Page 75 of Accidentally Mine
He moved aside, and the man from my nightmares strode through the doorway, his thick frame taking up all the available space there.His eyes swept over me, that same superior glare on his face that used to make my skin crawl.Memories flooded back, honing in on that last night, when he’d pummeled my body with his fists, again and again, as I’d screamed for him to stop.
My only crime then had been trying to break up with him.Now, I knew he’d marked down what I’d done as unforgiveable.
His cold blue eyes landed on me, and his mouth spread into a smile.“Hello, Rebecca.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but words wouldn’t come.I should have had something to say, since I’d been waiting for this day to happen for so long.But I didn’t.Every time I’d considered the possibility of this moment, I’d been too scared to even think about what could happen.
Claudia spoke first, her voice authoritative and clear.“Excuse me, but what are you men doing here?”
“Shut up,” Malcolm boomed, holding a finger up to her, but not looking her way.“I don’t care who you are.Our business is with Ms.Reece, and not you.So you’ll kindly shut the fuck up.”
Claudia opened her mouth, outraged, and gave me anAre you going to let them talk to us like thatlook.I shook my head frantically at her, begging her to be quiet.She had no idea who we were dealing with.
Malcolm stalked toward me.I backed toward the other end of the trailer, until I was pressed against the wall.“Now, Rebecca.Or whatever you’re going by these days.Let’s talk.I think the least you can do is pay us a little respect, after shipping your boyfriend, the man you owed everything to, down the creek like that.Don’t you think you at least owe him an apology after the stunt you pulled?”
I shook my head.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean for all that to happen.”
He reached out and grabbed my chin, squeezing it between his beefy thumb and forefinger.He jarred my head up and down, making me nod.“You did, Rebecca.The accident that got the police on my son was your fault.If you hadn’t caused it, or at the very least had come to his aid, he never would’ve been found and spent the last two years and six months in prison.”
His thumb pressed hard into my chin, the pressure pushing me more tightly against the wall.His black eyes bored into me, and his breath smelled like cigarette smoke.Abruptly, he let go, and I slumped against the wall as he walked away, and Anthony replaced him.
He looked sharp, as he always did, in his black suit.The look had been the thing that had attracted me in the beginning.He always wore a professional, well-put-together suit that made him look like a million bucks.Now, he just made me ill.
Scowling, he rested his forearm on the wall above me, caging me in, and leaned forward almost close enough to touch his forehead against mine.A hair’s breadth away, he just stood there, his gaze dragging over my face.“You fucked me, ran from me, and then you fucked me again.”He reached out and pushed a lock of hair behind my ear, and I squeezed my eyes closed.“And you changed your hair without my expressed permission.”
“Youfucked me, Anthony,” I murmured, meeting his gaze.“Youhit me, and I had no choice but to run away from you.”
He let out a long, bitter laugh.“I treated you like a princess, Rebecca.I gave you everything.Yes, there were times when I needed to keep you in line, but it was for your own good.And you repaid me by shitting all over…stop!”
My eyes flew open.Without breaking his gaze on me he pointed to where Claudia was standing, quietly holding her cell phone.Eyes still on mine, he smoothly walked toward her, and took it from her hand.His eyes dropped to the screen for a second before he pulled his arm back and launched it against the wall.It shattered with a loud crash, making Claudia and I both flinch.
“All right,” I said, trying my best to summon the bravery that seemed to be failing me.“What do you want, Anthony?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”he said with a grin.“Restitution.”
“I don’t understand.”My eyes volleyed between the father and son.Both of them wore matching smug smiles that made my stomach turn.“What restitution?”
“Well, luckily,” Anthony said, turning to Steve, “I’ve worked out some very favorable terms with your father’s business partner.”
I turned to Steve, who was now doing his best to shrink into the paneled wall, refusing to meet my eyes.He pulled on the lapels of his suit and cleared his throat meekly.
This was very bad.
I couldn’t breathe.It felt like there was a large lead weight on my chest, pushing me down, suffocating me.
Malcolm studied him, a silent glare that urged him to speak.Finally, Steve said, “Well.I seem to have gotten myself into a bit of gambling debt, and I took out a loan to cover those expenses without your father’s knowledge.I never meant for any of this to happen, but these men agreed to help me if…I helped them.”
I stared at Steve.Was he serious?Didn’t he know that you couldn’t make a fair deal with the devil?The Markin family didn’t help anyone.They would always demand more, and never let you get away.
Anthony strolled back over to me, his tongue pushing out the side of his mouth.He touched my collarbone, and again got close enough to kiss me.My stomach lurched, and I was afraid I might vomit on his pristine suit.I pressed my back against the wall as he whispered, his voice gruff, “We’re covering his debts.But you, sweetheart, belong to us.”He smiled.“So the outcome is favorable.But not necessarily for you.”
I closed my eyes.Clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering.This couldn’t be happening.
Steve stuck his chin out.“All right, so I got her to come back like you wanted.I handed her to you.Where’s my money?”
Anthony turned and shot him aget-reallook.“You don’t think we couldn’t have found her without your help, Stevie?Really?”
Steve’s eyes spit sparks.“That was the deal.I arranged the accident.I got in touch with her.I did everything you said.I want my money.”
