Share

What's in Denver?

Author: Eve Peters
last update Last Updated: 2022-11-18 00:54:29

Sophia

“What is it with you strangling me every time you see me? Is that a fetish or something?” I squeaked; every word I uttered felt like sandpaper on my constricted throat, causing tears to blur my vision, but I didn’t back off.

Not this time.

I watched him straight in the eyes, and I didn’t waver. No matter the rage and hate that blazed in his grey, stormy eyes, I held his gaze with all the courage I could muster, and it angered him even more.

He shoved me inside and advanced after me, and as soon as he crossed the threshold, Kieran slammed the door behind us and forced me further in until we reached the living room, which was just a few steps, really, but now it seemed to be a hundred-mile-long journey.

“What do you want?” I spat, whispering.

Kieran’s nostrils flared, his jaw clenched, and I was sure he was holding himself back from snapping my neck. I wasn’t afraid of dying, though. At least it would serve a good purpose. Kieran would go to prison, and Ellie and her baby would be safe. My life wasn’t valuable, anyway. That’s why I never lifted a finger to fight him off. I didn’t even wiggle. I just kept staring into his flaming pools of darkness.

“I told you to break them up!” he hissed.

“And I told you I had no intention of… doing such a thing… you sick…” I failed to say anything else as the darkness overpowered me.

I fell over the edge of the abyss, but I never touched the bottom of the pit. Kieran’s hand around my neck loosened and my knees gave up. The hardwood floor greeted me, and its life refreshing coldness made a searing pain spread from my kneecaps throughout my entire body.

My shrunken lungs burned, demanding air, and I started coughing like crazy, trying to catch my breath.

Minutes passed, maybe hours, before my heart stopped pumping frantically. My brain was too foggy, and my ears were ringing from the rush of blood to my head. I crouched, my palms pressed against the floor, supporting my weight.

I hated him so much that I could burn in that hate’s eternal fire.

I almost died. I fucking almost died!

I didn’t know where he was, whether he was still in my apartment or if he had already left. I didn’t know what he wanted, why he came here in the first place, or why he left me alive when the last thing I recognized in his eyes was death.

I let myself fall on the smooth parquet because I couldn’t keep myself upright any longer, and slowly, with a lot of effort, I turned and laid on my back. That position suited my lungs, and as my body recovered from the shock of almost dying, I had the strangest thought stuck in my head...

All those people talking about near-death experiences and how they saw the light at the end of the tunnel, familiar faces calling out to them… well, I saw nothing of sorts. I just felt peace. I wasn’t scared at all. All that surrounded me was an endless ocean of peace that I was ready to dive into and accept what it was promising.

My still ringing ears picked up some murmuring, but it was easy to ignore. I didn’t care.

“Hey! Do you hear me?” It was clear now, and I recognized the angry voice immediately. I could never mistake that hatred-laced grunt for anyone else.

“Where are you going?” I heard Kieran ask.

I didn’t know what he was referring to. I could get nowhere in the state I was in.

But later, when I recover a bit… a few more moments…

“To the police,” I got no answer. “I’ll charge you with attempted murder.” With every passing second, my mind cleared up, and I realized what I had to do.

I gathered all my strength and rose into a sitting position before I slowly rolled onto my knees and, holding myself against the back of the couch, straightened and arose to my still wobbly feet.

Kieran’s dark chuckle surprised me.

“I asked where you’re going?” He sounded even more impatient.

“And I already told you! To the police!” But first, I had to get some water to soothe my burning throat.

I headed towards the kitchen, supporting myself against the wall, and with each step, my strength returned as anger built up in me.

Getting a glass would be too much trouble, so I bent and gulped straight from the tap. I gulped, and the cold liquid that slid down my throat brought the relief I was desperately looking for. I drank more and more, letting the water calm my body and nerves.

“What’s in Denver?” I was startled by this question, and my head involuntarily snapped towards him.

I had no idea what he was talking about. What’s in Denver? My facial expression must’ve been clear enough because Kieran scoffed and elaborated.

“It’s open in your search tab,” he shook his head, staring at me as if I were the dumbest person on the planet.

