The Glass Slipper (Cinderella 3)

“What was in the safe that you wanted?”

“Documents I needed.” He sneers. “He had to have found out what I’d done. I wanted in his home safe to get them. I’d searched everywhere I could. His office has cameras, so I couldn’t try and get into that safe, but the one at his house is where he keeps his important shit. That was my money and he wasn’t supposed to notice.”

“Your money? Because you couldn’t earn it yourself, you had to steal his,” I throw back.

“Because my last name isn’t Constantine, goddammit! That’s the only thing he has on me—the only thing he’s ever had on me! His motherfucking last name!”

“Delusional!” I hiss out. “He has everything on you! Smarter, sexier, better dressed, richer, better taste in women! You’re nothing compared to him. You’ll never be him which is why Meredith never left Duncan for you.”

He releases my wrist to strike my face. The pain is so severe I choke out a sob, wincing at the overwhelming throbbing that’s rattling the bones in my skull. Hot tears leak out as I use my free hand to protect myself from more hits.

“What are you going to do to me?” I whimper. “Winston won’t let you get away with this.”

“Why? Because you think he loves you?” Nate taunts. “Who’s delusional now? You’re an expensive fuck toy.” He paws at my breast. “Maybe I should see why he’s so goddamned interested in you. Is it these perky young tits?” His hand slides between us. “Or maybe it’s this pussy.”

I call his bluff and spit bloody saliva in his face. “You wouldn’t dare. You love her too much.”

His wild eyes flare at the challenge of my words. “You think you know everything, don’t you?”

“I know you’re risking everything for your love for her.”

His features deaden as he yanks at the button of his jeans. “Maybe this has nothing to do with love and everything to do with hate. If I hurt you, it’ll hurt him.” He drags down the zipper. “It’s retribution for everything he’s done. It’s payback for being Winston motherfucking Constantine.”

I scream until it earns me another brutal hit to the face and everything goes black.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Winston

My phone buzzes in my pocket as Meredith tries to pull herself together. I ignore her sobs to grab my phone. Keaton must have finished his text earlier. I read that one first.

Keaton: Dude, where are you? Some shit is going down. Nate is fucking you over. Call me. Some conspiracy shit with your ex and the triplets’ mom too.

Then, there are about fifteen missed calls from Perry. I read the text he’s also left.

Perry: Ash took off in the Bugatti. She was worried about you. Did she make it to the office?

Me: No. Find out where my car is. Let me know when you find her.

I text Xavier next.

Me: Get up to the office. I might need you to escort Meredith out.

“Hello?”

Looking up from my phone, I see Meredith’s features go from annoyed to shocked to panicked in the span of a few seconds.

“Nate, slow down. You’re not making any sense.” A pause. “You have her? Why?”

I stalk up to Meredith and she cowers under my murderous glare.

“Ash?”

She nods, more tears spilling. “Winston—”

Yanking the phone from her hand, I start snarling threats to Nate but he’s no longer on the line. I throw Meredith’s phone back at her and then trot over to my safe on the wall.

“Where is he?” I demand as I start to input the combination. “Fucking spit it out.”

“He…He’s at his place. Oh God. Nate’s losing it. Oh God.”

I fling open my safe, pull out a loaded Glock, and then slam the safe shut. After chambering a bullet, I snap at her. “Walk. You better hope to fucking God she’s okay.”

She nods rapidly and starts for the door. “I’m sorry—”

“Why does he have Ash? Why is he so fucking obsessed with her? Tell me, goddammit!”

Meredith squeaks at my bellowed words that echo in the lobby of our floor. “I-I don’t know.”

“Liar. Talk and move faster,” I bark out, taking off into a sprint toward the elevators. “Don’t leave out anything. So help me, Meredith, if you dick me around right now, I will ruin you in any and all ways that I can.”

I text Xavier once I reach the elevators and have pushed the button.

Me: 16th floor. Ash may be in trouble. Nate has her.

“He keeps saying she’s ruining everything,” Meredith says, breathless as she comes to a stop beside me as I wait for the elevator to reach this floor. “He thinks everything started going to hell when she came into the picture. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. She was never supposed to date you.”

The elevator doors open and I step inside. I mash the sixteenth-floor button and glower at Meredith.