Chapter 17
T he suitcase wheels rattled on the uneven wooden floor, producing an ear-splitting noise that echoed through the empty house. Annie winced, casting a glance over her shoulder. The room, bathed in the muted light of an overcast morning, painted everything in a dreary, melancholy hue. Still no sign of Conrad.
It’s better this way.
She let out a sigh and tiptoed toward the front door, but the persistent clattering of the wheels sabotaged her stealth.
“Sneaking out in the middle of the night like a thief?” Conrad’s gravelly voice cut through her thoughts. She froze, hand on the door handle.
So much for the grand escape.
“Actually, it’s late morning.” Annie turned to face him.
He leaned against the doorway of his bedroom, looking like he’d lost a wrestling match with his pillow. His eyes were shadowed by dark circles, his eyelids puffy, and the normally neat stubble on his jaw was scruffy and uneven—a dishevelled mess.
“I didn’t want to wake you. I left a note.”
Annie waved vaguely toward the bedroom with one hand while gripping the suitcase handle with the other—the vinyl cold and slightly sticky with her sweat.
“Oh, I wasn’t sleeping.”
The muscles of his bare chest flexed as he sauntered toward her, each step increasing her heart rate.
“I didn’t know.” Annie swallowed hard, her gaze skittering away as a flush crept up her neck.
“So?”
Conrad stopped just inches from her. His masculine scent, tinged with the sour tang of alcohol, made her nostrils flare. Annie wrinkled her nose but made no comment. She couldn’t blame him.
“I’m leaving. The taxi should be here any second.” She gripped the suitcase handle, her palm clammy.
He squinted at her, his body leaning closer. “Figured as much.”
She didn’t want another fight. There had been enough damage already.
“Look, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I should never have let it get this far.”
She reached out, her hand landing on his shoulder, more to keep him at bay than comforting. He flinched at her touch, tensing beneath her fingers.
“You’re right,” he said, his voice low and flat.
The pungent smell of alcohol on his breath hit her, making her stomach churn.
“I’ll call the civic office today and get the marriage voided.”
Conrad loomed over her, pinning her between his broad chest and the door. Annie’s heart pounded so hard that she could feel it in her ears, her palms growing slick with sweat.
“What about your parents?” His voice dropped to a soft rumble that raised goosebumps on her skin.
She sidestepped, taking a breath. “Quite frankly, I don’t care.”
His eyebrows arched in faint surprise, softening the puffiness of his face. The expression prompted an unexpected chuckle from Annie.
The doorbell chimed, sharp and clear, slicing through the charged air between them.
“Must be your taxi.” Conrad unlocked the door and swung it open with a flourish.
A cool breeze swept in, whipping her hair around her face. It was as if nature itself was urging her to leave.
“Good—” The word caught in Annie’s throat as her eyes widened in shock.
“Here you are, you little slut.”
***
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A well-dressed man , a few inches shorter than Conrad, barged into the hallway, his predatory gaze fixed on Annie. She retreated swiftly, her back pressing against the unyielding wall, her eyes large orbs of sheer panic.
“What are you doing here, Darren?”
Her voice trembled, a vulnerability seeping into her tone that Conrad hadn’t heard before.
Conrad scratched his chin, his brow furrowing. What kind of trouble had she got herself into, now? “I take he’s not the taxi driver, then?”
Annie shook her head, her eyes riveted on the suit-clad intruder. Conrad sized him up. Perhaps he was another fella she and her family had conned. And now, he had tracked her down like a bloodhound on the hunt.
Taking two strides forward, Conrad extended his hand. “Conrad.”
The man’s gaze swept over him, up and down, before a smirk spread across his lips. He didn’t extend his hand in return. Unfazed, Conrad folded his arms across his chest, his feet planted wide apart.
“A little privacy?” The intruder’s icy words finally acknowledged Conrad’s presence.
“Mate, you’re in my house.” Conrad didn’t budge. His brows knitted together as his eyes studied the man, watching every subtle twitch of his face and hands.
Annie’s whisper barely reached Conrad. “How did you find me, Darren?”
Darren’s lips stretched into a predatory grin, but his eyes, made of steel, hadn’t changed at all.
“You thought you were that clever, huh?”
She wrapped her arms protectively around herself, shrinking into her frame like a turtle retreating into its shell.
“You shouldn’t have left the envelope behind,” Darren sneered. “I found your sister’s shabby pod, and my guys had no trouble tracking your folks’ place from there.”
His guys?
She must’ve really rattled his cage to make him go to such lengths.
Rubbing his immaculately trimmed beard, Darren flicked an imaginary speck of dust from his designer suit.
