rang. The caller ID was a number I didn'

" a sharp, fem

Ye

we had a little chat. Meet me at the cafe

meet me? After a moment of panic, a cold calm settled over me. Fine. Let

t a corner table, looking flawless in a white pantsuit. She loo

eeping," she said, not bothering with a greeting. "I h

my lap. I refused to let her

, Emily?" I asked

temporary distraction, a toy he played with when he was bored. But playtime is over. Tonight, at your little party, everyo

now, they were just noise. The truth she didn' t know was that I was already broken

ight," I s

rprised by my agr

n the eye. "Michael does love you. He' s obsessed wi

ned. "Good. As long

ctioning me off tonight to humiliate me for you. I understand he' s planning a 'fire scare' to entertain you by

of cool superiority shattered, replaced by pure

m done. You can have him. You can have the money, the parties, the whole sick worl

nails dug into my arm, her face twisted in a snarl. "You' re not goi

ed in the quiet cafe. My head snapped to the side, my

who had been sitting at a nearby table suddenly sto

g?" I cried, strug

ng as she watched me struggle. "He was worried you might try to run. Looks like he was right. Take

eless. They were too strong. "Let me go!" I screamed, but no one moved to

ainst my ribs. I was a prisoner. Michael and Emily weren't just going to humiliate me. They were going to hold me capt