I had no interest in wasting another breath on him. I turned and headed for the door.
"Stop right there!"
Dominic's voice cracked through the air like a whip.
He closed the distance in one stride, his fingers clamping down on my wrist like a vise.
"Dominic, let go of me!" I hissed through clenched teeth, the pain sharp enough to steal my breath.
He didn't let go. Instead, he tightened his grip and yanked me toward him.
His head dipped low, his lips nearly brushing my ear, his voice a dangerous murmur laced with warning.
"Gabriella. Don't push your luck."
"Go pick out something off the rack like a good girl. The wedding next week goes ahead as planned."
"Do as you're told, and once Millicent's done with the red carpet, I'll book out an entire island and throw you an even bigger ceremony."
"But if you walk out that door today..."
He paused. Something cold and predatory settled behind his eyes.
"I guarantee you, not a single bridal shop in all of Grandview will sell you so much as a veil."
I endured the searing pain in my wrist, lifted my chin, and stared straight into his eyes.
"Dominic, you make me sick."
I wrenched my arm free with every ounce of strength I had.
A ring of angry red marks already bloomed across my wrist.
I didn't spare him another glance. I turned and walked away.
Behind me came the sound of Dominic's arrogant scoff, followed by the mechanical click of the glass door's lock engaging.
Click.
The bridal shop's heavy glass doors sealed shut behind me.
I turned around.
Dominic stood on the other side, tossing an electronic key fob he'd taken from the shop manager, flipping it lazily between his fingers.
He watched me through the glass, one corner of his mouth curling upward.
"Gabriella. I told you. Without my say-so, you're not going anywhere."
I slammed my palms against the glass. "Dominic! This is unlawful imprisonment! Open this door!"
"Imprisonment?"
He strolled back to the sofa with the unhurried ease of a man who owned the world, sat down, and crossed one leg over the other.
"I'm simply teaching my fiancée what it means to follow the rules."
Millicent sidled over and leaned against his shoulder, flashing me a taunting smile through the glass.
"Gabriella, just stop making a scene. Dominic's only doing this for your own good."
"Besides, it's about to pour out there. You can't even get a ride."
Dominic pulled out his phone and dialed a number right in front of me.
"Cancel every supplementary card under Gabriella Robinson's name."
"Freeze all her hotel VIP privileges."
"Notify every car service and ride-hailing platform in Grandview: anyone who accepts a booking from Gabriella Robinson is making an enemy of the Kesslers."
He hung up and rapped his knuckles against the glass.
"Gabriella. That pride of yours? It's worthless."
"Without me, you can't find a place to sleep in this city."
"I'm giving you two hours to think it over."
"When you've come to your senses, you can get on your knees outside this door and beg."
The sky darkened fast.
Wind tore through the street, and then the rain came, sudden and merciless.
It soaked through my clothes in seconds, chilling me to the bone.
I stood beneath the narrow awning outside the shop, shaking from head to toe.
I pulled out my phone. The screen was flooded with notifications.
Dear valued customer, your credit card has been frozen by the primary cardholder...
We're sorry, Ms. Robinson. Your ride request has been forcibly canceled by the system...
Dominic hadn't been bluffing. He was using everything at his disposal to seal off every exit.
He wanted to back me into a corner with no way out, to make me understand that I was nothing more than something he owned.
I clenched my jaw and scrolled through my contacts.
I would not give in.
I dialed Vivienne Hartwell.
"Vivienne, come get me. I'm outside the bridal shop on Champs-Élysées."
On the other end of the line, Vivienne's voice came through thick with tears.
"Gabriella... I'm so sorry..."
