Page 95 of Snowbound with the Santas

Nick’s face falls, even as Freida clings to him, and I get the sudden feeling that the following discussion is not for my ears. With a sympathetic glance, I mouthI love youto Nick and lean up to peck his cheek, then I slip from the room. That is a private family discussion, and I’m not needed.

Leaving them to it, I head toward the elevator with a spring in my step. I feel… lighter. A weight has gone from my shoulders.Ashton doesn’t have anything over me anymore. My strands of obligation to a family that rarely cared for me are gone. I have three men who love me.

I need to call Nina ASAP.

Reaching the elevator, the doors slide open. Just as I step forward, something solid slams into my back and shoves me inside. I cry out in surprise, throwing both arms forward to stop my face from slamming into the opposite wall. Air forces past my lips as I make impact and then I turn, ready to yell at whoever just crashed into me.

Instead, I’m face to face with Ashton as he hits the buttons to close the door.

“Did you think I was just gonna roll over?” Ashton snarls.

36

RAYNE

“Ashton.”

His face is twisted with malice, his eyes are dark, and the large bags underneath tell me he hasn’t slept at all. He looks unhinged, especially when the doors finally hiss closed behind him and he smiles.

“Now, Rayne. We have a proper chance to talk.”

A hard lump forms in my throat. My heart starts to race and a sickening flush of prickly sweat washes over my back. “I havenothingto say to you.”

“Are you sure?” He surges forward and slams his hand against the wall just an inch from my face, forcing me to cower back. “Because I’ve got a lot of shit to say to you.”

I have to get out of here. I have to get past him.

“I don’t care what you have to say.” My words tremble past gritted teeth. Then I dare to look up at him. His glasses are gone, and his blind eye looks milkier than I remember, although that could just be my memory and how often I dodged looking him in the eye. Now I can do it with ease.

“You will when I’mfinished.”

Ashton’s body sways close, and as his hips rock to the right, I take my chance. Placing both hands on his abdomen, I push him as hard as I can while throwing myself forward toward the doors. While Ashton stumbles backward, he still manages to keep a hand around my waist. Just as I reach the doors, he hauls me backward. My fingertips hit a few buttons on the elevator and my box prison shudders to life, but I don’t have time to see which ones.

My back slams into the wall and then Ashton’s fist collides with my jaw. My teeth snap together, rattling inside my skull and spearing into my tongue as my whole head crashes to the left. My ears are ringing and the point of impact blooms hot. I stumble, but his arm keeps me somewhat upright even as the force of the punch sends a shockwave all the way down through my body. My knees weaken, and staying upright becomes a challenge.

Ow.

It takes all my willpower not to give him the satisfaction of a pained noise. Ashton throws me back against the wall a second time as I slump forward.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” he snarls, bringing his face so close to mine that the stink of his alcohol-tinged breath forces me to gag. “I’m not done with you.”

“You just can’t help but make things worse, can you?” I gasp, bringing my head up. The light above seems brighter after my punch, and the taste of copper spills across my tongue. I swallow as much as I can, wincing at the bitter taste.

“You know…” Ashton sniffs forcefully. “When I heard that your fucking uncle had pulled some strings to get you out of that cell, I was shocked. Completely and utterlyshockedbecause you were where you belonged. I was all ready to come and gloat to you about the terrible choices you make when, lo and behold, there was still one more thing you could do to screw me over!”

He slams his palm back into the wall, but it doesn’t scare me this time. I’m still trying to gather myself from such a strong punch that everything else feels a little distant.

“What did you do, huh? Did you swear to get down on your knees and suck his dick? Fuck him like the whore you are? First, you screw some fucking bear men in the forest, and then when you’re reunited with family you…” He snorts with dry laughter at his own joke. “Youreallykeep it in the family, huh? Always knew you were a fucking freak.”

“You don’t know what—what Cecil does for work, do you?” I ask. A bead of wetness seeps out of the corner of my mouth. Ashton grabs my chin, shaking my head from side to side, and then his thumb swipes across my lips. It comes back into view, stained red, and he seems pleased.

“I don’t really give a shit, because if he’s flexing his power to keep you safe, then I’ll just have to play up my side of things. Because of you, you fucking bitch, I’m facing charges oflyingto the police and obstructing justice as well asdruggingyou? Are you fucking stupid? You drank like a fucking camel that night and it ain’t my fault you wanted to drive. I lost my fucking sight, for Christ’s sake!”

His words pull me to attention and I glare up at him. “You tell yourself lies for so long that you start to believe them as truth,” I snap. “But guess what? It doesn’t matter. You can scream your stories until you’re blue in the face, but you’re finally,finallygoing to get what you deserve!”

“What I deserve?” Ashton grabs my throat, squeezing so violently that pressure rushes up behind my eyes and I fear for a split second that they will pop out. Both my hands rise to his wrist and I fight for him to release his grip. He brings his face close to mine, so close that his nose and lips press into my cheek as he hisses at me.

“What I deserve is a life of peace, you cunt. What I deserve is to watch you rot to death in a sewer for destroying my life. What I deserve is a nice life with money you’ve never deserved and a nice wife, but guess what? CousinPhoebeheard your disgusting lies and called off the engagement. So you know what it means? It’s just me and you, Rayne. Just me and you until I decide I’m done with you, which will benever. You hear me? I’m gonna smother your sad little life until you’re back on your knees begging me to end it!”

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