Blackburn's fingers dug into Blair's waist. The grip was so tight it felt like he was trying to snap her ribs.
Blair let out a sharp gasp of pain. She grabbed his thick wrist and tried to pry his fingers off. He didn't budge.
Julian took a step forward. He placed himself directly in front of them, blocking their path.
He looked at Blackburn's hand, then up at Blackburn's furious face.
"Let her go," Julian said. His voice was calm, but firm. He pointed to the red sign on the wall. "This is a hospital. Keep your hands off her."
Blackburn let out a dark, ugly laugh.
He looked Julian up and down, his eyes lingering on the hospital badge clipped to the cheap white coat.
"You give me orders?" Blackburn sneered. His voice dripped with aristocratic arrogance. "You are a mechanic for brains. Know your place."
He pulled Blair tighter against him.
"She is my wife," Blackburn snarled. "She belongs to me. Stay away from her."
A few nurses and patients stopped in the hallway. They turned their heads, watching the scene unfold. Whispers started to echo off the walls.
Blair's face flushed with intense humiliation.
"Blackburn, stop it," she hissed, struggling against his arm. "People are looking."
He ignored her. He turned and started dragging her toward the exit.
Julian reached out to grab Blair's arm.
Instantly, two massive men in black suits stepped out from behind Blackburn. The bodyguards shoved Julian back hard against the wall, blocking him completely.
Blackburn dragged Blair through the sliding glass doors.
The freezing wind whipped her hair across her face.
A black stretch Lincoln Navigator was idling at the curb. The back door was wide open.
Blackburn shoved her inside. She fell onto the leather seat.
He climbed in after her and slammed the door shut.
The heavy thud cut off the sound of Julian yelling her name.
"Drive," Blackburn barked at the driver.
He pressed a button on the armrest. The thick, soundproof privacy partition rolled up, sealing them in the back.
The second the glass clicked into place, Blackburn lunged.
He grabbed Blair's chin with his large hand. He forced her head up, making her look at him.
His eyes were wild with jealousy.
"Is this why you want a divorce?" he roared. "Because you found a new bed to crawl into? You moved to Brooklyn so you could screw your old boyfriend in peace?"
Blair stared at him.
She didn't cry. She didn't scream.
The last ounce of emotion she had for this man died right then and there.
She raised her hand. She slapped his wrist hard, knocking his hand away from her face.
She rubbed her red jaw. She looked at him with eyes as dead and cold as a graveyard.
"Don't use your dirty, cheating mind to judge me, Blackburn," she said. Her voice was terrifyingly calm. "I am not you. I actually honor my commitments, no matter how unbearable the situation is. Before you try to threaten me with our contract, maybe you should look in the mirror and count how many rules you've already broken."
She leaned forward. She stared straight into his dark, furious eyes.
"I saw the video," Blair whispered. "I saw you and Kala. At Disney."
The color completely drained from Blackburn's face.
His mouth opened, but no sound came out. The temperature in the car dropped to absolute zero.
