Page 147 of Inflame

Bubbling from deep in my belly, I let out a guttural growl. “I’m done being your whore, you self-serving, delusional prick! There’s not enough money in circulation on this entire planet that would ever entice me to want to go back to you.”

Without thinking, my hand swings back and whips through the air. The whistling sound hits my ears before connecting with the strong jawbone of Ethan Maxwell.

Crack.

Pain sears through my entire arm, radiating from my palm all the way up to my shoulder. Fuck, that hurt.

Shock permeates my conscious thought, as disbelief fights its way to the front. Ethan deserved what I served him. There’s no denying it. But I still can’t believe I actually hit him.

I hit him.

Gripping my hand, I clutch it to my chest, doubling over from the impact. My knees start to buckle, and I force my legs to stay strong. Now is definitely not the time to fold and crumble at this monster’s feet.

“You little bitch,” he snarls, coming out of his trance. Grabbing my hair, he drags me through the yard.

Tears flood my eyes as my fingers wrestle with his to let go. “Please stop!”

“Don’t you dare start. You did this,” he sneers, continuing to walk. “And you’re going to pay.”

“You’re hurting me!”

“That’s the point.”

I double step to keep up, feeling like my scalp is going to get ripped off my skull if I slow the pace too much. Lifting my knee, I connect with his groin, causing Ethan to release his hold on my hair.

Spinning around, I run toward the direction of the driveway where my car is safely parked, only getting a few yards before a force hits the back of my knees. My body flies forward, and just as I brace myself for hitting the earth, I am launched upright and over Ethan’s shoulder.

“Fuck you!” I scream, beating on his back. I wiggle until he can no longer hold me.

When I’m on my feet, my sore hand whips through the air again, but this time it’s caught and twisted around to the back of me.

“Pay up in cash or in pussy for what you owe me, you fucking whore.”

“Or what?” I stand my ground. “You going to rape me?”

“Rape would mean you don’t consent. And we both know how hungry your cunt is for what I can offer it. You don’t become an escort unless you love a little degradation. I get off on it too.”

“Go back to your fiancée and treat her like an animal—if that’s what she’s into. But it stops here with me.”

“You want me, Claire. Otherwise you would have picked a neutral place to meet up and not my family home. You’re testing me by coming here, but I’ll always come out the victor.”

“I don’t want anything from you!” I shove him back, but when I do, his hand cracks across my face. Tears jolt out of my eyes, and I stumble backward. When my vision clears and Ethan’s smug face fills up my entire view…

I go ballistic.

Throwing myself forward, I thrust my entire body into his, causing him to fall. Straddling him, I rip his hair with one hand and pound on the side of his face with my other hand.

I hit.

And slap.

And punch.

And bite and kick and slam.

When my sweaty body is so exhausted from the fight I no longer want to be a part of, I step away from Ethan’s limp body and make the trek to my car. Glancing over my shoulder, I see my ex-asshole attempting to get up. But he doesn’t follow me.

And I can only hope his spirit no longer has any fight left in it as well.

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