One Night With The Possessive CEO

The wet, rhythmic slap of skin against skin echoed from the master bedroom.

Bridget froze in the narrow hallway of her Brooklyn apartment. The custom velvet ring box in her coat pocket suddenly felt like a block of lead against her thigh. She had left the office three hours early, her chest tight with the anticipation of surprising Jacob on their anniversary.

Now, her heart slammed against her ribs, a frantic bird trapped in a cage.

She forced her legs to move. One step. Then another. The door was cracked open, a sliver of dim, yellow light spilling onto the hardwood floor. Her breathing turned shallow, the air burning her throat as she pushed the wooden panel.

The door swung open.

Jacob was on the bed. Their bed. His hands were gripping the waist of a woman whose face was buried in the pillows. The woman arched her back, and the silver bridesmaid bracelet on her wrist caught the light.

Chloe. Her best friend.

Bridget's vision blurred, the edges of the room turning black. A violent wave of nausea rolled through her stomach, pushing sour bile up her throat.

"Jacob," Bridget choked out.

The word tasted like ash.

Jacob's head snapped up. His eyes widened, the pupils dilating in sheer panic. He scrambled backward, his chest heaving as he frantically yanked the white duvet up to cover his naked waist.

"Bridget! Wait, it's not-" Jacob stammered, his voice cracking.

The absolute absurdity of his words snapped the paralysis holding Bridget's body. Her hand darted into her pocket. Her fingers curled around the velvet box. Without a single thought, she hurled it with every ounce of strength in her arm.

The heavy box flew across the room. The corner of the velvet box caught him squarely on the forehead, striking his skin with a dull thud.

Jacob let out a sharp cry, his hands flying up to cover the angry red welt blooming on his skin.

Chloe finally turned over. She pulled the sheet over her chest, letting out a high-pitched scream. But as her eyes met Bridget's, the corner of Chloe's mouth twitched upward. A subtle, silent taunt.

Bridget dug her nails into her palms until the skin threatened to break. She refused to let a single tear fall. Her hands shook violently as she pulled her phone from her purse. She raised it, the screen glaring in the dim room, and pressed the capture button. The flash blinded them for a split second.

"Evidence," Bridget stated, her voice devoid of any warmth.

Jacob threw the covers off, his bare feet hitting the floor.

"Bridget, please! Let me explain!" He reached out, his sweaty fingers grazing her wrist.

A full-body shudder ripped through her. She violently yanked her arm back, wiping her wrist against her coat as if he had infected her with a disease.

She turned on her heel and sprinted out of the apartment.

The brutal chill of the New York winter hit her the second she pushed