Page 120 of Firefly
“One minute you’re talking about loving me,” I spit angrily. “Then the next you are a fucking psychopath!” I yell, and his expression twists into something ugly.
“You should be grateful,” he states, and I laugh bitterly despite the fear clawing up my spine.
“For what? Being treated like an object?”
“For me wanting you at all!” he growls.
There it is. The truth. Not love. Ownership. Possession. A shiny trophy wife standing beside the Augustine name while he controls every breath I take.
“You need help,” I whisper shakily. “Seriously… what the fuck happened to you?” I ask, and something dangerous flashes across his face.
Then suddenly, he leans closer, smiling coldly.
“You know what happens to girls who embarrass men like me?”
My stomach drops.
“They disappear.”
Fear finally crashes fully through me then. Real fucking fear. Because Brayden says it so casually like he’s thought it before. Like maybe he already knows exactly how easy it would be to bury me somewhere nobody will ever find me, or better yet, throw me inside Hillsboro Institute where no one will ever come looking.
“Don’t threaten me,” I whisper as his fingers tighten briefly around my throat before finally letting go completely.
“You keep pushing me, Ophelia,” he growls as I bring my fingers to my neck, rubbing the ache while tears blur my vision. “I don’t know who the fuck that guy was tonight,” he says darkly. “But if you embarrass me again…” He leans closer. “I’ll ruin your life so badly you’ll beg your father to send you to Brimstone House.”
My blood runs cold because he knows exactly what that place means to me. Exactly what kind of threat that is. And suddenly, Hayden's words from earlier echo violently in my chest.He needs to die.
For the first time… I understand exactly why Hayden kills so easily. Because men like Brayden don’t stop. They escalate.
The rest of the drive home passes in horrible silence.
By the time we pull into my driveway, I feel emotionally scraped hollow. He cuts the engine before looking at me one final time.
“You’ll apologize tomorrow.”
I stare straight ahead. “No.”
The answer visibly shocks him. Good. Because I’m tired of being afraid.
“You think somebody’s gonna save you?” he asks through gritted teeth, and immediately, my mind betrays me with Hayden’s face. Always Hayden.
“You should leave,” I whisper instead as he stares at me for a long moment before finally grabbing my chin roughly one last time.
“You're gonna marry me eventually,” he growls. “Might as well learn obedience now.”
Then he lets me go and I climb from the car shaking. Not weak shaking. I’m furious.
Seconds later, he peels out of my driveway before another set of headlights appear.My father. Perfect timing.
I quickly wipe my tears before he notices.
He steps out of the car looking strangely pleased tonight. “You handled yourself well at the gala,” he says calmly while adjusting his cufflinks. “Brayden spoke highly of your behavior.”
The irony nearly makes me laugh hysterically.
“Thank you,” I say, and he nods approvingly.
“I’m leaving tonight for another work trip,” he says as relief crashes through me so hard my knees almost buckle.
