Skyscraper Cinderella

by K. Webster

  Liar.

  You’re a rich bitch now.

  At least I will be after I meet with my grandmother’s attorney. Caroline, for usually being such a witch, was eager to help me. She got Anthony on the phone and started making plans. By next week, I can buy my own damn Bugatti. Or pay Win back if I accidentally wreck his.

  My knuckles are white as I grip the steering wheel, cruising as quickly as I can while still keeping the car on the road. I make the boring, too-long drive to Halcyon. When I whip into the valet lane, a man trots up, a confused expression on his face.

  “Win let me borrow it. Keep it safe, please,” I say as I jump out and toss him the keys.

  He gives me a nod and I don’t wait around. My shoes squeak across the quiet building lobby floors as I hurry over to the elevators. I hit the button several times, impatiently. As I wait, I wonder what I’ll say to Win.

  “Sorry I interrupted your meeting, but I was worried about you. Oh, and I stole your Bugatti. Wanna have sex now on my piles of money?”

  He’s going to kill me if I interrupt something serious and non-life threatening. But I have sick feeling. If he’s meeting with Nate and doesn’t know what a creepy bastard he is, he could be in trouble. The idea of Nate ever besting Win is nearly laughable. Still, I’d be devastated if something happened and I didn’t at least try to warn him.

  The elevators finally open. I’m lost in my own world as I mash the button for Halcyon’s executive floor. Someone else steps into the elevator and hits the sixteenth floor. The doors close as I lift my gaze.

  No.

  “Nate—”

  He backhands me across my cheek, sending me smacking into the panel of floor buttons. Before I can hit the alarm button, Nate yanks me to his chest, a hand slapping over my mouth.

  “Shh,” Nate rumbles, his pinky gently stroking my jaw despite the punishing grip he has on me. “It’s time.”

  It’s time? For what?

  I struggle against him, kicking out, but he holds me in the center of the elevator so I can’t reach anything. He’s creepily quiet as we reach the sixteenth floor. His floor. A whimper claws at my throat when the doors open. It’s late, so no one is in the hallway. Too easily, he drags me to what must be his apartment. I start squealing behind his hand over my mouth, clawing and kicking.

  “So help me, if you don’t shut the fuck up, I’ll snap your neck and push you down a flight of stairs.”

  I go deathly still at his words. What does he want from me? This goes beyond him thinking I’m a gold-digger. This is crazy. Win will lose his shit over him hitting me.

  He manhandles me into his apartment. It’s fancy but not as nice as Win’s. Always second best. I wonder if that’s his problem. But what’s he going to prove by kidnapping me? Is this some effort to blackmail Winston out of his money?

  “Sit down and don’t breathe a word,” Nate growls, his eyes manic and filled with fury. “I’m going to make a call.”

  He shoves me to the floor in front of the sliding glass door to the balcony. As soon as my ass hits the wood floors, I scream at the top of my lungs hoping a neighbor will hear. This is the wrong move, apparently, because it earns me a kick that catches me across my jaw. My head slams against the glass door hard enough the glass wobbles and my vision darkens. I blink my eyes trying to make the fuzziness around me fade. A metallic tang floods my mouth. Blood. I tongue the side of my cheek that my teeth cut into.

  Screaming is just going to get my ass beat.

  Think, Ash.

  What would Win do?

  He’d destroy him with his words.

  “Wow,” I sneer. “I knew you were pathetic, but this is an all-time low.”

  He glowers at me. “The fuck you say?”

  “Poor little Nate. Always second best. It must really suck to always be in Win’s shadow. It’s a big shadow. Far reaching. So dark. And you were nothing.”

  His entire body tenses and I know I’ve hit a nerve. “Fuck you.”

  “Never. I know you’re into scrounging up Win’s leftovers, but I wouldn’t fuck you if you were the last man on earth. I prefer powerful men. Not wannabees. Does it make you feel like a big man to have fucked Meredith?”

  The surprise that morphs his features tells me I’m right. Predictable bastard. He basically served me that nugget of information when in his office the other day. Now I know it’s true.

