Page 82 of Playing With Fire
“Twenty minutes, Shannon. If you aren’t out front, I’m coming in. And if I have to come in, Gregor’s not going to like it.”
Chapter 33
Shannon
Distraught doesn’t even begin to describe what I’m currently feeling. Hudson can’t possibly know what he’s up against, but even still, I find myself listening to what he says and am about to head downstairs to wait for him when an idea hits. Just so Greg gets the picture, I take my wedding rings off and place them on the bedside table.
The timing is close. Hudson will get here almost the exact time Gregor will discover I’m not in the room, but I try not to think about what would happen if these two are ever face-to-face again. Hiding in the shadows on a bench off to the side of the front of the property, I wait for Hudson’s pickup truck.
It feels like an eternity of leg bouncing and nail picking until the pick-up pulls into the circular driveway at the front of the resort. I stand, ready to run to the safety of the vehicle when Gregor steps out of the sliding doors.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
Hudson throws the truck in park and is around the hood in two seconds flat. Relief washes over me even as the situationheats up.
Surprisingly, Hudson speaks first and his question is for me.
“Shannon, I’ll ask you one time. Do you want to leave with me or stay with Gregor?”
It’s a moment of truth. If I go with him, Gregor will make good on all of his threats. If I stay, there’s a good chance he’ll do it anyway. Looking at Hudson’s face, his eyes are blank. He isn’t trying to guilt me, coerce me, or force me. He’s intentionally being unreadable so that I make this choice all on my own.
“I want to go with you, Hudson,” I confirm, mustering all the strength I have left. “But he—” I start trying to explain what this decision is going to cost him, but he cuts me off.
“I need you to trust me,” he says.
I nod and start moving toward the truck when Gregor’s voice stops me in my tracks.
“You’re not leaving, Shannon,” he repeats. “Because if you do, I’ll ensure you never see our daughter again.”
I wondered how long he was going to hold on to that card before playing it.
I’m deeply ashamed to admit that five months ago, that threat probably would have pushed me out the door faster. But now? Now he’s talking about my heart and soul, and I knew he’d go there eventually.
“Shannon,trust me,” Hudson pleads again. There’s a fire burning in his eyes that has been notably absent before tonight. His amber irises glow as if there are actual flames dancing behind them.
“She’s not going with you, delivery boy. I know you seem to have trouble remembering that she’smy wife,so let me remind you.”
Greg moves closer to me and I watch his hand come up like he’s going to pin me to himself and kiss me, so I lunge for Hudson, all in, wanting every night to be like the one at myapartment. But before I can get to him, Greg grabs my arm in a vice grip.
I hope he leaves bruises I can show to a cop later.
In another second, Hudson has gone from standing next to the passenger side door of his truck to crowding Gregor as he puts himself between us. “Take. Yourfuckinghand. Off of her.” I’ve heard Hudson growl before, but this is far more menacing because it isn’t lust or desire that’s causing the change in his voice…it’s pure, unadulterated rage as he breaks the sentence up.
“Or what?” Greg sneers, twisting my arm slightly.
“Or I’ll have assault added to your rap sheet,” Hudson says calmly. I think it’s his confident tone more than the words themselves that makes Gregor finally let go.
Although he’s removed his hand, his verbal assault continues.
“You may be the mother of my child, but if you think, for one second, I won’t absolutelydestroyyou in a courtroom, you’ve got another thing coming, sweetheart. I’ll pull your precious phone records, I’ll find evidence that you can’t be trusted with our daughter…and if I can’tfindthat evidence, I’ll fuckingfabricateit. I’ll bury you so deep in paperwork, lawsuits, and custody battles you’ll never be free of me or the fucking debt I bury you both under.”
“Don’t listen to him, Shannon. He’s not God. He doesn’t have the kind of power he thinks he does,” Hudson whispers as he throws my duffel bag in the back seat of his truck before opening my door.
Choosing to believe Hudson, I throw one last parting shot at Gregor before leaving him behind for good, thankful I got everything moved into my apartment before I came down here.
“Our attorneys can work it out. My ring is on the nightstand in your hotel room and starting now, we’re officially separated.”
I don’t look back a second time as Hudson puts his truck in gear and drives off.
