Fifty six

Dave's POV

I sat in the dim light of my penthouse, staring out at the sprawling city below. It was supposed to be my wedding night. Instead of being with Belle, I was drowning myself in the second bottle of whiskey that I could barely tell what color the liquid was. The wine burned as it slid down my throat, but it did nothing to quell the fury boiling inside me.

A few hours ago, I was supposed to become a husband, but now, I was sitting here alone, humiliated, insulted, and trampled upon by that bastard, Zane Caruso. Belle had run away, and somehow, Zane knew more than he let on. It didn’t add up. He wasn’t just helping her run—he seemed like he was involved in something deeper. I could feel it.

I poured another glass and sat back, trying to piece everything together. Zane’s arrogance, his threats... Did he really know about Belle’s patient? The thought gnawed at me, making my skin crawl. If Zane knew, then he had leverage, and leverage was something I couldn’t afford him to have.

J