – a fitting end to a night where shadows seemed to be winning all
around.
The purr of the engine died outside my building, leaving us wrapped in a silence that felt like a held breath.
“Get out.” Blake’s voice cut through the silence, cold and precise.
I reached for the door handle, only to find it locked. The realization of what was coming hit me just as the driver silently exited the car, closing the door behind him with a soft click that seemed to echo in the confined space.
I tried to move away, but too late. Blake pinned me against the seat before I could protest.
He’d always been stronger than me even when I’d been healthy, I’d never stood a chance against his physical dominance. His broad frame effectively trapped me, one hand securing my restless wrists above my head while the other caught my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze.
“Never seen you defend another man like that.” His voice was dangerously soft. “What makes this college kid so special?”
I tried to turn away but his grip held firm. “I said I barely know him, and I only defended him because I didn’t want to owe anything.”
“Really?‘ Blake let out a cold laugh, his hand sliding from my jawline down to my collarbone, fingers tracing an intimate path that made my breath catch. “What exactly required my wife to need a young, fit college athlete for company?”
–
I instinctively shrank back from his touch, but there was nowhere to go. His voice, that particular timbre – it brought back too many memories. Three years of marriage had taught me exactly what that tone meant, the way he’d use it in our most intimate moments.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “Blake, we’re getting divorced anyway.”
“Are we? You set the court date then stood me up. That’s wanting a divorce?”
He leaned closer, his breath warm against my skin, his lips finding my collarbone. The kiss burned against my skin as he traced a path downward, each touch deliberately slow, deliberately thorough.
The moment his free hand moved to my hoodie’s collar, tugging it aside, his entire body went rigid.
The heated atmosphere in the car turned arctic in an instant. When he finally spoke, his voice was devoid of all emotion.
‘Get out.”
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Divorce Me Before Death Takes Me, CEO
Chapter 63
