Record. Freaking. Skip.
A vein in Preston’s neck bulges. “It’s who?”
He was right. There is a common denominator here, but it’s not Juan.
It’s my job.
Clutching my stomach, I hop off the stool.
I knew Jess and Jared were snakes. They made that clear with what they did to me in Vegas and by forcing me to sign that NDA, but I didn’t think they’d go as far as to try and off me.
Although, I did threaten to start World War three if Jess fired me…so there’s that.
“Start talking,” Preston barks.
“I can’t.” I hate how weak my voice sounds, but I’m so screwed. It’s bad enough they manipulated me into silence. Now they’re trying to wipe me off the face of the earth just to ensure it. “It’s…I…”
“Look at me.” When I do, he utters, “You can tell me anything.”
He’s right. He’s my husband.
My Preston.
Not to mention, he already knows what they did to me because I told him before I ever signed the NDA.
“Do you remember why I ended up in your motel room that night in Vegas?”
The tendons in his neck coil. “Yeah, because your boss is a conniving bitch who gave you drugs and then took advantage of you.”
I peer down at my bloody knee because I’m too embarrassed to look him in the eyes when I say this.
“Yes. But what you don’t know is…Jess and Jared had me sign an NDA afterward.”
God, I seriously regret not ripping up the paper and walking out of that office with my middle finger in the air.
“Why the hell would you ever agree to sign that?”
His harsh, critical tone makes me flinch. “Because I’m a fucking idiot, okay?” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Jess made it sound like it was all just a misunderstanding and I was being dramatic. She said they didn’t force me to do anything and me claiming to be a victim would be insulting to all the women who have been raped.” I wring my hands. “As much as I hate to admit it, she’s right. I was able to walk out of that hotel room in one piece. So, when she suggested we all put this behind us and told me I would keep my job if I signed…I agreed.”
A trail of tension rides down his jaw as he clenches his hands and begins pacing. “That’s fucking bullshit.” Suddenly, he stops moving. “A nondisclosure agreement can’t be enforced when it’s used to conceal a crime.”
Before I can process what he’s saying, he storms out of the house.
I quickly hobble behind him. “Where are you going?”
I can practically see smoke coming out of his ears as he stalks out to my car.
Snarling, he yanks my driver’s side door open and gets inside.
Juan, who’s sitting in the passenger seat, flutters his fingers in a dainty wave. “Hello.”
I barely have time to scramble into the back seat before Preston’s peeling out of the driveway. “What are you doing?”
Preston remains silent the entire car ride.
I tug on Preston’s sleeve when he marches through the doors of Pretty Kitties. “Don’t do this.”
I get that he’s mad. I am too. However, these are dangerous people so I don’t think confronting them in person is the best way to fight back.
Thankfully, the office is empty when he barges inside.
This doesn’t deter Preston, though because he wanders down the hall and starts opening doors. Dang it.
“Let’s call the police and let them handle this.”
I might as well be talking to a wall, because he kicks open an office door.
I’m relieved that it too is unoccupied.
“Where are they?” Preston trudges down the hallway like he’s on a SEAL team mission, leaving no room or cubicle unchecked. “Where the fuck are they?”
Juan fans himself. “Goodness, he’s sexy.”
I’m about to tell him that this is so not the right time to ogle my unhinged husband, but Preston reaches the end of the hall and swings open the double doors of the conference room.
A conference room that’s flooded with employees.
Everyone turns to us, no doubt wondering why a madman is disrupting their staff meeting.
Juan points to Jess who’s standing at the head of the long table. “There she is.” He then points to Jared who’s in the seat next to her. “And there he is.”
Freaking Juan. “Jesus, Juan.”
Smoothing his suit jacket, Jared stands up. “Can I help you?”
Faster than a speeding bullet, Preston marches over and punches Jared in the face so hard he stumbles back several feet. “You worthless piece of fucking shit.”
Everyone gasps, including me. “Preston.”
Outraged, Jess swivels her gaze my way. “You know him?”
“He’s her husband,” Juan unhelpfully declares.
Freaking Juan.
She blinks, clearly taken aback by this news. “Husband?”
Moaning, Jared places his hand over his swollen eye. “Someone call the police.”
“Good idea.” Preston glares daggers at both of them. “This way I can tell them you’re fucking predators who drug and assault their employees before trying to kill them.”
Jared opens his mouth to speak, but Preston wraps a hand around his throat. His grip is so tight Jared’s turning purple. “I’m gonna make sure you never touch her again, you sick son of a bitch.”
Oh, no.
“Let him go,” I plead.
Not because I don’t think Jared deserves it, but because I don’t want to see Preston in a jail cell for murder.
Jumping into action, I try prying his fingers from his throat, but his hold is airtight. Literally.
“Please stop. Please.” Dread coils my insides with every passing second. “For me.”
When that doesn’t work, I do the only thing I can think of.
The one thing that might snap him out of his violent haze and get through to him.
Clutching my stomach, I let out a desperate, agonizing wail. “Stop hurting me!”
Preston spins around, releasing his hold, and Jared slumps down the wall, sucking in air.
Alarmed, Preston looks me over, checking for signs of injury. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not.” Palming his cheeks, I hold his gaze. “I know you’re angry, but I need you to calm the fuck down before you do something that will make me lose you for the next twenty-five years.” I place my hand over his heart. It’s pumping so fast it feels like it’s beating right out of his chest. “Don’t do that to me.”
Because I won’t survive.
Jess approaches Preston like one would approach a ticking bomb. “Look, I don’t know what you think happened, but we did nothing—”
“Nothing?” Preston turns his lethal stare on her. “Is that why you made her sign an NDA?”
“An NDA she clearly violated,” Jared mutters from his place on the floor.
Preston’s boot goes sailing into his stomach. “Motherfucker, do you want me to kill you?”
“Preston,” I hiss. “Enough.”
Jess rubs her temples. “Okay, it’s clear this is all one big misunderstanding. Let’s go to my office so we can talk.”