*Miles*It would be an understatement to say it was hard to get out of bed this morning and wave goodbye to Dove as she left for work. After our relaxing day at home just soaking up the feeling of being in each other’s company, and, of course, taking my stunning wife any chance I could, makes it hard to be sitting at my desk right now. I leaned forward to wrap my hands around the steamy takeout cup of coffee I grabbed on my way to the office and spun in my chair to overlook the New York City skyline. It’s dark and gloomy again today as raindrops slide down the large panels of glass windows. I would rather be at home wrapped up in my wife than sitting here knowing I have a full day of meetings. I’ve gotten so used to having her in my life that now I can’t picture my future without her. What started as a fake marriage to get my grandfather off my back turned into something I never expected in my wildest dreams.It seems everything does happen for a reason.A sudden knock
*Miles*The doors to the garage open and I drive in, parking in one of the many parking spaces I have in the back of the garage. When I kill the engine, I lean back in the leather seat and sigh, letting my hands drop to my lap. After the fucking day I’ve had, I’m ready to go upstairs and see my wife. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t help but think I failed Dove today. I was confident I had found the man who hurt her, but it wasn’t him. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. Jennifer is going to keep searching but I’m not optimistic I’ll find this fucker.I pull at the tie around my neck, feeling constricted by the tight knot. Once the material is loose around my neck, I unbutton the top two buttons on my long-sleeved shirt. It feels like I can properly breathe now.I silently get out of the car and ride the elevator to the top floor. Once inside the penthouse, I look around at the space. Greta isn’t anywhere in sight and Dove isn’t either. H
*Dove*The longer I stare at my desktop screen, the sorer my eyes become. I push away from my desk and rub my tired eyes. God, how long have I been looking at the screen uninterrupted?I frown. Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve taken a break since the moment I sat down this morning. The time on my screen tells me it’s nearly 2 p.m. Shit, I missed my lunch break too?Looking around the office at the other desks, everyone seems to be working quietly. The sound of keys clicking and coffee being slurped is the only thing I can hear. I’m not used to this kind of silence. Normally I have Sabrina and Amy stopping by my desk, or worse, Dylan. But it’s been… oddly quiet today. What the hell is going on?Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Dylan around the office since last week when he tried to get me to go interview Miles again. I know he’s been in the office because I’ve seen his car parked in the garage downstairs, but I haven’t seen or heard him at all. Strangely
*Dylan*I stare at the front door to my house from where I’m sitting in my car in the driveway. The lights are on in the living room and I can see Sylvia’s silhouette as she walks past the closed curtains. I have no doubt she knows I’m out here because she would’ve heard my car pull in moments ago. I’m sure she’s wondering what the hell I’m doing, but I can’t seem to unbuckle my seat belt and get out. After I sent that text message to Dove after she called in sick to work, it was like a flip had been switched inside my mind and I could now see my surroundings in color and not the dark shades clouding my vision. I don’t know why it happened, but it did, and now I can’t stop thinking about those damn photos of the night she was assaulted. When Sylvia showed me those photos, I let my hatred for Dove and the way she betrayed me drive me to show them to my uncle in an attempt to blackmail her. I hadn’t stopped to consider how Sylvia got her hands on them or how she knew about the
*Dove*The drive to the hospital from my work takes a little longer with the after-work rush hour traffic. New York City is a pain in the ass to drive in. The honking from taxis was excessive and the amount of pedestrians I had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting because they walked out in front of me was too much to keep count of. Everyone just always seems to be in a rush to get somewhere. I don’t share that mentality, however. I’m more than happy to take my time because I know I’ll get to my destination eventually. I wished everyone in this damn city thought the same way.Driving through the packed parking garages next to the hospital, I manage to snag a space, bringing my car to a park. I heave a deep breath and look down at my watch. I have time for a quick visit with my mom before I head home to have dinner with my husband.I decided that after the bombshell Dylan dropped on me today about the photos that were taken the night of my assault, I knew I had to see my m
*Dove*My hands grip the steering wheel tightly as I drive along the highway. The headlights from the oncoming cars blind me momentarily, but I barely notice them because I feel as though I’m on autopilot, just going through the motions. Since leaving the hospital twenty minutes ago, my mom’s words have been replaying in my mind over and over again, like a broken down record that won’t stop fucking spinning.I understand her concerns when it comes to Miles, especially because he is a powerful man with lots of money and our marriage is still only new. But I trust him with my life. I couldn’t fathom him doing to me what my father did to my mom. My father did a shitty thing leaving me and my mom when we needed him most, but Miles isn’t anything like him. He’s caring, loving, attentive, and above all, so fucking kind. My mom has nothing to worry about because I’m not worried. When I’m with Miles, I feel like the only girl in the world, especially when he looks at me like I’m
*Miles*The front door to the quiet apartment swings open violently from the force of my pushing it. The doorknob collides with the wall behind it, but I’m too angry to care whether it put a dent in the plaster or not. The apartment is illuminated by the lights of New York City’s skyline streaming in through the open windows I didn’t bother to close the last time I was here.I can’t even remember how long ago that was. Slamming the door closed behind me, I don’t bother switching on the main light in the living room. Instead, I stalk across the large space with my hands balled into fists at my side. I need a fucking drink so bad. The anger brimming beneath the surface is desperate for the rich liquid to relax it. And I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel the same. When I open the door to the liquor cabinet, I’m pleased to see the expensive bottle of whiskey I bought when I first bought the place where I left it, catching dust. Wrapping my hand around the neck, I pull it
*Dove*I feel like a zombie walking into the office this morning. My shoulders are tense, my brain is foggy, and I think I’m wearing mismatched socks. I barely got any sleep last night after Miles stormed out of the penthouse after his little blow-up. Over what? I’m still trying to figure that one out.His overreaction to the conversation I had with my mom yesterday is still a mystery to me. Why the hell would he think I was planning to leave him after a simple warning? My mom never said the words, “Leave him.” She just wants me to be careful, and while I understand her concerns, it’s not enough for me to leave my husband for fear that he might one day hurt me. Miles isn’t like that.I tried to call and text him multiple times throughout the night. At first, the phone would ring out, but eventually, it just went straight to voicemail, as if my calling him to find out if he was okay was annoying him. I was upset to begin with because he had left me alone without providing any i