Anton (Chicago Blaze 1)

“Good for you.”

My throat tightens with emotion. Whether he knows it’s me or not, my grandpa’s approval means everything. He dropped out of high school, and on my graduation day, he and my grandma hosted a party and invited the entire neighborhood.

“Our Mia’s a smart girl,” he bragged to anyone who would listen. “She’s gonna be the next Oprah, just you wait and see.”

I dropped out of college to marry Adam, the hockey player who swept me off my feet. Why finish when I’d be spending my life with a rich husband, I thought. My days would be spent cheering him on and raising our future children.

How wrong I was. And I can’t put any of the blame for that bad decision on him—it was all me.

Millie is in her usual chair in the library, in front of the big picture window where bird and squirrel feeders can be seen. Once my grandpa sees her, he loses all interest in me.

I love seeing him so happy. I just hang out with Grandpa and Millie for a couple hours, the two of them hardly noticing me. Still, it feels good to just be with him. To see with my own eyes that he’s being cared for so well.

“I’m going to head home,” I finally say, stretching as I stand up. “Thanks for spending time with me.”

“Of course, dear,” Millie says warmly.

“What’s your name again?” Grandpa asks me.

“It’s Mia.”

“Mia. Come see us again sometime, okay?”

“I will.”

I want to hug him, but he turns back to Millie, so I put my bag over my shoulder and walk to his room, where I left my coat. I’m passing the nurses’ station when Susan calls my name.

“Hey, sorry,” she says sheepishly. “The billing department asked me to pass this on to you.”

“Thanks.” I take the envelope and meet her eyes across the desk.

We both know what it is. It’s a late notice for my grandpa’s bill, and it’s not the first one I’ve gotten in the past eight months. I sigh inwardly.

“He’s doing well here,” Susan says softly.

“You guys do a great job. I’m grateful.”

I can tell she wants to say more, but she just smiles. How do you say what she’s obviously thinking?

Sorry this place costs fifteen grand a month, but at least he’s getting good care.

Before, it wasn’t an issue. But now…

I button my coat and sit down on a bench outside the main entrance, tears filling my eyes as I take out my phone. I’m filled with dread as I pull up the contact for the last person on Earth I want to call.

But what’s stronger—my contempt for Adam or my love for my grandpa?

I push the button to make the call.

“Hey,” Adam answers. “You ready to come crawling back?”

I close my eyes, my tears now falling onto my cheeks. My voice stays steady, though. I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing I’m crying.

“My grandpa’s bill is due.”

“Better find a corner to work, whore.”

He’s been a dick to me for a long time, but still, it hurts every time.

“Adam, will you please give me a divorce? Neither of us wants to be in this marriage anymore.”

“I never said that. You’re the one who left.”

I shake my head. “How could you still want to be married to me? It wasn’t good.”

“My offer stands. I’ll give you a divorce if you agree that you get nothing. I’m not giving you a dime, bitch.”

“I only want enough to pay for my grandpa’s care. That’s it. You know I could get more.”

“Go for it, then.”

His tone is smug, because he’s got me right where he wants me, like he has for the past eight months. He froze all our bank accounts when he found out I was leaving him, and opened new ones in his name only. If I file for divorce, which I can’t afford because attorneys are so expensive, I can get what’s coming to me, but it’ll take months, maybe longer, for things to get settled. And in that time, my grandpa will lose his spot at Goodman House.

“I need to pay this bill,” I say, feeling defeated.

“You know what to do. Earn it like the whore you are. I’ve got a check waiting—you just need to come blow me for it.”

My stomach turns. I hate Adam. I hate what I’ve become because of him even more. I was so stupid, so completely blind. I thought his possessiveness when we were dating was sweet. I thought it was love. A big, strong alpha wanting to make me his forever.

Now I know, though. He’s a control freak who gets off on making me beg and demean myself to pay for my grandpa’s care. He can’t control me anymore if we get divorced.

“I’ll do anything else, Adam.” I can’t help the shaking of my voice as I speak. “I’ll clean your house, cook for you…”