This Cruel Love

“It’s not my fault you fucked everything up by sticking your dick into every girl who looked your way. I should thank them, really. I had a lucky escape.”

“Can we not do this right now? I wanted to clear the air, not reignite World War III. How are you, Rye?” he asked, his cheeks flushing red as he spotted Chloe coming up behind me. “I asked you to come here because Liam is at his family estate in the country. I thought it was just gonna be us today?”

I stopped in front of him and folded my arms. “You have five minutes to say what you need to say, then we’re leaving.”

I didn’t bother introducing him to Chloe, what was the point? He wasn’t going to be in my life after today. Introductions were pointless.

“You’d better come in then.” He gestured inside the apartment, but didn’t move from the doorway, making both me and Chloe have to squeeze past him as we entered the stuffy hallway.

The place was in desperate need of fresh air; it was overbearingly musty and stale. The tiny windows that were typical for the top floor of these buildings had probably been closed for days, weeks even. As I walked into the main living area, I could see clouds of dust, swirling and dancing in the air as we disturbed the peace of the apartment.

“So, what’s this about, Justin?”

I heard him clunk the heavy door shut, and then numerous dead bolts and chains were being locked into place. I didn’t think anything of it, seeing as Justin’s anxiety had resurfaced. I just figured he was being extra cautious and needlessly jumpy. That was until another voice spoke out, causing the stifling air to freeze, along with the blood in my veins.

“Nice to see you again, Ryley. Been a stressful day, has it?”

I turned to face the deep, gravelly voice, to find Ed standing on the other side of the living room, a look of evil satisfaction on his pock-marked face.

He prowled towards me with a pair of handcuffs and a handkerchief dangling from his hands, and before I knew what was happening, he proceeded to grab me with his coarse, bony fingers, and force my hands behi

nd my back. He clamped the cuffs down hard onto my wrists, making me wince at the tight pinch they caused.

“Are you gonna be a good girl and stay quiet for me? Or do I need to gag you too?”

I shook my head as he reached behind him to pull out a handgun, then tucked it back into his jeans. Another incentive for me to stay quiet, no doubt.

“What the hell is this? Justin?” I balled my hands into fists and tugged at the constraints regardless of the pain. Then turned to face Justin, just as he and Chloe entered the room. He didn’t have time to reply, Ed beat him to it.

“What the fuck, rat? I give you one job, one fucking job… to bring her here, and you can’t even do that right.”

He stalked over to where Justin was standing and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, throwing him against the wall and pinning him there before pointing over to Chloe.

“Do you have any fucking idea who she is? Do you? I don’t need Luca fucking Marquez on my case, and after this stunt you’ve pulled we’ll all be swimming at the bottom of the Thames tonight. You’re a useless asshole.”

Justin was spluttering and gasping for air, clawing at his throat as his eyes bugged out of his head.

“I thought she was coming on her own. I had no fucking clue she was bringing back up. It’s not my fault.”

Ed ripped his hand away from Justin’s neck, and Justin fell to his knees, rubbing his throat as he coughed and wheezed.

“Of course it’s your fault. Still, I should’ve expected you’d fuck up somewhere along the line. They don’t call you the gutter rat for no reason. You’re bloody useless.”

Justin reached behind him and pulled out a handgun, pointing it at Chloe and turning to face Ed.

“She won’t say a word, she’s a smart girl.” He looked over at Chloe now. “You won’t talk, will you?”

“She’s smart alright, but you’re not. You think holding a gun in Luca Marquez’s wife’s face is a good idea? You’re a liability, Wright. You need exterminating like the vermin you’ve always been.”

I jumped as a gunshot went off, stumbling backwards, hitting the sofa, and falling onto it as I did. As quick as lightning, Ed had whipped out his gun and shot Justin in the side of the head. I whimpered as I watched the man I’d spent seven years of my life with slump forward, with half of his head torn off and plastered all over the wall and floors. Blood poured out onto the cream rug beneath his body like spilt red wine. Ed just stepped over Justin like he was nothing, and grinned down into Chloe’s face.

“Now you can tell your husband that Ed Morris killed the man who put a gun in your face. See? All sorted. No need to get mad now, is there?”

This man was certifiably insane. I had to get us out of there, but I had no idea how.

Chloe didn’t look fazed at all, and just smiled sweetly back at him.

“It’s not my husband you need to be scared of, it’s me.”