You have no right to order me around
Dora’s pov
The pounding music of the club faded into the background as Austin’s grip tightened around my wrist. My heart slammed against my ribs. I struggled, my heels scraping against the floor as he dragged me away. People stared, their curious gazes burning into my skin, but no one dared to intervene.
“Austin,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
He didn’t even look at me. His jaw was tight, his eyes locked ahead, burning with fury. I had never seen him like this. He had always been intense, but this, this was something else. Moments ago, I had been on the dance floor, lost in the music, letting the rhythm drown out my worries. I had felt free. Then, out of nowhere, Austin had appeared, his face twisted with rage. One second, I was dancing. The next, he was dragging me out like a prisoner.
I yanked at his grip, but he didn’t loosen his hold. “Let me go!” I hissed, panic rising in my chest.
“Not a word, Dora,” he growled, his voice low and sharp.
I knew that tone. It meant danger. We reached the stairs leading to the upper floor. Desperate, I clung to the handrail, trying to stop him, but he pried my fingers away with ease. His other hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me flush against him. My breath hitched. His body heat, the sheer strength of him, sent a new wave of fear through me.
Where is he taking me? I twisted in his hold, searching the crowd for Sienna. She had been right beside me before all of this. But the sea of people swallowed her, and my hope sank. By the time we reached the exit, my heartbeat was a frantic drum against my chest. Outside, the night air was cool, but it did nothing to calm me.
“Austin, please…” I cried out.
He cut me off, his lips brushing my ear as he leaned in. His voice was low, menacing. “Call for help, and I’ll shove that tiny dress so far up your ass that you’ll regret opening your mouth.”
A shiver of terror coursed through me. I knew he meant it. This wasn’t a bluff. He was livid, an emotion I had never seen him display this violently before. I swallowed hard and let him lead me to the parking lot. My mind raced with possible escape plans, but fear had me frozen. When I saw his car, a black, modified Mustang, I almost laughed. He always wanted one, even if it had to be second-hand. How did I still remember things like that? Austin stopped beside the passenger door and turned to me.
“Get in.”
I shook my head. “No.”
His eyes darkened. For a second, I thought he would force me inside, but instead, he slammed his fist against the roof of the car. The sound echoed through the parking lot. I panicked once more, a whimper escaping my lips before I could stop it. Then came the shattering of glass. My stomach dropped. I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth. A tear slipped down my cheek. This was different. Austin had always been dominant, but this… this was pure fury. He was losing control, and I had no idea what that meant for me. Slowly, he opened the car door, his eyes locking onto mine. I hesitated, but my body moved on its own. I slid inside without another word.
The door slammed shut behind me. The moment he got into the driver’s seat, he sped out of the parking lot. My hands gripped the seat, my nails digging into the fabric. My breaths came fast, shallow. The city lights blurred past us, but I wasn’t looking at them. I was too busy watching him. His hands were tight on the wheel, his jaw clenched. His chest rose and fell with harsh breaths.
This wasn’t the reunion I had imagined. A few hours ago, I had wanted to talk to him. To ask why he was divorcing me. To make him look me in the eyes and tell me why he had thrown everything away. But now? Now, all I wanted was to survive the night.
His grab was scary. Austin didn’t know what he was doing or where he was taking me. All I knew was that he wanted me away from all the men who had been staring at me in the club. He wanted to lock me away, to keep me hidden. The car was silent except for our breathing, mine ragged, his deep and angry. He rolled down the windows, and I instinctively leaned towards the cool night air. It helped me think. I knew I couldn’t escape him. Tonight, we will have to talk. I needed answers.
Why did he leave me? Why did he ask me to get rid of our baby if he had already planned to walk away? The car jerked to a stop. My seatbelt clicked open. Before I could process what was happening, Austin yanked open the door and pulled me out by my arm. My heart pounded as I realized we were in an empty parking lot, no people in sight.
Stay calm, Dora. Panicking won’t help. I let him drag me into the elevator. When I tried to pull my hand away, his grip tightened, and a low growl escaped his lips. My stomach clenched with fear. The elevator doors dinged open, and the next thing I knew, I was thrown onto a bed. I bounced twice before my messy bun came undone, my hair spilling across the sheets.
The room was silent except for my rapid heartbeat and his heavy breathing. I had thought I could stay calm, that I could reason with him. But now that I was in a bedroom with him, all logic vanished. My body refused to move. Austin stood beside the bed, his face tight with restraint. Then he took a deep breath and climbed onto the mattress, grabbing my shoulders gently. His touch was careful, almost too careful.
"What were you doing in the club?" His voice was low, controlled.
I frowned. Why was he being gentle now? What was he up to? I stayed silent.
"Dora." His voice hardened. "You know how little patience I have. Don’t test me while I’m asking nicely. What were you doing in that club, dressed like this?"
His eyes swept over me again, and I saw something dark in them. I followed his gaze and realized my dress had ridden up when he threw me on the bed, exposing my thighs. His grip on me tightened. I shoved my hands against his chest, trying to put distance between us. His jaw clenched as he looked at my hands, then back at me.
"I don’t owe you an explanation," I said coldly.
That was his breaking point.
"You have no idea what that bastard was saying about you!" he growled. "He was planning to take advantage of you. And what the hell were you thinking, dancing like that? Were you trying to seduce some random guy? Is that what you are now?"
I snapped. "How dare you?!"
"You want me to tell you what women like that are called?"
Anger burned in my chest. "What I was or wasn’t is none of your business! Where were you when I called you? When I begged you to talk to me?" My voice broke, but I didn’t care. I pounded my fists against his chest, over and over.
"You left me!"
"You left me!"
Austin didn’t stop me. He didn’t fight back. His face went blank, like he was shutting himself off.
For a moment, his expression changed, revealing doubt before he quickly hid it. "You left me. And now you’re pretending to care? Like what that guy said actually matters to you? You don’t give a damn, Austin."
For a moment, his expression shifted, showing doubt before he hid it again. For the first time, he looked shaken. I took my chance. I pushed him away with all my strength and scrambled off the bed.
"You have no right to order me around," I spat. "You don’t get to question me. It’s my life."
My heart pounded as I turned toward the door. Run, Dora. Run before he..
"Oh yeah?" His voice was eerily calm. "I have no right over you?"
I froze with my hand on the doorknob.
"Then explain this to me," he said.
And when I turned, I saw the one thing that made my breath catch in my throat.
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