Chapter 4 The Attack #2
Moments later, James returned to the bar, sliding his phone into his pocket as he strode inside.
His eyes went straight to the table.
Empty.
He froze.
Then his body went rigid, fury detonating across his face. He spun on his heel and stormed back toward the entrance, slamming the door open so hard it banged against the wall.
The guards snapped to attention.
“Where is my wife?” James demanded, his voice razor-sharp.
The guards exchanged uneasy glances before one of them spoke hesitantly.
“Sir… didn’t she go back to you? Mr. Stanley came a few seconds ago and said you sent him to bring her to you.”
James’s jaw clenched violently.
“You fucking idiots,” he snapped, rage exploding unchecked. “I told you to keep her inside!”
His eyes burned as he barked, “Where did she go? Which way?”
The guard trembled as he lifted a hand and pointed left.
“M-Mr. Sinclair… she just left. Mr. Stanley drove off with her a few seconds ago.”
James didn’t say another word.
He stormed out, strides heavy and violent, climbed into his car, and slammed the door shut. The engine roared to life as he tore out of the lot, fury chasing him into the night.
James didn’t waste another breath. He stormed out, his strides heavy and violent, and climbed into his car. The door slammed shut, sealing in the fury rolling through his chest.
The engine roared to life as he sped off.
It took only minutes before he spotted Gavin’s Aston Martin ahead. James’s grip tightened around the steering wheel as he pushed harder on the accelerator, weaving aggressively between vehicles, ignoring horns and flashing lights as he tried to close the distance.
But Gavin’s car was faster.
With smooth precision, Gavin slipped through traffic, cutting ahead effortlessly and widening the gap. James swore under his breath as the distance stretched, frustration burning hotter by the second.
Inside Gavin’s car, Mia sat quietly, her hands folded in her lap as she watched the city lights blur past the window. Snowflakes began to drift down, soft and slow. After a short while, Gavin eased off the accelerator and pulled over to the side of the road.
James slowed a short distance behind them, his car rolling to a stop. His hands stiffened on the steering wheel as his eyes locked onto the scene ahead.
Under the muted glow of passing traffic lights, he saw them—Mia and Gavin—standing beside the Aston Martin. Headlights swept over them in soft, glowing flashes as cars passed by, illuminating the falling snow.
Snow caught in Mia’s hair, clinging lightly to her lashes and coat. It dusted Gavin’s shoulders as well.
The sight hit James like a punch to the chest.
Gavin stood with his arms loosely folded, leaning casually against the car. He tilted his head toward Mia as he spoke, a light laugh escaping him. Mia looked up at him, a small smile touching her lips as she nodded in response. Her breath fogged in the cold air, but her eyes were warm, relaxed.
James’s chest tightened violently.
His knuckles whitened around the steering wheel as his gaze flicked from Mia… to Gavin… then back to that smile on her face.
Pain tore through him, sharp and suffocating.
“She looks beautiful when she smiles like this…” he whispered silently, unable to look away.
Suddenly, he snatched his phone from the passenger seat. His fingers trembled slightly as he dialed Gavin’s number, his eyes never leaving them—not for a second.
Gavin glanced at his vibrating phone, brows lifting in mild surprise. He took a few steps away from Mia—just enough to answer—yet stayed close to the car. He lifted the phone to his ear.
Before he could speak, James’s voice exploded through the line.
“You took Mia away?!”
Gavin leaned his shoulder against the car, answering in an infuriatingly calm, careless tone. “Yeah, I did. She wasn’t comfortable at the bar. Your guards were stopping her without her consent, so I helped her leave.”
He paused, glancing at the drifting snow. “She wanted to see the snow. So I brought her here.”
A faint smirk crept onto his lips. “I like snow too. Seems our tastes match. Almost like a match made in heaven.”
James’s jaw locked so hard a muscle jumped beneath his skin. Every word stabbed straight into his chest, feeding the inferno raging inside him.
“Fuck your choices!” he snapped, his voice cracking with rage. “She is my wife. Stay the hell away from her, Gavin.”
“Wife?” Gavin let out a short, humorless laugh. His tone flattened. “Do you really think she was happy being your wife?”
James’s expression faltered.
Memories surged uninvited—every time he had shut her out of his office… out of his room… every cold look, every moment of irritation he had thrown at her.
The ache twisted deeper.
He swallowed it all down—his pride, his guilt—and replied in a low, chilling voice, “What does her happiness have to do with you?”
Without hesitation, Gavin shot back, “I’ll make her happy.”
