CHAPTER 075: It’s War Now
Jade frowns as though I’m being an inconvenience. “Sloane-”
“No. You don’t get to dump all this on me as if it’s my fault she left me when I was five. You’ve just succeeded in making me feel worse than I’ve felt in my entire life.”
“Good,” he says. “Maybe you’ll come to your senses.”
I glare. “You’re good at making assumptions, right? Then here’s a thought. Maybe my mom married you–a young man–to prove to herself she could do it right this time. Think about that, motherfucker.”
Then I turn and walk, not before seeing his face turn to stone.
He started a war. He has no idea.
I pass a trash can near the lot and lift the bouquet.
I’m about to toss it when I spot the envelope tucked beneath the ribbon.
I open it. Two papers.
One is a small note: ‘Do you have any idea how restless I am, Bunny? Please take my calls before I have to resort to stalking.
The other?
A check.
Two hundred and twenty thousand dollars. This must be my winnings from the underground fight.
I toss the flowers and the note into the bin. But the check? I’m keeping that.
Maybe it’s time I got myself a new car.
Three nights later, I’m standing outside my apartment, exhausted from another long day of pretending to care about work. I swipe my keycard across the lock, the light turning green with a soft beep. I step inside, kick off my shoes, and reach for the lights, only to see someone sitting on my couch.
I jump.
My hand slams against the switch, flooding the room in warm yellow light. The figure on the couch doesn’t move. But his glare is enough to make my heart beat faster.
Knox.
“What the hell?” I breathe. “You scared me.”
“I had to cut my business trip short,” he says flatly, “to fly back home and figure out why my girlfriend won’t talk to me.”
My chest tightens. “Your girlfriend is done with your bullshit.”
He stands. “What did I do?”
“You have a wife. I don’t sleep with married men.”
“That’s it? That’s what this is about?”
“What else would it be about?”
“Fine then.” He reaches into the folder beside him and tosses a paper onto the coffee table. “Those are divorce papers. Drafted by a lawyer. Will you talk to me now?”
I glance at the paper, trying to hide how good those words felt.
“I could try,” I say.
“You don’t always have to go psycho about everything, you know? You can just ask me, and it’s done.”
“I don’t know how to do all that speaking about my feelings shit.”
I walk toward the bedroom, my feet aching from being in heels all day. I don’t look back, but I can feel his presence as he follows me with those silent feet of his.
The door to my room creaks as I push it open. I step in and let my purse slip from my shoulder. It lands on the bed with a muted thud, followed by my blazer, which I pee‘ off slowly, my movements tight and unhurried. Next are the shoes.
I don’t say a word. Neither does he.
Successfully unlocked!
My fingers move to the buttons of my blouse. I undo them one by one, really slowly, not out of seduction but because my hands are tired. When the clothes are off, I walk toward the closet and pull out an old, worn t–shirt and soft cotton shorts.
He’s watching me, eyes following every movement.
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CHAPTER 075: It’s War Now
1
“I missed you,” he finally says.
pause. “Get her to sign the divorce papers, and maybe I’ll miss you too.”
I change into my house outfit, then walk past him into the kitchen. The fridge hums as I open it and pull out a container of
leftover pasta. I peel the lid and shove it into the microwave, pressing a few buttons with mechanical precision.
“You hungry?” I ask.
“Just exhausted,” he replies. “Been having weird dreams lately.”
“About service?”
“About you. I guess you not talking to me has become my biggest fear.”
My hand stills on the microwave door. “Really, Knox, that is one of the sweetest things you’ve ever said to me,” I murmur, pulling out the container and grabbing a fork.
Knox joins me at the table, dragging his chair back and sinking into it, arms resting on the surface as he watches me eat. His eyes are too focused, too quiet. I scoop a bite of pasta with my fork, lift it to my mouth, and chew like I’m auditioning for a toothpaste commercial–too careful, too self–aware.
“So,” I say, “did you find out who framed your wife?”
He’s silent for a short while before replying.
“Actually, yes. It was Finn.”
I nearly choke. “What?”
“Had to pull a few strings to figure out he went to the store the same day Soraya did at the same time too. I don’t know how he was able to put that bracelet in her bag without the cameras capturing it, but he did. I pulled more strings to get the charges dropped.”
