Page 77 of King of Deception

“Oh, I didn’t forget,” I yelled back, waving my hand in the air, throwing away my purse. “I also vividly remember how much I regretted it.”

“Why? Because I didn’t bend over and let you walk all over me like I’m sure Abel does? I’m a man, Ella. A man, and I won’t take any disrespect from you or anyone else!”

“Well, if you’re so great, and I’m so subpar, then why don’t you let us go our separate ways, huh?” I raised both hands, frustrated. “Just let me go, Jude. Find a real woman who’ll give you everything I couldn’t.”

“Well, I can’t,” he quickly launched at me, and I instinctively took a step back, hitting the end table behind me. “I’m in love with you, still.” He reached to grab a couple of locks of my hair, and his fingers gently felt them. “I can’t get you out of my head,” he whispered.

For a second, I felt bad for him. “I’m sorry,” I lowered my voice, sincerely looking into his eyes. “Too much was broken between us, and I… I can’t do it anymore.”

In an instant, I watched his face shift from gentility and sweetness into something threatening—a brand of anger I knew all too well. “But you’ll let a waiter touch you, huh?” he shouted, and I flinched, pulling back my head and freeing my hair from his grip. “You’re choosing a filthy, lowly servant over me?” He grabbed my hair once more, this time a little tighter, sparking fear inside of me.

“Don’t call him that,” I liberated myself from his hands once again, sliding aside and walking over to stand away from him, next to the closed bedroom door.

“Oh, no,” he smirked and let out a sarcastic laugh. “Fallin’ in love already?”

“That’s none of your business. We’re done here.” I pointed toward the door. “Leave.”

“Or what? Oh, right.” His slow steps got him closer to me again. “I bet you’ll say anything to that poodle, and he’ll do it, no questions asked. You’ve got it wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?”

With my hand behind my back, I gripped the doorknob, readying myself to leap inside if he attacked me. “That man you keep mocking is twice the man you’ll ever be,” I shouted, knowing how much my words would hurt him.

“Oh, yeah?” he raised his eyebrows as his hands suddenly dropped to his pants, right over the zipper. “Ella Bella, looks like you forgot what kind of man I am.”

Swiftly, I turned the knob and opened the door, launching inside. Unfortunately, he was still quicker than I was. His hands reached the collar of my silk blouse, and with one quick pull, I heard my buttons scatter all over the hard floor.

“Fucking bastard!” I shouted as I quickly turned away, searching for a direction to run as he followed me.

I suddenly felt the momentum of his body as it collided with mine, throwing me in the air and landing me on the bed, barely bouncing as he settled on top of me. His weight on my waist and thighs fixed me in place while his hands clutched my wrists, holding them over my head.

“You know you want this, Ella,” Jude hissed, “stop trying to fight me.” In one swift motion, he ripped my bra apart.

“No!” I screamed as he fought to kiss me. Turning away from left to right, I was running out of places to escape his belligerent lips. “What are you doing? I said no!” my shouts grew louder.

The world around me got messier. Louder. Every move he made seemed to prompt a deafening bang that hurt my head. A ringing in my ears. Was the phone ringing, or was that the door? His weight on me had my heart pounding so loudly it resonated in my ears. The impending doom of him being inside of me forced the tears out of my eyes while my mouth continued to try to distract me with faint illusions of hope.

“Jude, no. Please, don’t do this!”

But then another deafening bang was followed by my abrupt release. Suddenly, Jude’s body was lifted off of me as if by a brutal force of nature. Wide-eyed and gasping for air, I watched him momentarily float before disappearing at the foot of the bed. With the breath caught in my chest, I rolled over and clamored as I struggled to push myself up onto my elbows. And then my eyes saw him.

Abel.

What was he doing here? How did he get in?

None of that mattered since he was now bending over Jude’s writhing body, handing him one punch after the other. It was like a dream—no, a nightmare—but at least Jude wasn’t on top of me. At least I could move, or could I? Frozen in place, I watched Abel’s beautiful face receive a vicious punch before he responded to Jude with a kick to the stomach.

“Stop!” I pleaded in a whine. “Stop it!”

My palms endeavored to protect my ears from the harsh groans and grunts of two men intertwined. Their fight never seemed to end, although I was certain that it only lasted for a minute or two. When Abel finally straightened up, I saw Jude’s motionless body splayed out on my bedroom floor. A thin thread of blood dripped down his chin, and his clothes were hopelessly destroyed.

Without as much as a glance at his own state, a disheveled Abel quickly turned to me with his palms cradling my cheeks. “Are you alright?” he whispered.

My lips were parted, and my breathing was uneven. With hazy eyes and an even more confused state, I stared at him, unable to translate his question.

“Ella, are you hurt?” His hands began scanning my shoulders, arms, and waist. He then took off his shirt and quickly wrapped it around me, gently pulling it together in front of my bare breasts.

“I’m—” was all I could muster.

“You’re in shock.” His hand softly rubbed my arm, up and down, sending warmth through me.

---