James’s fingers curled into a fist against his thigh. His teeth ground together. “I know exactly what you’re thinking,” he growled. “Don’t insult me. I know what’s running through your head about her.”
Gavin frowned immediately, irritation flashing across his face. “What are you talking about?” he snapped. “You know I’ve never liked anyone before. I’ve never even had a girlfriend.”
He turned his head toward Mia, watching her stand quietly beneath the falling snow, her attention fixed on the road.
“I fell for her at first sight,” he said quietly.
Then his voice softened—almost coaxing—as he continued, “Since you don’t want her… why don’t you let her have a chance with me?” He added lightly, “Let her go, James. We can still be best friends.”
“Don’t even fucking think about it,” James barked instantly, fury tearing out of him.
“For fuck’s sake, James!” Gavin snapped back. “Are you going to keep being this difficult? You’re not married to Mia anymore. You don’t get to occupy a place that isn’t yours.”
Before James could respond, the line went dead.
Gavin shoved his phone back into his pocket.
Gavin turned back, the irritation draining from his face the instant his eyes landed on Mia. A faint smile curved his lips as he walked toward her again, stopping at her side—close enough that their shoulders nearly brushed. He leaned in slightly as he spoke, his posture relaxed, familiar.
Inside his car, James’s restraint shattered.
His fist slammed down on the steering wheel, the impact rattling the dashboard. Rage surged through him, hot and uncontrollable. From where he sat, Mia and Gavin looked like a couple—standing close, heads tilted toward each other as snow drifted down around them, soft and intimate.
Snowflakes clung to Mia’s hair and coat. Gavin bent his head toward her, saying something that made her nod.
That was enough.
The last shred of patience snapped.
James ripped his seatbelt free with a sharp jerk and shoved the car door open—
Then froze.
Across the street, he saw Mia already sliding into a cab. The door shut with a dull thud, sealing her inside. The cab pulled away immediately, taillights disappearing into traffic.
A second later, Gavin stepped into his own car and drove off in the opposite direction.
James stood there, half out of his car, one hand gripping the door, staring at the empty stretch of road where they had been only moments ago. His chest rose and fell hard, breath fogging in the cold air, his anger still roaring with nowhere to go.
He didn’t move.
Snow gathered silently at his feet as he stared down at the ground, jaw clenched so tightly it ached.
***
Alexander’s phone rang on the desk, its vibration cutting through the quiet of his office. He didn’t look up from the documents in his hand as he answered.
“Mr. Graves, you have a meeting in Denver tomorrow,” Allen said. “Should I arrange the flights and hotel?”
“I’m not going,” Alexander replied flatly. “I need to bring my wife home first.” He set the papers aside, his tone firm. “Cancel all overseas meetings. Move them online or postpone them.”
“Yes, Mr. Graves,” Allen replied promptly.
Alexander picked up the photograph resting on his desk—Mia, caught mid-smile. His thumb brushed the edge of the frame as his gaze lingered.
“Where is Mia right now?” he asked quietly.
“She’s at the office,” Allen replied, hesitating. “But… there’s something else.”
Alexander straightened instantly, tension tightening through his shoulders. “What is it?”
“Mrs. Graves is going to Denver tomorrow,” Allen continued. “She has work there. She’ll be traveling with one of the senior managers—it’s a woman.”
Alexander’s eyes sharpened. “Arrange my Denver meeting as well,” he said immediately. “I’ll go in person.”
Allen smiled to himself. ‘As expected. Mr. Graves didn’t even like her leaving the house angry—how would he ever let her leave the city alone?’
“Yes, Mr. Graves,” he said aloud. “I’ll take care of everything.”
“And Allen,” Alexander added, his voice measured, “book my hotel at the same place Mia is staying.”
“Of course, Mr. Graves,” Allen replied. He had already started making the arrangements.
***
The morning sun washed over the street as Sasha and Mia stepped out of the business hotel, their heels clicking softly against the pavement. Their shadows stretched long behind them as they walked side by side.
“It’s going to be busy today,” Sasha said, glancing over. “Stick close to me so we can arrange the meetings and take notes before the boss arrives.”
Mia nodded. “I will.”
She adjusted her grip on her bag. Inside were only her tablet, a notebook, and some cash. It was a one-day trip—she hadn’t packed much, just one change of clothes for the meeting.
Suddenly, Sasha groaned and pressed a hand to her stomach, scanning the street. “Do you want to grab breakfast? I’m starving.”
Mia blinked. “You didn’t eat at the hotel?”
“Breakfast?” Sasha frowned. “This hotel doesn’t provide breakfast.”
Mia stopped walking.