“Oh, that…” I turned around and leaned my lower back against the counter. I wanted him out of here. He was crowding my space, taking away my air more than his hand when it was wrapped around my throat.

But suddenly and unexpectedly, all my breaks failed simultaneously, and I couldn’t hold myself together any longer. I told him the truth that I had been itching to get out for too long now. I’ve been hiding it, and I couldn’t do it anymore.

Yes, I was well aware that Kieran King was the last person I should confide in on this planet, but there was no stopping; my mouth spoke as if it had its own will.

“I’m moving.”

“What?” his eyebrows furrowed. He didn’t expect an answer like that.

“You heard me. I couldn’t get a job here in the city, so I widened my search to the entire country. I will go wherever I find something.” A shadow ran over his face, but it was gone before I blinked, so I couldn’t be sure I saw it right… Because in that split second, I saw guilt in him, but I failed to understand why King would feel guilty about. Was he capable of such?

“You will leave your sister?”

“My sister is a grown woman. And I will always be there for her whenever she needs me. On top of that, she will be getting married soon. She won’t need me when she has her husband. He will protect her from you, and it will be a simple task when you’re locked up.”

“If you stayed, you wouldn’t have to work. I bet Philip wouldn’t mind taking care of his sister-in-law, and God knows he has enough money to support you for life….” Kieran’s jaw clenched in obvious displeasure, and I snapped back at him.

“You degenerated freak! I don’t care about your money! Get that through your thick skull already! I have survived for years without it, and I shall continue to do so. The only thing I care about is my sister’s happiness, and by some weird chance, it’s your brother that makes her happy, and you know what? She makes him happy, too.” I inhaled deeply and exhaled the breath that liberated my body from the stress.

“Why can’t you accept it and let them be happy with each other? Hah? I understand you deem my sister unworthy of your status and power, but stop being selfish and think about your brother’s happiness. Think about their child - your nephew.

She won’t bother you; she won’t step on your toes. Ellie is not that kind of person, and you’d realize that if you gave her a chance.” I pleaded. I wasn’t above it, not when my family was involved.

I didn’t know if something I said struck a chord or not, but the energy around Kieran changed drastically. Somehow, unexplainably, I didn’t feel threatened. What’s more, I felt peace. Once again, this man sent me into a state of nirvana, but he had no intention of killing me this time.

“Sophia…” he said my name for the first time, and the confusion he caused in me spiraled. The way it sounded when he said it, every syllable that rolled off his tongue.

“I...” but he never got the chance to finish his sentence. I would never know what he wanted to say at that moment.

The entrance door of our apartment opened and closed, and we both heard the characteristic giggling of the newly engaged couple just a second before we saw them. Philip and Ellie were evidently surprised by the sight they saw, and only then did I realize how close Kieran and I were.

“Brother? What are you doing here?” Philip asked, a devilish smirk adorning his face.

Oh, no!

Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App

Latest chapter

  • How it all began: Billionaire's forced wife   How it all ended

    This is how it all began It all began when a person I trusted betrayed me in the worst possible way, resulting in me losing my job. It all began when I got home early and stopped my sister from making the biggest mistake of her life. It all began with a slap. It all began with a hand wrapped around my neck. It all began one day in March when I met him. It all began when I met Kieran King. The man that changed my life completely. It all began with the hate I held for the man that blackmailed me into marriage. It all began with hate that slowly, without me noticing, turned into love… unconditional and undying love for the man that stormed into my life, turning it upside down. It all began with a past that caught on to me. It all began with the past that caught on to him. It all began with greed. It all began with obsession. This is how it all ended It all ended in danger. It all ended in fear. It all ended in justice. It all ended in chance. It all ended in love. It a

  • How it all began: Billionaire's forced wife   As a matter of fact, you have

    KieranTo say that the past three years of living with Sophia were not a bumpy ride would be a lie.To say that those three years were not the best years of my life would also be a lie. No, scratch that. It would be blasphemy. That was why I had no intention of uttering such atrocity.Sophia turned out to be a real angel in disguise, just as my instincts were telling me she would be from the moment we met. Though turning into a little devil was not unfamiliar to her, I came to love that naughty side of her. To say that we didn’t have the best start would be an understatement. And that was nobody’s fault but mine. At first, driven by the pure desire to prove Sophia was not what she seemed, I did the unimaginable; I hurt her both physically and mentally on more than one occasion. It was a borderline miracle that she found it in her heart to forgive my sins and never speak of them in any ill manner. Pretty soon, all my attempts to portray Sophia as the bad guy in our story flopped beca

  • How it all began: Billionaire's forced wife   Have I ever told you how much I love you?

