You can’t have her!” 14: She’s mine!
You can’t have her!” He didn’t make it three steps.
Marco appeared from nowhere, catching Simon by the throat, lifting him off his feet.
“Put me down!
I’ll call the cops!
I’ll….” “You’ll what?” Dimitri moved closer, and even Eve could see the rage simmering beneath his calm exterior.
“You’ll tell the police you broke into your estranged wife’s apartment?
That you’re drunk and belligerent?
That you cheated on her repeatedly and now you’re harassing her?” Simon struggled in Marco’s grip, his face turning red.
“She’s mine!
You can’t have her!” “Wrong.
She was never yours.
And now….” Dimitri leaned in, his voice dropping to something cold enough to freeze blood “….she’s mine.
You come near her again, you call her, you so much as think about her, and I will end you.
Do you understand?” “Fuck you!” Dimitri nodded to Marco, who tightened his grip until Simon made a choking sound.
“Let me clarify,” Dimitri said.
“When I say ‘end you,’ I don’t mean legally.
I don’t mean financially.
I mean you will disappear.
Your body will never be found.
Your name will be erased from every record.
It will be as if Simon Ward never existed.
And no one….not your parents, not your friends, not the police….will ever find out what happened to you.” The absolute certainty in his voice made Eve’s knees weak.
This was The Devil.
This was the man whose reputation made grown men weep.
And he was promising to murder her husband.
Ex-husband.
Soon-to-be ex-husband.
“Now,” Dimitri continued, “are you going to sign the divorce papers?” Simon, still dangling from Marco’s hand, managed to nod.
“Good.” Dimitri stepped back.
“Marco, escort Mr.
Ward out.
Make sure he understands that this is his only warning.” Marco dragged Simon to the door, threw him into the hallway with enough force that he crashed into the opposite wall, and closed the door with a decisive click.
Silence filled the apartment.
Dimitri turned to face Eve, and she saw it…the barely controlled fury, the possessive rage, the violence he’d been holding back.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice tight.
“No.
I’m fine.” “Did he touch you?” “No.” “Good.” He moved toward her, backing her up against the bedroom doorframe.
“Because if he had, I would have killed him right here in front of you.” “Dimitri….” “You’re mine, Eve.
Mine.
And I protect what’s mine.” His hands framed her face, forcing her to meet his eyes.
“No one threatens you.
No one hurts you.
No one even fucking looks at you wrong without answering to me.” She should be terrified.
Should be horrified by what she’d just witnessed.
But all she felt was heat.
Want.
Need.
“Finish packing,” he said roughly.
“We’re leaving.
Now.” She nodded, unable to speak, and went back to throwing clothes into her suitcase with shaking hands.
Behind her, she heard Dimitri on the phone: “I need divorce papers drawn up.
Eve Thorne and Simon Ward.
No-fault, expedited.
I want them served today.” A pause.
“I don’t care what it costs.
Get it done.” Another pause.
“And put a detail on Ward.
I want to know where he is every second of every day.
If he comes within a hundred yards of Eve, I want to know immediately.” He was serious.
Completely, utterly serious about protecting her.
From Simon.
From the world.
From everything.
She finished packing in a daze, zipped the suitcase, and turned to find Dimitri watching her from the doorway.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” “Good.” He took the suitcase from her hands.
“Because we’re not coming back here.
This part of your life is over.
You’re mine now.
And I’m going to spend the rest of the day making sure you never forget it.” The promise in his voice made her shiver.
And as they left her apartment….Marco carrying her boxes, Dimitri’s hand possessive on her lower back…Eve realized with absolute, terrifying clarity: There was no going back.
She’d crossed the threshold.
And Dimitri Valentino was going to make sure she never wanted to.