“Your mother put up quite a fight, though. From what you told me, I thought she’d grass you up without a second thought. Instead, she told me to bugger off.”
He encroached further into Annie’s personal space, his every move calculated to intimidate. Her breathing quickened, shallow and erratic. “And you know I don’t like rude people.”
“Leave my parents alone, Darren.” Her voice might’ve trembled, but there was an unmistakable steel in her tone now.
Conrad’s mind spun at the unexpected revelation. Her parents weren’t part of the con? Weird.
“I couldn’t care less about them as long as I have you .”
Darren loomed over Annie. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed hard, her panicked eyes around like she was a trapped animal. Conrad’s forehead creased.
“Luckily for me, your folks aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed. My guys followed them to your little reunion at the country club yesterday and then here, to this dump.”
His manicured hand gestured flippantly at Conrad’s home.
“You should’ve left last night, you little skunk.” With a swift movement, he grabbed Annie’s arms. She gasped in pain as his fingers dug into her flesh. “Now you’ll regret this.”
A surge of protective adrenaline shot through Conrad. He closed the distance in a heartbeat, shoving Darren hard enough to free Annie from his grasp.
“Who the fuck are you?”
He stepped between Annie and the intruder, his broad frame shielding her. With a glance over his shoulder, he motioned for her to stay behind him. No matter who she was, no lowlife was going to threaten a woman under his roof.
“And what do you want from my wife?”
Darren’s beady eyes met Conrad’s, his lips twisting into a sardonic smirk.
“Your wife?” He sized Conrad up with a new appraisal.
“You’ve got a problem with that?” The words rumbled from Conrad’s chest like distant thunder.
“She can’t be your wife.” Darren’s smirk grew wider, more sinister. “She’s mine.”
Caught off guard, Conrad turned to Annie. Her face crumpled, terror stretching her features and dwarfing her eyes. Her lips quivered as she shook her head, her voice barely threading through the tension-filled air.
“No, I’m not. Believe me, Conrad. I’m not.”
Conrad wasn’t sure what to believe anymore, but this wasn’t how he’d imagined the morning would go.
“Whatever, mate. You need to leave.”
The scumbag chuckled, his fingers tracing the crisp white collar of his shirt.
“I wasn’t planning on staying—” his gaze locked on Conrad, a dark glint in his eyes “— mate . But she’s coming with me.”
Conrad shook his head, his voice gritty with resolve. “The hell she is.”
***
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T he first blow came out of nowhere. Annie shrieked, and Conrad ducked just in time, Darren’s fist missing his jaw by inches.
“No, Darren! Stop it!” Annie’s voice was raw, panic laced in every word. She had done enough damage. There was no way she would let Conrad get hurt because of her past.
She pushed herself in front of Conrad. “I’ll go with you.”
“Of course you will.” Darren smirked, extending a hand to grab her arm.
He shouldn’t have done it. Conrad’s fist connected with Darren’s face, landing squarely on that smug expression.
“You’re not going anywhere, Annie.” Conrad’s voice was a low growl as he stepped in front of her again, his broad, bare shoulders blocking her view. She stumbled to the side and gasped as she caught sight of blood dripping onto Darren’s white shirt.
We’re screwed.
“And you—” Conrad jabbed a finger toward Darren. “—are leaving right now, or I’m calling the police.”
Darren wiped the blood with a tissue and dropped it to the floor. “Oh, we’re not done yet, pussy boy. After I’m finished with you, you can call whomever you like.”
Her ex clenched his teeth and swatted Conrad’s pointing finger away, but Conrad didn’t budge. “I’m serious, man. Leave. Now.”
Conrad looked like an ancient god with his muscular arms, but he stood no chance against Darren and his men. Ever since she had overheard that conversation—how her ex handled his affairs—she knew this wouldn’t end well.
She shook her head and took a deep breath. Better me than Conrad. She had brought this onto herself. He didn’t deserve any of it.
“Let’s go, Darren,” Annie said, her voice trembling but firm. “You don’t have to do this. You’ve already won.”
Annie took a step forward, placing a hand on Conrad’s shoulder. Her eyes met his, pleading with him to stay silent.
“I’m not finished yet.” Darren’s low growl made her look.
Annie barely had time to register his words before she saw his fist rise again.
“No!” she cried, stepping forward instinctively to stop him.
The blow landed squarely on her face, jerking her head back. Her vision blurred as a sharp, ringing pain shot through her skull. She stumbled, colliding with the nearby wall before her knees buckled, sending her crumpling to the floor.
She hit the ground hard, her breath stolen by the sudden, searing pain in her abdomen.
Her hands flew to her belly, panic and dread twisting her inside. A piercing scream ripped from her throat. “Nooooooo!”?