Chapter 9
Everette's face hardened. "Heard what?"
"Don't play dumb with me," Adriana said, stopping a few feet away from his desk. She kept her distance, her body tense, ready to run. "I heard you're giving up your board seat. Because of me."
Everette stared at her, his jaw working. "It's not because of you. It's-"
"Stop," she cut him off. She reached into her bag and pulled out the folded document she had printed at the hospital. She threw it onto the desk. It slid across the polished wood, stopping right in front of him. "I'm not here to apologize. I'm here to end this."
Everette didn't even glance at the paper. His eyes were glued to her face. "What is that?"
"Divorce papers," Adriana said clearly. "I signed them. I don't want your money. I don't want your house. I don't want anything from you. I just want to disappear."
The word hung in the air. Disappear.
Everette flinched like he had been slapped. The color drained from his face, and his hands balled into fists at his sides. His breathing changed, becoming rapid and shallow.
"Disappear," he repeated, the word sounding like a curse. "You want to disappear."
"Yes," Adriana said, taking a step back. The look in his eyes was scaring her, but she held her ground. "I'm leaving, Everette. You don't have to play the martyr. You can keep your board seat. I won't be a problem anymore."
"You think this is a game?" he roared, suddenly moving. He crossed the distance between them in two long strides.
Adriana gasped, stumbling backward, but she wasn't fast enough. His hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist like a vise. His grip was bruising, his fingers digging into her skin.
"Let go of me!" she cried out, trying to yank her arm away.
"No." He yanked her forward, pulling her flush against his chest. His other arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. He held her tight, his heart pounding so hard against her chest she could feel it.
"You are not going anywhere," he said, his voice a harsh whisper against her hair. "You are not leaving this house. You are not disappearing. I won't let you."
Panic exploded in Adriana's chest. The smell of his cologne, the heat of his body-it was suffocating. It was the cage closing in again.
"Are you crazy?" she screamed, thrashing against him. She kicked his shin, clawed at his arms, but he didn't budge. He just held on tighter, a man drowning, clinging to the only thing keeping him afloat.
"I won't let you hurt yourself again," he said, his voice cracking. "I won't let you die. Do you hear me? I won't!"
"I'm not trying to die!" she yelled, her voice breaking. "I'm trying to get away from you! You're the one killing me!"
He ignored her. He lifted her off her feet, ignoring her fists beating against his shoulders. He carried her across the study to the small sitting area and dropped her onto the sofa.
Before she could scramble up, he turned and walked back to the door. He stepped out, spoke to someone in the hall, and then came back in.
He closed the door. And then, he turned the lock.
The click of the latch was like a gunshot.
Adriana froze, staring at the locked door. "What are you doing?"
Everette leaned back against the door, his chest heaving, his eyes wild. "I'm keeping you alive. Even if you hate me for it."
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