Page 72 of Cruel Fate

“Let’s keep this conversation between us, or I may be forced to tell Ashton Black. He won’t be as understanding as I am, and you’ll wish I’d told Zane instead.”

Denton says that, and there is no doubt in my mind Ash raped and beat that girl. Zane and Zarah are both blind. I’m swimming with piranhas, their razor-sharp teeth slicing my skin. I should run before I’m ripped to shreds.

“I can see why Zane is so infatuated with you. You’re very pretty.” He brushes his thumb over the side of one of my breasts, and I jerk away. “Don’t want to share?” he asks, chuckling. “That’s okay. I prefer that my women have a little more experience.” He straightens. “I don’t have to change my password, do I, Miss Mayfair?”

I shake my head. I can’t force words out of my mouth.

“Good. That’s always such a pain in the ass.”

He unlocks the door and walks out of the conference room.

Pushing back my sobs, I follow and grab my jacket and purse. I need to get out of here—it wouldn’t be professional to break down at my desk. I don’t know where Zane is, and I don’t see Harper.

Trembling, I take the elevator, and when I step out, Hector’s leaning against a wall in the lobby, his hands clasped behind him. Leering at me, he’s not a bit concerned I’m shaken. It frightens me all the more, and I burst through the lobby doors and into the sunshine.

I don’t know where to go, and dodging a scatter of people, I run aimlessly down the sidewalk. Several blocks away, I veer into an alley and catch my breath.

Denton is conspiring with Clayton Black.

Ash is beating up women, probably Zarah, too.

Zane’s parents were killed in a plane crash that wasn’t an accident.

I need to leave, but there’s nowhere to hide. I can’t see Maryanne, and I don’t want to drag Quinn into this. She may love the danger, the adventure, but this is different than selling knockoffs.

This is life and death.

There’s nothing I can do. No, that’s not true. I can quit, collect the million dollars Zane promised me. Walk away and notlook back. Find a small town and hope no one looks for me, hope no one believes I know more than I do.

I think of Zane, how he looks when he’s sad. I remember the huge bruise on Zarah’s ribs where it looked like someone kicked her.

Zane can’t see Ash is a bastard.

Zarah can’t stop working for him...he might be keeping her hostage.

The Blacks have the Maddoxes twisted around their fingers.

Why can no one see it but me?

If I leave, who will protect Zane?

Even if I stay, who can? Because I can’t.

On shaky legs, I find a coffee shop that’s empty at this hour. I use their restroom and do my best to pull myself together. The braid Zane plaited in my hair is coming loose, but it still looks okay.

I’m pale, and I reapply my lip gloss to give my face some color, my hand shaking.

I love Zane Maddox with all my immature heart, and I’ll do what I can to keep him safe. That means acting like nothing is wrong, but not being naïve enough to believe it.

Hector’s still in the lobby, and gleefully, he eyes me over the rims of his sunglasses. If he’s lurking around, that means Zarah’s upstairs, but I don’t go see her. I can’t anyway—I don’t have the security code that would let me use the private lift. She’d need to text it to me, and if Ash is monitoring her cell phone, she may not have any privacy.

The cell Zane gave me may be monitored, too, and I’ll stop using it. I’ve been texting Zane and Zarah with it, and it’s the number I gave Quinn. I’ll use my old burner phone. Maybe buy a new one.

I need privacy.

I need to be able to call for help without someone stopping me.

Back on the executive floor, I settle behind my desk and pretend nothing’s wrong. No one seems to have noticed I was gone. Denton and Harper pass my desk, his hand on her lower back. “Hello, Miss Mayfair,” he says.

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