“Elon, remember how that bitch embarrassed you back in high school? She ran away to New York to avoid you, and now she’s engaged to some beggar just to make you look bad.”
At her shrill retelling of our past, I realize that Elon’s here because of her and Carl.
While her caustic smile no longer affects me, the fact that she’s resorted to calling a man who stalked and harassed me is a new low, even for her.
“You’re not going to let her get away with that,” she says to Elon, sidling up to one of the few people who’ve genuinely frightened me. “Are you?”
He sneers, pulling the cigar from his mouth and spitting on the ground. “No, she’s not getting away this time.”
I’m going to be sick.
In addition to being a narcissistic bully with a temper, Elon Madison’s family is powerful. All these years later, you’d think he would’ve forgotten about me. I honestly think he’s just never been told “no” before. But showing up like this to intimidate me suggests he thinks he still owns this town-and me.
“Keep it up, boys,” Elon yells, shooting me a smarmy grin. “Tear this place apart!”
His men move in to continue their damage to the club, but Simon steps out in front of me like a shield, his broad shoulders eclipsing most of the scene. “Hold it.”
Two simple words, yet the power he said them with cause everyone, even the onlookers to pause.
“Well, well, well,” Elon drawls, adding a crack of his knuckles. If intimidating Simon was his aim, he continues to advance toward him, so it clearly didn’t work. “Victoria, babe, it’s no use. I warned you when you left Texas years ago that you can’t run away from me.”
Simon halts, his arm keeping me protectively tucked behind him as he asks, “What’s going on?” He keeps his voice low enough for just the two of us. “Who is he?”
“Elon was my high school classmate,” I say, the words shakier than I’d like. With no moral compass and that raging sense of entitlement, the guy’s unpredictable and flies off the handle easily. “He’s a total womanizer. I rejected him years ago, and he wouldn’t leave me alone. That’s why I left Texas after graduation.”
Simon’s expression darkens. “That gives me even more reason to step in.”
I grab his arm, banding my fingers around his biceps as I attempt to convey what we’re up against. “No, Simon. His family’s powerful around here. You can’t take them on. It’s too dangerous. We should just call the police.”
Elon’s bark of laughter is on the maniacal side, increasing my fears. “The police? You really think I’d let you do that?”
Jade, emboldened by the rabid pit bull she’s let off the chain in front of everyone, yipes along with him, “That’s right, Victoria. You?-“
“Shut the fuck up,” Elon snaps at her, cutting her off with a tempered glare. “This has nothing to do with you.”
In any other instance, I might be glad she shrinks back. But all she’s done now is lay the trouble at my door, roping in Simon along with me.
“Looks like they brought in another scumbag,” Simon says, an angry muscle flexing in his jaw. “Makes sense you’re all in on this.”
Elon doesn’t react, his narrowed eyes remaining on me. “Dump this useless fiancé of yours, Victoria, make it up to me, and maybe I’ll let it slide.”
From behind the wall of muscle Simon’s formed to protect me, I speak through clenched teeth, “Not a chance.”
The laugh Elon gives is biting, not an ounce of joy, and there never will be because he prefers inflicting misery and pain. “I get why you’d go for him. In high school, you were just some clueless bumpkin no one was interested in. I was the only one who saw the potential. And look at you. You turned out beautiful.”
His henchmen laugh like it’s the best joke they’ve ever heard.
I curl my fists tighter, my nails digging into my palms. He makes it sound as if I owe him something for daring to learn how to do my hair and dress up nicely for one evening. I resent the implication and him for taking that away.
“God damn, do you ever just shut the fuck up?” Simon says, his seething rage coming through.
No, no he doesn’t. Elon proves it by fishing a few crumpled bills and a handful of coins from his pocket and tossing them at Simon’s feet. “Here. Get yourself some dog food. That way you can feed your bitch.”
I’m still reeling from the insult when Simon charges, taking the last few steps down the cement steps and slamming his fist into Elon’s jaw with enough force to send him sprawling.
Gasps ripple through the gathered crowd, and Elon groans, rolling onto his side, blood trickling from his lip. He wipes it with the back of his hand and snarls, “Get him! Beat this bastard to death!”
Elon’s lackeys rush forward, but Simon is faster.
He dodges a swing from one of the men, lands a kick to another’s stomach, and sends a third crashing into a trash can with a solid right hook. He’s efficient, powerful, and completely in control-I haven’t seen moves like that outside a cage match fight.
One by one, they drop, groaning on the pavement.
If Elon were smart, he’d cut his losses and flee. Using his brain, however, never was his strong suit. “Idiots. You guys are fucking useless.”
My heart is absolutely pounding, adrenaline pumping through every inch of me.
But my blood turns to ice as Elon reaches for the waistband of his jeans and says, “Guess I have to do everything myself.”
Before I can shout Simon’s name, the glint of the metal gun barrel catches the streetlight-he’s drawn a gun.
“Elon, don’t,” I scream, the plea echoing through the night.
But his finger curls around the trigger…
And my heart ceases beating as he aims the gun at Simon’s turned back.
Simon
The moment I hear Victoria’s panicked scream, every muscle in my body tightens, all my senses going on full alert.
It’s the fear I see in her eyes that scares me the most. I follow her gaze and catch sight of the gun Elon’s trained on me, the world grinds to a halt. My rapid pulse throbs through my head, creating a ticking time bomb effect.
Onlookers throw hands over their mouths and murmur, but I shove the din to the background where it becomes white noise. The only thing that matters is that weapon and ensuring the man holding it keeps it aimed at me and not Victoria.
She darts in my direction, and I jerk my head toward Alex, who immediately understands and bars her way.
“Stay back, sweetheart,” I say, working to calm my voice as I do a quick memorization of her features. Just in case it’s the last time I see them. “I won’t be okay if you get hurt.”
“No, Simon.” She struggles against Alex’s iron grip, tears slipping down her cheeks, her anguished cry lancing me through the heart. “Elon, don’t. Please, don’t do this.”
No matter how much she begs, I know men like him-spoiled, egotistical, and used to getting their way. He doesn’t just want to win; he wants to humiliate. And right now, I’m standing in the way of that.
I overhear Carl getting upset at Jade about Elon bringing a gun. Jade’s panicked response that he was crazier than she remembered.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.