  “Did she call you by Winston’s name in the bedroom?” I taunt, giving him a cruel laugh. “I bet that fuck lasted all of two minutes it took you to come and then you were the leftovers because we both know that woman still has it bad for him.”

  He snags me by my hair, hauling me back to my feet. “You don’t know shit, skank. You’re just a money-grubbing whore who had to get in the middle of years of fucking work. It’s all ruined because of you!”

  Keep him talking.

  Someone will have heard my screams and come running. Right?

  “Winston will destroy you,” I warn. “He’s richer and more powerful than you could ever dream to be. You were supposed to be his best friend but you betrayed him. Why? Because you hate me?”

  His hand comes around my throat, squeezing so tight, my eyes feel like they’re bulging, and my face will burst. I claw at his hand as I desperately try to suck air into my lungs. Grabbing a handful of his hair, I yank him hard to the side. We both fall to the floor. Even with my fingers ripping at his hair, he manages to keep his brutal grip on my neck.

  “Stop struggling and I’ll let you breathe,” he growls, sweat dripping off his brow and flinging into my hair.

  I relax, mostly because my strength has left me. Thankfully he loosens his hold. His body still pins me to the hard floor and it disgusts me to have him pressed against me.

  “She’s more than leftovers,” he says, his voice soft. “Meredith. She’s my…everything.”

  I believe him. I’d heard it in his voice when he spoke to her the other day.

  “Does she know that?” I rasp out, unable to keep from taunting him, even at such a disadvantage.

  He squeezes my cheeks, his thumb digging in on the side I bit, and squishes my face as he brings his mouth close to mine. “She fucking knows. She loves me too, bitch.” His hand relaxes. “I’m going to marry her.”

  “She’s already married,” I hiss out. “You’re delusional.”

  “Stop talking.” He sits up and grabs my wrists. I screech and wriggle but he’s too strong. Easily, he painfully pins my wrists to the wood floors. “Just stop fucking talking.”

  Nope.

  Not now.

  Not when I’m trying to keep him busy until someone comes to help me.

  “You screwed Paris up for him, didn’t you?” I croak out, hating that tears are prickling at my eyes. “How long have you been messing up business for him and skimming off the top?”

  “Skimming?” He barks out a harsh laugh. “Winston’s so fucking rich he doesn’t notice when millions walk out his door and into my pocket. It’s not skimming, it’s dumping handfuls of his wasted money into my damn bucket.”

  “What was in the safe that you wanted?”

  “Documents I needed.” He sneers. “He had to have found out what I’d done. I wanted in his home safe to get them. I’d searched everywhere I could. His office has cameras, so I couldn’t try and get into that safe, but the one at his house is where he keeps his important shit. That was my money and he wasn’t supposed to notice.”

  “Your money? Because you couldn’t earn it yourself, you had to steal his,” I throw back.

  “Because my last name isn’t Constantine, goddammit! That’s the only thing he has on me—the only thing he’s ever had on me! His motherfucking last name!”

  “Delusional!” I hiss out. “He has everything on you! Smarter, sexier, better dressed, richer, better taste in women! You’re nothing compared to him. You’ll never be him which is why Meredith never left Duncan for you.”

  He releases my wrist to strike my face. The pain is s
o severe I choke out a sob, wincing at the overwhelming throbbing that’s rattling the bones in my skull. Hot tears leak out as I use my free hand to protect myself from more hits.

  “What are you going to do to me?” I whimper. “Winston won’t let you get away with this.”

  “Why? Because you think he loves you?” Nate taunts. “Who’s delusional now? You’re an expensive fuck toy.” He paws at my breast. “Maybe I should see why he’s so goddamned interested in you. Is it these perky young tits?” His hand slides between us. “Or maybe it’s this pussy.”

  I call his bluff and spit bloody saliva in his face. “You wouldn’t dare. You love her too much.”

  His wild eyes flare at the challenge of my words. “You think you know everything, don’t you?”

  “I know you’re risking everything for your love for her.”

  His features deaden as he yanks at the button of his jeans. “Maybe this has nothing to do with love and everything to do with hate. If I hurt you, it’ll hurt him.” He drags down the zipper. “It’s retribution for everything he’s done. It’s payback for being Winston motherfucking Constantine.”

