Page 120 of Billion Dollar Revenge

Evan is the last to say goodbye. Luckily for me, we have an audience. So we have to keep it short and sweet.

“I’m so incredibly grateful to have met you. I may not do another class, but I’m sure I’ll pass you in the elevator sometime.”

“Unless you avoid me.” I wink, but I feel pained by this exchange. I don’t want to be just passing acquaintances.

His lips turn up into a small grin. “No more hiding.”

“Okay, I’ll hold you to that.”

We grin at each other. Staring into his eyes, I wonder why he makes it so hard to let go.

He steps forward, and I quiver the moment his arms wrap around me. I hold back my emotions. This is the end of us. Only fleeting elevator rides now.

I step back, and a shaky sigh leaves my lips. Waving, I watch them leave. Evan is the last. He looks over his shoulder one last time. I clutch my hands together, and when they are out of sight, I spin and look around my now-empty studio. Yes, it’s messy. In fact, I should have been more panicked that I have to clean up by tomorrow, but thankfully I decided to splurge and hire a cleaner.

I begin to tidy some of the pieces the cleaners aren’t expected to do, like folding up the trestle table the food was on. I have a few minutes before they are due.

There’s a noise at the door, as expected; the cleaners must be here. But when I look, I do a double take. My heart plummets and my body temperature rises.

Bobby.

Chapter 34

Chelsea

There’s no one elsehere but me and him. Suddenly, the room feels oddly still and cold. I’ve never feared for my life until today. The way his pupils dilate sends a chill down my spine.

I concentrate on breathing slowly and steadily, so he can’t see how rattled I feel.

“What are you doing here?” I say, keeping my voice steady and in control.

“No hello?” he sneers, goading me.

Straightening my shoulders, I bite back. “You put a private picture of me in the newspaper, so I think we can skip the pleasantries.”

He steps closer to me, eating up the space between us like I’m his prey. “Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea,” he mocks. “There’s no need to get snappy.”

My heart pounds powerfully, but I keep my back ramrod straight. His feet continue to step closer, but mine stay glued to the floor.

I can see the purple under his eyes, his hair limp and without styling products, his top has a coffee stain, and he's wearing a pair of basic blue jeans. This image of him before me is so unlike him. His usual immaculate image has fallen from grace.

“Why are you here?” I ask.

He flashes me a deranged smile. “To see you.”

He's in front of me now. I should run. But I freeze the moment his hand touches my arm. I try to tug it out of his grip, but it makes him squeeze it tighter, and my eyes prick with tears.

“You’re hurting me,” I whisper-shout as a tear leaks from my eye. My strong facade falls as soul-deep fear courses through my veins. Is he going to kill me?

Tears sprinkle my cheeks, but an inaudible gasp leaves my mouth when I see a blurry Evan behind him.

A new thought hits me. Evan’s going to kill him. No. I can’t have Evan go to jail.

Evan holds his index finger to his lips in ashhmotion. My eyes flutter and roll as the hold Bobby has on me is bruising; he’s never inflicted this much pain before.

My heart rattles inside my chest like I’m sprinting instead of standing here, unmoving.

Tears continue to roll over my cheeks and down into my mouth. I taste the salt.

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