“Finn framed her?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Knox shrugs, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Why does Finn do anything? Because of you. He wants me to know he can get to me too. The fact he’d bring an innocent party into it is what pisses me off the most.” “That’s… twisted. I think maybe you should both sort this thing out between yourselves. Talk or fight it out.”
“So he can get what he wants? Me in prison for murder, keeping me away from you?”
“Maybe it’s time to involve someone else then. Someone he’ll listen to. Your parents, maybe.”
Knox doesn’t respond. His gaze drops to my mouth and lingers there a beat too long.
“What?” I say.
“You’ve got a… bit of sauce,” he says, pointing to his own chin.
I swipe. “Is it gone?”
“Not quite. Higher.”
I swipe again. “Now?”
He leans forward over the table until his elbows are resting beside my plate and his face is inches from mine. The world narrows. My breath stutters in my throat as his scent reaches me, a memory I’ve missed more than I want to admit.
Our breaths mingle. One inhale, one exhale, shared.
His fingers rise gently, brushing the curve of my jaw, then up to my chin. The touch is soft, lingering, not a wipe, but a
caress.
“Right there,” he murmurs. “Now it’s gone.”
But he doesn’t pull away.
Neither do I.
We hover. Suspended. I’m drowning in his gaze. I feel his breath on my lips, warm and tempting.
My heart is thundering. My lips part. I forget about the food, the fight, the divorce papers, everything.
Out of nowhere, a deafening sound explodes behind us.
Glass.
Glass shatters.
It rains down across the living room.
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CHAPTER 075: It’s War Now
I gasp and jerk back, my chair scraping against the floor.
Knox is already on his feet. His body goes rigid, protective, all muscle and fight.
“What the fuck?” I breathe, heart in my throat.
We spin toward the source, toward the window now fractured and gaping. A dark void with jagged edges stays where the glass used to be.
Knox moves first, crossing the room in quick strides and looking out the window to the street below.
His voice drops to a dangerous tone.
“That little shit,” he growls. “I guess I am willing to go to prison after all.”
I rush to his side. Below, standing on the curb, is Finn–cast on one arm, the other resting on his hip, eyes full of rage. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Finn?” I shout.
Knox starts to move. “Let me handle this. A man with two broken arms cannot throw stones.”
I plant myself in his path, hands reaching out to rest on his chest, stopping him cold.
He’s all tense and furious. I have to tilt my head back to meet his eyes, those eyes that are burning with the promise of violence.
He tries to step around me.
I shift with him, blocking him again.
“No,” I say. “No, Knox. You’re not doing this.”
His jaw ticks. His fists curl at his sides. I can feel the energy vibrating off him, restless, vengeful, ready to erupt. But I keep my hands on his chest, grounding him.
“I don’t want any trouble,” I add, softer now. “Just… please. Let him go.”
His eyes move to the window, then back to me.
“He just threw a rock, or whatever that was, through your window,” he says. “What if you were standing there and it hit you?” “Let me just find out what he wants.”
Knox looks like he has a million things to say, but he nods anyway.
I go to the window and lean out. Finn is still standing, eyes fixed on my room. Who the hell vandalizes a property and stays right there?
“You think you’re some kind of Romeo? Throwing shit around?” I say. “I’m sending you an invoice. You’re paying for this. You have ten seconds to leave before I call the cops.”
“You tell that son of a bitch,” Finn yells back, “he’s crossed a line. It’s war now.”
“What son of a bitch?”
“The one right there with you! He’ll pay for the window. He’ll pay for a lot more by the time I’m done with him.”
“Finn, you should really let me go. I know you miss me, but this is not healthy.”
“You think this is about you? Not everything’s about you, betrayer. I cared for you for ten years. When everyone else thought you were weird, I was there. And you repaid me by screwing my brother and abandoning me. This, right now, isn’t about you. So step aside.”
“If this isn’t about me, why are you at my house, ruining my
“Because I know he’s there.”
window?”
“I’m losing all my patience. Just let me end this,” Knox says. “He’s practically begging for a beating.”
I ignore him. “Finn, leave now, or I’m calling the police.”
“Go ahead,” he sneers.
Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a hammer.
My heart drops. “What do you plan to do with that?”
“Watch.”
And with that, he storms toward Knox’s car, raises the hammer, and brings it down hard on the windshield.
Once. Twice.
Glass spiderwebs under the force. A third strike caves it in.
“Oh my God,” I whisper. “What have you done, Finn?”
Knox is going to kill him for sure now.
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