  I scream until it earns me another brutal hit to the face and everything goes black.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Winston

  My phone buzzes in my pocket as Meredith tries to pull herself together. I ignore her sobs to grab my phone. Keaton must have finished his text earlier. I read that one first.

  Keaton: Dude, where are you? Some shit is going down. Nate is fucking you over. Call me. Some conspiracy shit with your ex and the triplets’ mom too.

  Then, there are about fifteen missed calls from Perry. I read the text he’s also left.

  Perry: Ash took off in the Bugatti. She was worried about you. Did she make it to the office?

  Me: No. Find out where my car is. Let me know when you find her.

  I text Xavier next.

  Me: Get up to the office. I might need you to escort Meredith out.

  “Hello?”

  Looking up from my phone, I see Meredith’s features go from annoyed to shocked to panicked in the span of a few seconds.

  “Nate, slow down. You’re not making any sense.” A pause. “You have her? Why?”

  I stalk up to Meredith and she cowers under my murderous glare.

  “Ash?”

  She nods, more tears spilling. “Winston—”

  Yanking the phone from her hand, I start snarling threats to Nate but he’s no longer on the line. I throw Meredith’s phone back at her and then trot over to my safe on the wall.

  “Where is he?” I demand as I start to input the combination. “Fucking spit it out.”

  “He…He’s at his place. Oh God. Nate’s losing it. Oh God.”

  I fling open my safe, pull out a loaded Glock, and then slam the safe shut. After chambering a bullet, I snap at her. “Walk. You better hope to fucking God she’s okay.”

  She nods rapidly and starts for the door. “I’m sorry—”

  “Why does he have Ash? Why is he so fucking obsessed with her? Tell me, goddammit!”

  Meredith squeaks at my bellowed words that echo in the lobby of our floor. “I-I don’t know.”

  “Liar. Talk and move faster,” I bark out, taking off into a sprint toward the elevators. “Don’t leave out anything. So help me, Meredith, if you dick me around right now, I will ruin you in any and all ways that I can.”

  I text Xavier once I reach the elevators and have pushed the button.

  Me: 16th floor. Ash may be in trouble. Nate has her.

  “He keeps saying she’s ruining everything,” Meredith says, breathless as she comes to a stop beside me as I wait for the elevator to reach this floor. “He thinks everything started going to hell when she came into the picture. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. She was never supposed to date you.”

  The elevator doors open and I step inside. I mash the sixteenth-floor button and glower at Meredith.

  “My money wasn’t good enough? He wanted to fuck with my love life too?”

  “You don’t love her,” Meredith scoffs.

  I swear to fuck this woman is going to make me insane. “Why does he care?”

  “Because! Before that little girl came into the picture, you were numb. A damn zombie. So focused on making money that you never paid attention to anything around you. But then she showed up and grabbed your interest out of nowhere. You started spending your money so fast you had to go and get Harold involved which made Nate nervous, especially since he lost access to those accounts. Ash is a nosy bitch, too. She was always around. Asking too many questions. Nate was paranoid she was going to find something out and tell you. He’d even tried to distract you by hooking you up with Layla, but that didn’t work either. I told him to back off because you would start to notice, but he wouldn’t listen.”

  The elevator opens on the sixteenth floor and I rush out, hauling ass to Nate’s apartment. I can hear Meredith running to keep up with me. When I reach Nate’s door, I twist the knob and push it open.

  Red.

  Blood-red fury clouds my vision.

  Nate, someone I considered to be a brother, holds Ash against his chest, a sharp kitchen knife at her throat. I want to murder him with my own two hands. Right now, all I can focus on is the way the point of the blade pokes against the bruised flesh on her neck. He hurt her. He fucking hurt her while I was taking a goddamn stroll down memory lane with Meredith. And now, Ash is unconscious, her head lolled to the side. Blood is smeared over her lips and her jeans are unzipped.

  Slowly, I approach him, hoping like fuck he doesn’t completely lose his mind and cut her throat.

  “Nate!” Meredith cries out behind me as she clacks her way into the apartment. “What are you doing? Oh my God!”

  Nate’s features contort into a pained expression. “Hey, baby.”

