Rejected and Abandoned, Until the Right Man Found Me

"I will never forgive you!"

Mathias’ footsteps faltered for a split second before he disappeared from my sight, his silence more damning than any words.

The instant Liam’s hand touched me, I shoved him away with all the strength I could muster.

A memory flashed, when Mathias first made it onto the rich list, I’d been kidnapped, a ransom demanded. Though I’d been rescued, Mathias was shaken to his core.

Out of that fear, he’d hired the best instructors, training me in self-defense and combat.

Now, with a man whose body was a shadow of his former self, drained by alcohol and indulgence, I knew I had a ninety percent chance of winning this fight.

But as soon as I pushed Liam away, the door creaked open again.

A group of hulking men filled the doorway.

Mathias’ bodyguards.

I thought, maybe, just maybe, he had softened.

But the leader of the group spoke, his voice cold and dispassionate.

"Miss Hale knows a bit of self-defense. Mr. Rocco was concerned you wouldn’t enjoy yourself, so he sent us with something to help."

With that, they pulled out a bottle of pills, prying my mouth open and forcing them down my throat.

My combat skills were enough to handle someone like Liam, whose only strength was his size.

But against these skilled bodyguards, I was nothing more than a helpless animal.

Despite my every attempt to fight back, most of the drugs still found their way into my system.

In the midst of my struggle, one of the bodyguards sneered, "Mr. Rocco has already set up cameras in this room. If you don’t behave and properly entertain Liam, those recordings will be all over the internet."

"Then you’ll get to enjoy your newfound fame," he added, his voice dripping with mockery.

The drug kicked in quickly. The room blurred around me, a thick, suffocating heat pooling in my chest, making it feel as though I were melting from the inside out.

Then, chaos erupted outside, and the door was kicked open with such force that it slammed against the wall.

A rush of cold air swept into the room, and for the briefest of moments, my mind cleared.

Through the haze, I thought I saw a chiseled face, like something carved from marble.

Before I could make sense of it, strong arms scooped me up, lifting me effortlessly from the floor.

The crisp scent of fir trees filled my lungs, grounding me, as his voice, familiar yet distant, whispered, "Miss, are you alright?"

I tried to focus, but my thoughts melted into a haze of confusion. Instinct guided me as I nuzzled against him, desperate for relief from the searing heat that consumed me.

It was unbearable. I couldn’t endure it any longer.

His body tensed, clearly caught off guard by my sudden movement.

But I couldn’t stop; my lips found him before I even realized it. "Please… I feel awful…"

"Can you help me…?"