“None of that would’ve happened if it weren’t for you. We both know it.”
“Doesn’t matter. Let. It. Go.”
A slight smile escaped into his lips, even though nothing about this was funny. “This only ends one way. I’m gonna kill you. I want to do it. So that works out for me, but that’s not the best outcome for you. If you step aside, I’ll grant you mercy. I’ll let you walk.”
“Even if I agree to that, what’s the point? Annabella doesn’t want to be with you. She’s divorced you twice because she doesn’t want to be with you. Your plan to take her away and lock her up until she falls in love with you is a stupid one.”
“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing?”
I let the insult simmer in my blood but didn’t give in to it. “She can’t be a prisoner if she wants to be there. And trust me, she wants to be there.”
Both of his hands tightened into fists at my response. The skin stretched so far that his knuckles turned white. He twisted his head slightly to the side, needing to pull his gaze off of my face so his rage wouldn’t explode. When he had the calmness to look at me again, he turned back to me. “Then fight me. Winner gets to live.”
There was nothing I wanted more. I wanted to beat this man to death with my bare fists. While I was happy that Liam had fucked up so I could have Annabella, I was also pissed that he’d hurt her at all. I wanted to get rid of him for good, but I also wanted to punish him. “There’s nothing I want more. But Annabella doesn’t want me to kill you, and I actually care about the way she feels—unlike you.”
“You can come at me hard in the ring, face-to-face. Or I’m gonna come at you hard in every way possible. I’ve given you the opportunity to fight me like a man. But if you are too much of a pussy, that’s fine.” He rose out of the chair and gave me one more glare before he turned to the doorway. His heavy footsteps landed against the hardwood floor until he made it to the door. He turned back around and looked at me before he walked out. “Your sister has a stronger backbone than you.”
The mention of my sister quickened my pulse, made me see the world with a distinct shade of red. “She gets that from me.”
When the meeting was over, the men filed out and disappeared down the hallway. Hades closed his laptop and placed his papers in the folder before he turned to me. “That was easier than I thought it would be.”
I didn’t rise from my chair. Truth be told, I hadn’t paid much attention to the meeting. Even when I broke down the exchange rate for the bonds, I wasn’t really aware of what I was saying. My mind was stuck on the conversation I’d had in my office just minutes before.
When Hades picked up on my sour mood, he set his things down and stared at me. “What am I missing?”
My eyes slowly turned to him. “Liam stopped by my office right before this meeting.”
Hades was still as he heard what I said. His body always became more rigid when he was invested in my words. His muscles instinctively contracted in preparation for war. Once he finished digesting what I’d said, his hands slid into his pockets. “And how did that go?”
“He told me I can fight him in the ring, or he’ll make my life miserable. Basically.”
He sighed in irritation. “Just kill the motherfucker. Who gives a shit how Anna feels about it? The fact that this is still going on is absolutely stupid. You take your gun, point it at the back of his head, and pull the trigger. That simple.”
“You know I can’t.”
Both of his hands flattened on the table as he leaned forward. “Tell her to get over it.”
“She was married to the guy. I hate this asshole too, but her feelings are understandable.”
“Not when he’s trying to kill you.” He stepped back and threw his arms in the air. “Who’s she sleeping with? You or him? He’s her past, and you’re her present. It’s time she showed some goddamn loyalty to the right man. The fucker is trying to kill you. Literally.”
“She’ll get there. She just needs time…”
“Well, hopefully she doesn’t take too much time. Because you might be dead any day.” He grabbed his stuff off the desk, prepared to walk out, his nostrils flared and his shoulders stiff. He used to be patient, but now he was livid about the situation. “You know I like Anna. But I like you a hell of a lot more. And if something happens to you because she can’t get her shit together, I’ll lose it.”