Page 113 of Crush

Congrats! I’m so happy for you.I messaged Mia.I’ll call you tomorrow, I want all the details.

I bet you do, you dirty bitch.She replied.

Pulling my gaze away from the screen, I shoved my phone back into my bag as the limo stopped and Dexter climbed out. My eyes widened in confusion as he hadn’t parked it where he normally did, he’d pulled up alongside the front of the house.

The back door opened, and I went to slide out, clutching my bag against my chest with one hand. As usual, Dexter’s hand was extended to assist me from the vehicle.

As my fingers touched skin instead of the usual cool leather-gloved hand, I glanced up; my eyes clashing with a pair that didnotbelong to Dexter. The hand holding mine tightened as I was tugged roughly out of the vehicle.

Panic shot through me. I tried to free myself as I was dragged against Zander’s chest. OMG, I should have taken more notice, where the hell was Dexter?

“Where’s my driver? What have you done to him,” I cried fearfully, struggling against his hold.

“I’ll take that,” Zander growled, ignoring me and unhooking my bag from my shoulder. He whisked it off as I attempted to snatch at it with my free hand but he held it out of reach.

“Ouch, you’re hurting me,” I yelled, again trying to wrench my hand out of his. Zander released me for a second before his fingers wrapped around my upper arm.

“Be still then,” he snarled as he started to drag me toward the house. I stumbled as I was forced along beside him, my whole body attempting to twist away whilst my eyes searched for Dexter.

“Dexter,” I screamed but there was nothing but the sound of my exertion and Zander’s boots as they crunched on the gravel of the drive.

“Please, let me go,” I cried as we climbed the steps.

As I was pushed through the front door, I noticed the lock had been drilled and genuine terror for the staff sliced through me.

“What have you done, Zander?” I whispered-shouted as he pushed the door closed with his heel. My bag in one hand, my arm in the other.

“As long as you do as I say, no one gets hurt,” Zander said in a low voice as he swung me around to face him. My eyes were so wide I probably resembled a cartoon character as I stared up at his towering frame. His face was drawn into a tight, determined expression.

Zander threw my bag across the floor, “Stop looking at me like I’m a monster, you know me.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. Although you seem to have forgottenexactlyhow much we meant to each other. But it won’t take long to remind you.”

His words made my skin itch, the threat clear. The man was deranged.

Zander’s eyes roamed over my face, drinking me in before his fingers brushed over one of my cheeks. “You’re so beautiful. I’ve missed you so much,” he said gruffly.

He then started to drag me towards my father’s study and that’s when I saw into the kitchen. Teresa and Marcel were tied up and gagged on the kitchen floor. They stared across helplessly as I was marched into Daddy’s study.

“What are you doing, Zander?” I repeated.

As he found Daddy’s safe, I realised his intentions.

“We need some funds to get us on our feet.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I snarled.

He shot me a look, “That’s where you’re wrong. You’re mine, Amber. We belong together.”

A wave of sickness rushed up from my stomach as Zander withdrew a gun. He didn’t aim it at me, but I imagined he wouldn’t fail to do so if I didn’t follow hisinstructions. The way he held his body suggested he was tense and on the edge; the slightest push and he’d lose it and that thought almostflooredme.

“Are you going to kill me?” I said in a small unsure voice.

That made him angry, “Of course not. Iloveyou, freckles. Youknowthat,” he snarled, his eyes flashing his rage.

My brow scrunched, “Why do you have a gun then?” I pointed out, my eyes like saucers, searching his face for some semblance of the man I once knew. We had once been friends before everything became so fucked up. As I saw the coldness of his eyes, I realised any trace of humanity had gone for good; possibly rotted away in prison.

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