The Darkest Danger (Shattered Series Book 2) Read Free Page B

this world---”
         “And I will go through with the threats! Especially if you insist upon harping on it every second! And you’re doing it again!” he shouted, advancing towards her threateningly, and then stopped short of her. The pure violence radiated from his long form, and the thunderous expression on his face spoke volumes.
         Rather than shrinking back from his anger, she held her ground. The wrong thing to do would be allowing him to think that she was afraid of him, although she realized that the danger was there. Forcing herself to hold his stare, she asked, “What do you mean?”
         “The day of our last wedding,” he spat, flexing his hand slowly into a balled fist. Yet, it didn’t take the edge off his temper. “You were doing the same thing---telling me how this was going to be a loveless marriage and how you’d never love me. Trying to find excuses to leave me.”
     She studied him closely.
         Just what was he not saying?
         Like why she was desperate to flee…
     “I’m taking it that history is repeating itself, and I’m behaving in the same manner,” she probed further. “What happened before the wedding? Why was I so against the idea of marrying you like I am now---”
         “Come on Olivia---can’t you just cut the crap, already? You know why I would say such a thing. I’m still not buying this amnesia act that you’re putting on. It’s a convenient escape so that you don’t have to face reality. And that reality is that you know my father is in control of you, me, and everything.”
         She fought to keep the confusion from her face.
         But, perhaps, she was getting to the actual truth…
         “You’re right, I am aware of your father’s influence on things,” she said, lifting her chin, and decided to play along. How else would she get to the bottom of things? “I don’t know what your father will do next----”
         “If you cross the line, he’ll make you pay, and because you’re directly tied to me----Why’d you have to snoop around and put your nose where it didn’t belong?” Matt whined, and suddenly seemed younger than his thirty-two years and more like a child. “If you hadn’t violated my trust and collected evidence against me and my father, this wouldn’t be happening.”
         “Evidence---what kind of evidence and where is it exactly?” she hedged cautiously.
         Matt raised a brow. “Tucked away somewhere in that amnesiac mind of yours, I suppose.” Then, he shook his head in irritation. “That’s not important. Just know that because of your actions, Father has enough ammunition to keep your damn mouth shut. Shouldn’t everyone be as lucky as me---to have a father with such power and influence? Although he’s a ruthless and proud man, he’s willing to do anything to protect me,” Matt claimed, eyes glazed over, and they seemed almost feverish. It’d be easy to fathom that he existed along the fringes of insanity. Then, he looked at her directly. “If it weren’t for me, you’d be a dead woman right now. So, you have me to thank for being alive.”
         Alive , she mulled, looking away from him.
         She didn’t even feel her heart beat anymore.
         It’d died the moment that she’d been separated from Jarrod and Meghan. She defined the phrase dead-woman-walking. Inside, down to the deepest depths of her soul, she was dead emotionally.
         As Matt spoke, her thoughts moved to the present again, and she started.
         “The engagement party is within the hour. Unfortunately, we’ll be traveling separately since I have business to attend to beforehand,” Matt retorted, finishing his drink fast and then slapped the empty glass down alongside her full one. He faced her with a tight smile. “A limo will bring you to the festivities. When you get there, be sure to play the part well or there will be dire consequences. Who