Kylie Bray (Love, Hate and Billions) novel Chapter 47

He slides his chair back, ending our conversation before it really began and maybe before I would have cared, or felt something but I don't care about feelings now.

I do however want to leave this place, I want to smell the air outside, not from forty floors up.

I slip on a black pencil skirt and white blouse.

My feet are still damaged, healing at a slow pace, so I put on a pair of comfortable pumps leaving my heels behind.

These clothes are all-new, bought by Vincent. He didn't want to go to my place and fetch my things in case Kevin found us.

Right now I have been hiding out in this side of Washington with Vincent and his men. My face is slightly disfigured, noticeable to many.

Vincent told me to get it fixed, but I won't.

It matches me, I am broken, disfigured.

At first, I wanted to die, I wanted him to kill me.

Then I went back to numb, now I am in a limbo of something waiting to be awakened.

“Ready to go?” Vincent stands against my room door, without a glass, shocker.

“Yes.”

“You look lovely,” he says to me.

“I don't feel lovely,” I reply, my eyes dropping to my black closed shoes.

He walks into my bedroom, his finger under my chin, pushing my head up,

“Look at me, Kylie.”

And I do, I stare into his cold gaze I have become so familiar with.

“You once loved me, I believe somewhere in that numbness of yours you still feel the same way. I'm here, waiting for you.”

He turns and walks out, I watch his imposing form leave as his words ring into my ears.

I try to feel something, but I get nothing. No feeling of that love, it's gone.

I take a deep breath, and follow him out the door.

We driving into a parking lot when Vincent breaks the silence,

“There is a dinner tomorrow at Mosari's, his daughter is getting engaged, we've been invited, should I get you a dress or call someone?”

“I don't wanna go,” I tell him as he parks the Jaguar. The two black Mercedes filled with his men on either side of us.

“You going wasn't a choice, the dress however is.”

“Why would you want to take me anywhere, have you not figured it out yet.”

Frustration looms over me as I stare out the window watching his men jump out.

Why is he doing this now? I am broken, I don't want to socialize, I don't need to meet people.

“That you’re mine, I have.”

“I am not yours Vincent, I don't even belong to me.”

My feet are already jumping out of the car before he says anything else, or looks at me with those impenetrable eyes of his.

I walk a head of him behind two of his men, my hair brushing my lower back in a long wave of curls.

Following the men to the elevator, the six of us including Vincent fill the one. We stop on the twelfth floor.

Elevator doors open, I take a deep breath in, not knowing what I am going to expect.

I stand still, right here, and I stare as I am greeted by a huge crowd of people.

My people, my family, my friends. All of them are here.

Eyes widening, my panic seizes as I take a small step back into the elevator.

A hand on my back halt my attempt to flee.

“They don't know, all they know is, you were kidnapped for ransom that's it.”

His words don't do what they’re supposed to. It doesn’t ease my tremulous mind, because Vincent doesn't know my family.

Not given a chance for a smart comeback or anything, he takes my hand locking his fingers between mine and walks toward the crowd.

Michael is the first one to come toward me, and I see his green all knowing eyes look at our joined hands, and for some odd reason I pull mine out of Vincent's.

I don't hug Michael and when he comes to hug me I stiffen, my eyes widening.

Taking a step back I look at all of them, seeing my father, his unmistakable keen gaze staring at me from the back of the room, he knows, I know he knows.

I shake my head,

“I can't, I'm sorry.”

My feet stumble a few steps and Jace comes into help me but I push him away.

Running toward the exit, several voices calling me by the name that I hate,

“Kylie.”

Who the fuck is Kylie?!

I am not her.

My feet rush down the emergency stairs, down and down. Hearing footsteps behind me only pushes me to go faster as my feet protest the pressure.

My spine aching in that familiar spot, my scalp throbbing as the sweat bases my skin.

A heavy strong arm wraps around me from the back and I scream,

“let me go, let me go.”

“Enough, stop it.” Kevin's voice booms through the air like a hot whip.

His domineering nature coming out.

He lets me go and I spin around.

All my brothers are on the stairs.

Michael right on the top, David next to him, Vincent behind Jace, Kevin right in front of my face.

And I lose it.