  “Let her go,” she shrieks. “You’ll go to jail for this.”

  “Jail?” He laughs. “No one’s going to jail. Right, Win?”

  “Right,” I agree, my tone smooth and cool. “Put Ash down. She’s hurt, man.”

  “I thought you liked to make her cry,” Nate snaps back. “Kind of sick if you ask me. Who makes bitches cry and gets off on it?”

  I clench my jaw, holding in a slew of insults. “Put Ash down. Walk out of here. Both you and Meredith can leave. I won’t follow you. I’ll even give you the passwords to those accounts you dumped money into.”

  “Nate,” Meredith begs. “Please don’t do this. You’re messing everything up.”

  He glares at her. “Me? Everything I’ve done is for us, baby. Everything. What have you been doing besides trying to get back into his pants?”

  Ash blinks her eyes open slowly. Hazel eyes meet mine and she smiles. Happy for one second. That is, until she realizes where she’s at and what’s happening. Terror morphs her features and she lets out a strained mewl, fresh tears streaking down her messy face. Always so beautiful, especially when wrecked.

  I’m going to rescue you, Cinderelliott. I can be a prince some of the time.

  “Put the knife down,” I urge Nate. “Put it down, take your bitch, and walk out of here.”

  “You won’t let me get to the end of the block,” Nate snaps. “I’ll be arrested before I can even take my next breath. I’m not falling for your bullshit.”

  “What do you want?” I demand. “We can come to an agreement. You want money? Name your price. You want to leave the country? I’ll give you a fucking jet. Just hand Ash over to me. Please.”

  “So you can shoot me? Fuck off, Win.” Nate nods his chin at Meredith. “Grab his Glock, baby.”

  “W-what? No, Nate. What are you going to do?”

  “So help me, take his fucking gun or I will cut this bitch’s throat,” Nate growls. “Now, baby. Take the gun.”

  Ash whimpers when the knife digs into her neck. I don’t wait for Meredith to take it from me and instead nearly knock her over when I shove it against her chest. She a
wkwardly takes the gun from me.

  “There,” I say in a calm tone. “You can walk out of here.”

  Nate’s manic stare darts back and forth between me and Meredith. “She said she’d leave her husband for you, didn’t she?” He glowers at Meredith. “Didn’t you? Same bullshit line you told me?”

  “You’re unhinged,” Meredith hisses. “Why would I ever choose you if this was how you’d end up?”

  “Mer,” I grind out. “Stop.”

  She bristles at my tone. “Just saying—”

  “Don’t.”

  Nate’s nostrils flare with fury. “You still love him. Fucking bitch. You used me. All these years you used me to get to him. Fucked me and had me do your and Manda’s legwork. I was the one who got us the money. Me. Not you or Manda. Me. And when it came time to fix things, it wasn’t you sneaking into his apartment, it was me. I put everything on the line. You couldn’t even bother to divorce your loser husband.”

  “Nate,” I growl. “Just go. She’s not worth all this. Trust me.”

  “Screw off, Winny,” Meredith hisses.

  “I risked everything for you,” Nate murmurs to Meredith, his voice cracking. “It was all a lie, wasn’t it? I was the pawn. It was never the three of us doing this together. It was always you and Manda.” He laughs and it’s empty. “I guess we know how this ends.”

  The finality in his tone has me stepping forward. With his free hand, he shoves the glass door open. Ash lets out an anguished cry as the blade cuts deeper into her flesh. I stop dead in my tracks.

  “Nate,” I plead. “Don’t do this. Please don’t fucking do this.”

  “You two can have each other,” Nate says in a defeated tone as he walks backwards onto the balcony. “It was always going to end that way. I was just too stupid to believe her.” Then to Meredith he shakes his head, disgust on his face. “I loved you. Since we were kids. I loved you and you always loved him. You could have married me but you didn’t. You chose Duncan because marrying me would be ‘too obvious’ and we’d never get what we wanted. I fucking believed you. Fuck.”

  He’s too close to the balcony edge. My heart is hammering in my chest but I don’t know what the fuck to do. I could charge for them but he’d probably slit her throat before I made it.