Chapter 53
No.1
The electronic keypad on the outer door beeped loudly.Beep.Beep. Beep. Allena was punching in the entry code.
August's brain completely short-circuited.
If Allena walked into the master bedroom and saw his legally wedded wife standing there in nothing but a wet towel, the resulting hysterical meltdown would be catastrophic. Allena would scream, she would cry,she would likely destroy the room.
He spun around. He lunged at Elisa, his large hand shooting out to grab her bare upper arm. His grip was brutal, his thick fingers digging painfully into her flesh.
"Get in the closet," August hissed. His voice was a frantic, desperate command. "Get in the walk-in closet right now and do not make a sound."
Elisa looked down at his hand gripping her arm.
A wave of revulsion so intense it felt like physical
No.2
+120 Points at most
sickness washed over her. He was asking her-his wife-to hide like a cheap, dirty secret in a dark closet so his mistress wouldn't get her feelings hurt.
Elisa didn't pull away. She violently ripped her arm out of his grasp with a sharp, upward twist of her shoulder.
She took a step back, her black eyes locking onto his panicked face. The air around her dropped ten degrees.
"Are you having a psychotic break?" Elisa asked, her voice a low, lethal hum. "This is my room. The only person hiding like a rat today is you."
Beep. Beep. Two more numbers entered on the keypad outside.
August's eyes widened. The veins in his neck bulged.He took another step toward her, raising his hands,fully intending to physically shove her into the massive closet.
No.3
Elisa didn't retreat. Her eyes darted to the heavy marble nightstand beside the bed.
She reached out and grabbed the base of the
massive, solid crystal bedside lamp. Her fingers wrapped tightly around the cold, heavy brass neck.She ripped the plug out of the wall with a sharp yank.
She lifted the heavy crystal weapon, holding it like a baseball bat, aiming the heavy glass base directly at August's temple.
Her eyes were completely devoid of humanity. It was the look of a cornered predator ready to kill.
"Take one more step," Elisa whispered, pronouncing every syllable with terrifying clarity. "Touch me,and l will shatter this against your skull. I will open that door with your blood covering my hands, and I will tell her exactly what you tried to do."
August froze.
No.4
He looked at the heavy crystal. He looked at the absolute, dead certainty in her black eyes. He knew,with chilling clarity, that she was not bluffing. She would crack his skull open without a second thought.
Click. The final number was entered. The heavy electronic deadbolt on the front door slid open.
August's survival instinct finally overrode his ego.
He made a sound of pure, humiliated frustration. He spun around, snatched his suit jacket off the sofa,and sprinted out of the master bedroom like a thief caught in the act.
Elisa stood perfectly still, the heavy lamp still raised.
Out in the living room, the front door swung open.
"August?" Allena's voice echoed, followed by the clacking of her heels.
No.5
August intercepted her perfectly in the center of the living room, his broad shoulders completely blocking her line of sight to the master bedroom hallway.
"Allena," August said. His voice was breathless, a thin layer of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing a stiff smile."|was just... I was just coming down to find you."
"You look sweaty," Allena pouted, reaching up to touch his face. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Let's go down to the bar. Now," August insisted, practically shoving her backward toward the open front door.
Inside the bedroom, Elisa slowly lowered the crystal
lamp. She placed it back on the nightstand.
She wvalked over to the heavy oak door of the master bedroom. She didn't close it quietly. She slammed it shut with a loud, echoing bang.
No.6
She reached up and twisted the heavy brass thumb-turn of the internal deadbolt.
Clack.
The sound of the lock engaging was loud and sharp.It echoed out into the living room.
August's spine went completely rigid. He heard the lock. He knew exactly what it meant. She had physically and symbolically locked him out of his own territory.
"What was that?" Allena asked, trying to peer around his massive chest. "Is someone in there?"
"No," August lied smoothly, his heart hammering against his ribs. He grabbed Allena's arm and pulled her out into the hallway. "It's just the automatic climate control vents. Let's go."
The heavy front door of the penthouse slammed shut, sealing the silence.
No.7
Elisa leaned her forehead against the cool wood of the bedroom door. She closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath, forcing the adrenaline out of her bloodstream.
The sheer absurdity of the situation made her stomach turn. He was a billionaire CEO,yet he was reduced to a sweating, panicking clown the moment his mistress threatened to throw a tantrum.
Elisa walked over to the minibar. She poured a glass of ice water and drank it in one long gulp. The freezing liquid shocked her system back to baseline.
She walked into the walk-in closet. She dropped the white towel to the floor.
She pulled on the crisp white shirt and the deep space-grey suit jacket. She adjusted the lapels.4
She looked at herself in the full-length mnirror. There was no trace of the vulnerable wife left.
Elisa picked up her phone and walked out of the suite. It was time to go downstairs and take back what belonged to her.