Chapter 3

When I arrived at the bar where Ryan was waiting, I fixed my makeup before stepping into the private room.

Ryan waved me over, and I helped him up. He grabbed my hand instead and pulled me onto his lap. "Ms. Reed, since you're here, why rush off? Got a hot date waiting or something?"

The woman sprawled in his arms chimed in sweetly, "Ms. Reed's always so busy. She is not like me. I only love you, Mr. Grant."

Ryan's lackey, Jake Turner, sauntered over with a glass in hand. "Ryan, since Charlotte finally showed up, how about you do me a favor and let her have a drink with me?"

Ryan pointed at Jake and laughed, then shoved me straight into his arms. "I'm in a good mood today. I'll let you have your fun—but don't break our Ms. Reed."

The room erupted in knowing laughter. Ryan was deliberately humiliating me, letting glass after glass be forced down my throat. Someone pinched my mouth open, and I choked on a mouthful of liquor.

I finally broke free and braced myself against the table, gasping for air.

Alcohol had soaked the front of my clothes. Jake's gaze lingered on me, leering and undisguised. His Adam's apple bobbed as he grinned slyly, then looked at Ryan. "Ryan, Charlotte's clothes are soaked. I'll take her to change."

Ryan said nothing. Jake took it as consent.

I had drunk far too much. My body went limp against Jake, and I could only let him scoop me up and carry me away.

I struggled in his arms, but I was too drunk to put up any real fight. The more I squirmed, the more excited he got. "Well, well. Can't wait already? Don't rush. I will take real good care of you in a minute."

Suddenly, a shadow fell over us. With a heavy thud, Edward punched Jake right in the face, and I tumbled straight into Edward's arms.

Jake sprawled on the floor, then scrambled up, pointing at Edward and cursing. "Edward, what the hell are you doing?"

Several bodyguards rushed over from around the corner. They were clearly Ryan's men.

Edward set me down against the wall and turned back, landing another punch on Jake.

In a flash, the bodyguards swarmed on Edward, fists and boots flying. Jake leaned against the wall and sneered, "You're nothing but a nobody.

"You really think you're some kind of hero, swooping in to save the day? That's rich.

"Get him! Don't hold back—beat him till he's begging for his life."

I panicked, and the shock sobered me up in a flash. "Stop it! Don't hit him. Please, just stop. I'm begging you."

No matter how hard I screamed, the chaos in front of me didn't slow down. Crying, I crawled over to Jake and begged, "Jake, I'm begging you. Let him go. This is my fault—it has nothing to do with him. Just spare him. I'll do anything."

Jake wiped the smirk off his face and straightened up against the wall. "This isn't my call—you'll have to beg Ryan."

That was when it finally hit me—tonight had been a setup that Ryan had laid for Edward, and I was the bait.

Ryan emerged from the private room, impeccably dressed and radiating authority.

I turned and crawled toward him instead, pleading over and over. "Ryan, it's all my fault. I was wrong. Please—let him go."

Ryan crouched down in front of me, hooked a finger under my chin, and forced me to look at him. "Charlotte, look at me—I'm your fiancé. What makes you think you have the right to beg for a bastard like him?"