Chapter 65
Chapter Sixty-Five
Audrey
At some point, I’d fallen asleep in the backseat on the way home. My eyes were gritty and my head ached from all the ways my hair was twisted around my head. But I was excited. I didn’t have to see Alexei again until Carina and Ace got pregnant and that could be years down the road. I didn’t have to pretend anymore. I could climb into my bed and be thankful that I got to be alone in my misery.
Ace’s driver tipped his hat to me as he took all of my bags out of the trunk and onto a luggage cart for me to bring upstairs. The bellhop helped me with all of my belongings and then I was finally in the elevator alone. I weighed Grandmother’s cane between my hands and laughed. I couldn’t believe she’d given it to me. Maybe I would need it someday. The elevator doors dinged open and I pushed the cart to the penthouse’s front door. I fumbled with the lock for a moment before the door swung open. I shoved the cart into the entryway and just left it there. I didn’t care about anything else, but getting into my bed. I didn’t even have the energy to undo my hair.
I rolled my shoulders back as I walked to the stairs. Pain lit up in the back of my head and I was falling to the floor. Pain blossomed in my side as I registered that someone was kicking me. I still, thankfully, gripped the cane tightly in one of my hands. I swung it blindly before I remembered there was a hidden knife in the handle. I fought with the little button Grandmother revealed to me but wasn’t quick enough. Burning hot pain pierced my side just as a soft pop rang out. Was that a gun? Had I been shot? I unlocked the little knife. I swung out, desperate to save myself, unsure of what was happening. I would die here alone if I didn’t fight.
“You bitch,” the man hissed as the knife stopped swinging and made contact with my attacker. Everything hurt so badly and spots were dancing across my vision but I wouldn’t be the victim. I would prevail. On shaking hands and knees I pulled myself up and blinked at the man with a ski mask covering his face. I wasted no time and threw myself at him. The knife clipped the side of his face and he fell to the floor. My fingers fought for purchase on the fabric mask but it was no use, even though I managed to land a good few blows, the man was still quicker than I was. He lifted his booted foot and planted it in the center of my chest before he kicked me across the hall. My head knocked against something hard and everything went dark.
Screaming momentarily brought me out of the darkness. All I wanted to do was reassure Georgie that I was going to be okay. There was other shouting happening but I couldn’t make out what it was. My consciousness left me again.