Damage Control

Chapter 41

The only reason I hadn't surrendered yet was because I knew Nathaniel would be walking through those doors any minute now.

"Scream, and I won't hesitate to hurt you," Brandon threatened lowly, slowly prying his fingers off my mouth.

"How'd you find me?" I finally managed to choke out, feeling hot tears beginning to stream down my face.

Brandon pulled a chair out to sit down beside me and grabbed a strand of my hair, twirling it around his bony fingers.

"So pretty," he murmured to himself, ignoring my question.

I needed to stall, steer him away from his original plans, so by the time Nathaniel got back, it'd be too late for him. But the only way to do that was to tell him the biggest lie I could think of on the spot, which would either keep him calm or send him on a rampage, but there was only one way to find out.

"I never stopped loving you," I forced out, trying not to gag on my words as I shifted slightly, so our knees were brushing against each other. I sucked in a deep breath forcing myself to look up at his pale face, the same face that's been haunting me every time I shut my eyes.

He stared back at me with a blank expression, but I could see a flicker of hope in his eyes as my words marinated in the air.

"What did you just say?" He whispered lowly in disbelief, halting his twirling fingers.

I held my breath as he leaned closer so I wouldn't smell his stench as I repeated my lie. "I said I never stopped loving—"

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

A deep throaty chuckle escaped Brandon's throat sending another chill down my spine. "You think I'm a fool."

Before I could deny his words, he stood up abruptly, gripped a fistful of my hair, and yanked me right out of my seat. Searing pain erupted through my scalp, and I had to bite my lip to stifle the scream that threatened to escape.

"Do you think I'm a fucking fool?" He roared in my face, insulting me with his sour breath.

I couldn't speak, my voice was stuck in my throat, but when I tried to shake my head, he released his grip on my hair, wrapped his fingers around my throat, and slammed me into the bookshelf beside the elevator doors knocking the wind out of my body.

Waves of deep, throbbing pain coursed through my bones as my back pressed against the edge of the shelf, but the only thing I could focus on was trying to breathe even though it felt like electrical jolts were piercing my skin with every ragged breath I took.

"Please," I whimpered, clutching his hand that was around my neck.

"Please what?" Brandon taunted, flashing his yellow teeth as he trailed his nose down my cheek.

I pressed my lips together and turned my head away from him, feeling tears stinging my eyes.

"Please, what, Ana?" He breathed, gripping my jaw with his free hand and forcing me to look back up at him.

I cringed hearing the nickname he created when we were dating. I had always despised it, but I never had the guts to tell him and hurt his fragile feelings.

"Please what?" He repeated harshly for the third time, glaring down at me as he tightened his grip around my throat, completely constricting my airway.

My lungs screamed at me to breathe, but I couldn't. The room around me started to spin, and every time I blinked, little dots appeared everywhere, a clear indication that my body was getting ready to shut down.