Page 70 of His to Protect

She shrugged and continued listening to my conversation.

“You will do no such thing, Katrina Morgenson. You’ve sold your car, you’ve made your point. Now get home and face the consequences of your foolish decision.”

Oh, God. My car.

He knew.

Of course he knew.

Tears sprang to my eyes and I saw Gabriella walking toward me, arms outstretched. I stepped back, shaking my head.

“This isn’t a tantrum, Kevin,” I stated calmly, more calmly than I was currently feeling with a riot of emotions coursing through me.

Fear.

Anger.

Hatred burned brighter than either of them, though.

“I also haven’t lied.” And I hadn’t.

Yesterday, I had a meeting with Tyson’s grandfather, who specializes in family law. He agreed to find an attorney in Kentucky who could handle my divorce.

“I will not ever be returning to Kentucky, nor will I be returning to you. I don’t know how you got this number, Kevin, but lose it. If you find me, you’ll regret it. You can’t hurt me again.”

His cold laugh made me cringe. “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Katrina. You’re mine. You became mine the day we were married, the day you took my name, and I can do anything I want to you, whenever I want.”

“Then come find me, asshole. And show me what you’ve got.”

I threw the phone down, and watched as Blue picked it up. I watched as she pressed the button to end the call and set it back down.

“Four minutes and twenty-eight seconds,” she murmured before looking at me. “Long enough that Tyson should be able to track it.” I barely registered any of what she said before she pulled me into her arms and held me tight. “Are you okay? That was intense.”

My entire body was roiled with shakes and shivers. My arms hung loose at my sides and I was unable to answer her.

Was I okay?

I just threw down the gauntlet for the world’s most evil man.

He’d find me.

And I had no doubt that when he did, he would try to make me regret the words I’d just spoken.

—

“You swore?” Declan’s look of surprise would have made me laugh under other circumstances.

I’d just listened while Gabriella told Declan everything that happened during my phone call, after he showed up at her apartment, almost breaking the door down with his bare fists. As soon as he saw me, I was scooped up in his arms and carried to the couch, where he sat down with me on his lap.

He said one word, directed at Blue, that word being “Explain,” before she did exactly as she’d been commanded.

His arms around me flinched and tightened. One of his hands ran through my hair.

I was still trying to replay the conversation in my mind, because I wasn’t even sure if Blue was exaggerating for effect, or if I truly did swear.

“Yeah,” I whispered. “I think I did.”

“Proud of you,” he said and pressed his lips against my forehead.

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