I’d thought Ethan had at least some genuine affection for Jessica.
I was wrong.
The man was pure ice.
When Ethan couldn’t locate Jessica’s brother to recover the stolen funds, he dragged her to a backroom in Las Vegas instead.
A blade glinted in the dim light as Jessica trembled at his feet, sobbing.
“Tell your brother to return the money,” Ethan said calmly, “or I’ll start with your fingers.”
Jessica collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face.
“My brother doesn’t have anything left! He lost it all at the tables…”
“Ethan, please—I was just scared they’d hurt him! Look, I bore you a child–just let him go!
I’ll do anything you want!”
Ethan didn’t hesitate.
The knife came down in one swift motion.
Jessica’s scream tore through the room as her pinky finger hit the floor.
“Still lying?” Ethan wiped the blade clean on her dress. “The casino didn’t take that much.
Your brother stole the rest.
“Try that again,” he said softly, “and I’ll take more than a finger.”
Jessica fainted.
Ethan had a bucket of ice water brought in and dumped it over her head.
She came to with a gasp, shaking violently, her pleas coming out in broken sobs.
“Ethan, I swear! He lost everything! Just spare him–I’ll disappear! You’ll never see me again!”
Ethan didn’t respond. He simply motioned to his men.
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Two hulking bodyguards stepped forward, dragging Jessica into a soundproofed side room.
When they brought her back out, she could barely stand.
Ethan nudged her with his foot, his voice cold.
“You know what comes next. Last chance–talk, or we continue.”
Jessica bit her lip until it bled, tears splashing onto the carpet.
“Ethan…I just finished postpartum recovery…my body hasn’t healed…please…”
Ethan turned away.
What followed was… methodical.
Ethan’s men took turns with her in that soundproofed room. When they finally dragged him in
to see the results, Jessica could barely lift her head from the bloodstained carpet.
“Still nothing to say?”
Jessica whimpered, “…he…has nothing left…”
So Ethan brought in the baby.
Jessica’s shriek when his hand closed around the infant’s throat could have shattered glass.
“That’s…your child…how could you—”
“Make your choice, Jessica.”
She broke.
Gave up her brother’s location–a hideout in Mexico.
Turned out the little weasel wasn’t hiding in poverty.
He was in a luxury villa surrounded by escorts, dripping in enough gold chains to buy a small
town.
Ethan only recovered a third of the stolen millions.
Which explained why he showed up at my door with roses and that pathetic apology card I’d
Chapter 8
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made him years ago.
Five years together, and he’d bought me flowers maybe twice.
Now suddenly he’s some romantic lead?
“Emily,” he pleaded, holding out theater tickets, “just give me a chance to talk—”
I laughed. “You’re capable of love, Ethan. You just never loved me.”
When the puppy–dog eyes didn’t work, he dropped to his knees.
“Emily, I’ll make it up to you, I swear
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The roses hit his face with a satisfying thwack.
“Get out.
My grip on the doorframe turned my knuckles white.
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
Chapter 8