    Sophia 4 months later To say that my life in the past couple of months was anything less than a fairytale would be a complete and notorious lie. That’s why I had no intention of uttering such blasphemy. Because it was exactly that – a life I never dared to imagine. Kieran was the most wonderful husband a woman could wish for; he was caring and gentle, loving and thoughtful, and he was all mine, unconditionally. Just as I was his. To say that I didn’t enjoy the pampering and all the attention Kieran showered me with would also be a lie. I absolutely loved it! I loved every cuddle and every kiss. I loved every breakfast in bed and every late-night snack hunt he went on for me. I loved how he knew my every thought as if he was reading my mind, and I loved how there were no more ominous storms in those beloved grey skies trapped in his eyes. To say that Kieran was a totally different man would be a lie, too. Yes, he was open with me, and I was sure he didn’t lie or hide things from

  • How it all began: Billionaire's forced wife   Home

    SophiaMuch to my dismay, I spent an entire week in the hospital, even though I felt better after a few days. I suspected Kieran had something to do with it since doctors were ready to release me to recover at home. But I didn’t mind it, as I perfectly understood why he did it. There wasn’t anything but pure worry about my well-being in his actions; he only wanted to be sure I was all right.After all the walls between us came tumbling down like they were made of sand, Kieran and I formed a connection on an entirely new level. There were no more secrets and half-truths, no more lies.My husband never left my side during the seven days I was bedridden. He hovered over my every breath and flinched at every sigh I failed to hide. Some other me, me before him, would’ve probably gone mad from all the fuss he was making, but I? I loved it! I enjoyed every second of it, and I didn’t want it to end.Was I ever scared that he would change back to the man he was when I met him? Cold and demandi

  • How it all began: Billionaire's forced wife   Confession

    SophiaWhen I woke up fairly rested, in pain and still not remembering how I ended up in the hospital, pregnant nonetheless, I demanded the answers Kieran owed me, but a more important thing came up. Doctors needed to check on the baby as soon as I was awake, and I had nothing against it. What’s more, I wanted to make sure she was OK.Yes, some inner voice whispered into my ear that it was a girl, and I believed it, while Kieran strongly protested, claiming he was sure it was a boy, though I could see a smile in his eyes that he tried to hide.Nurses rolled in the ultrasound machine, and a doctor I hadn’t seen before came in too. After a few quick questions I answered to the best of my knowledge, the nurse helped move the hospital gown up to reveal my belly. The gel they applied on my skin was unpleasantly cold, but Kieran’s hand that took hold of mine made my nervousness disappear as if it was never there, and all that was left was anticipation to see what the ultrasound would show.

  • How it all began: Billionaire's forced wife   On the same page

    Sophia“Kieran?”As I laid in bed, unable to get up properly, a thousand thoughts ran through my mind. What the hell was he thinking, standing there, watching me like a hawk? I hated that unreadable facial expression of his, the one he mastered to annoy me when I couldn’t figure out what was going on in that damn head of his.“Did you know about this?” My voice was a mere whisper, but the twitch of Kieran’s eye meant he understood me perfectly.Finally, he moved and came to sit beside me. “The doctors informed me earlier.”Then it hit me.Kieran couldn’t have kids! I could recall the day when he told me the truth to the last detail; every word spoken, every emotion they awoke. I knew how Kieran felt about his condition, how haunted he was, and how much strength it took him to talk with me about the option for us to start a family. And now this?How was this possible? How was I pregnant? Were we this blessed to have a baby conceived the natural way?Was this why Kieran was so grim and

More Chapters
Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status