Everything inside Renee snapped.
“Finley!” She grabbed a beer bottle from the table and smashed it over his head. “Dream on! Even if you throw yourself off this
roof tonight, I won’t let Wright work with you! Your pathetic company is done!”
She stormed out, heels clicking, leaving Finley sprawled on the floor, Blood dripped down his forehead, warm and sticky. He
touched it, dazed.
“Claire…. I’m bleeding. Where are you? Bring the first aid kit…”
Kevin, waiting outside, rushed in as soon as the room cleared. He stopped short at the sight of Finley–drunk, bleeding, wrecked.
“Mr. Lloyd! What happened?”
Finley latched onto his sleeve, eyes glassy. “Where’s Claire? Call her! Tell her to come get me!”
“Sir, Mrs. Lloyd… she’s not even in the country. She’s in the Maldives.”
“I don’t care! Call her! Tell her to come get me! She always picked me up when I was wasted!” Finley spiraled into a full–blown
tantrum, drunk and unraveling.
1/2
+20 Bonus
He buried his face in his hands, tears streaming down his cheeks. Regret clawed at his heart.
He missed her. Missed the way she looked after him, the quiet way she cared. Why had he thrown it all away? Why had he hurt her -again and again–for Renee?
If he could turn back time, he’d trade everything just to have Claire back.
“Mr. Lloyd, you’re still bleeding. Let’s get you to the hospital first. I’ll call Mrs. Lloyd after, okay?”
“You’re lying.” Finley shook his head, his whole body trembling. “She won’t come. She hates me. She’ll never forgive me. I want to see her. If she doesn’t come, I’m not going anywhere.”
Kevin sighed and pulled out his phone. Good thing he’d saved Claire’s number when Finley asked him to find it.
Claire had just stepped off the boat when her phone rang. A staff member carried her luggage to her room, and exhaustion settled deep in her bones.
An unfamiliar number.
Her first thought? Finley.
He just wouldn’t let her breathe. Annoyance flared as she picked up. “Finley, I’ve told you a hundred times–stop bothering me!
Do you have any idea how much I despise you?”
A hesitant voice cut in. “Mrs. Lloyd, it’s me, Kevin.”
D
