Page 73 of Bastard

“Can you walk?”

“I think so.” I grab hold of her arms and help her to her feet. “What am I going to do?”

I spin her around gently so she’s looking at me. “You leave. Find someone who deserves you. Begin again.”

“But Barrington won’t let me go.”

“Barrington can go fuck himself. Remember?”

She giggles.

“Hurry. Gather what you need and hide yourself at the end of the driveway. I’ll have our car stop to pick you up. You’ll catch a private plane out of here with us.”

“Will Lorenzo mind?”

I bite my lip. Lorenzo is going to be furious. As for Hayden ... I acted on my own and hewarnedme not to.

“I have a sister in Nairobi.”

“Perfect. Kenya it is.”

“That asshole is going to regret having me beaten,” she says, stuffing a few items inside an overnight bag. “No more bossing me around. No more cheating on me. And the best part? No prenup.”

What a fool.

“And I’m going to hire the best lawyer around.”

Relief washes over me from knowing Sabine will be safe. But as we leave the room and silently part ways, whatever relief I’m feeling is quickly replaced by an overwhelming sense of dread.

Because now I need to report in to Hayden.

24

“Keep driving.”

I bristle in the car seat, disliking both his tone and his refusal to listen.

“I won’t leave her here,” I snap.

“You’re not in charge,” he barks back, all teeth. “I am.”

His mirrored sunglasses reflect my outrage back at me. Job over. Mission accomplished. He’s gotten what he wants. No matter who’s hurt in the process.

“Drop me off at the end of the driveway,” I address the driver. He’s unfamiliar to me, and not one who’d accompanied us. I’m not surprised when he ignores me.

“I’ll help her get away without you.”

“No.”

Rage spews up from deep inside me.

“You’d leave a helpless woman behind?”

“I do what’s necessary.”

Dios. Where is that flirt Lorenzo when I need him? How delusional I’ve been. Thinking we’ve grown closer. Believing we’re more than the roles we played. This man is ruthless. This man loves one thing and one thing only—the job.

A lesson I should have learned twice over.