That he had an excuse to do it.
But now I know...
"That's the last time you'll ever hurt me," I whisper.
I can never let him get away with it again.
"Oh yeah?"Sandy has somehow lost it. He doesn't seem to realize how everyone is looking at him."What are you going to fucking do?"
His hand is already coming up as he leans forward...
But he never gets to do anything again.
Because at that same moment, two men in suits enter the conference, and Sandy looks like he's torn between fury and fear the moment he sees them.
"Y-You—"
The men close on him, and that's when Sandy turns into something else entirely. He grabs the chair he was sitting in and shoves it backward at one of them. He grabs a water glass from the table and throws it. Delia screams. Risa makes a sound that doesn't quite make it out of her throat.
"Sandy! What's wrong with you?"
"Mr. Pettyfer, calm down!"
But it's as if a devil's completely taken over him. He's now staring at me with so much hatred in his eyes.
"You slut! You fucking—"
The door opens again.
A third man steps in. Older. Quieter. Carrying a slim folder under one arm. The folder is going to be used. He doesn't look at Sandy. He nods once at Jeanne. He stations himself by the wall.
I almost feel like laughing and crying. Who's next? I don't even know what or who to expect—
Oh.
Or maybe I do, but I just didn’t know if I wanted this to happen or not.
He walks straight toward me, and even though there are so many others in the room, it's like I'm the only one he sees, the only one that matters.
And when he’s finally standing in front of me, this stranger who knows my soul like he’s known me his whole life—
Sandy goes berserk, Risa starts shouting, but it's as if he doesn't hear any of this.
"Does it hurt?"
He asks this so, so softly, and his hand actually shakes as he reaches to touch my cheek.
Ouch.
The tenderness takes me by surprise, causing me to flinch—
Oh no.
I didn’t mean to make him mad. Or lose control. Or both.
All I know is that everything after that happens so fast—
Mr. Everford suddenly has Sandy by the collar, and he’s speaking in such a dangerously soft voice—