Chapter 42

"Mr. Lucas... please..."

Susan Thompson's voice was hoarse beyond recognition, as if scraped by sandpaper. She curled up in the bathroom corner, fingernails digging deep into her palms.

"Susan!"

Ethan Sullivan pounded frantically on the bathroom door. The metal doorknob burned against his palm but remained immovable. He kicked the solid wood door with full force, the expensive hotel material absorbing the impact with a dull thud.

He should have noticed something was wrong ten minutes ago.

When Andrew Lucas followed Susan out of the private room, the hairs on his neck stood up. Now, behind this locked door, faint sounds of fabric tearing reached his ears.

"Andrew! Open the damn door!"

Ethan's knuckles turned red. He spun toward the front desk, his suit jacket flapping behind him. Every second waiting for the key felt like torture.

The lock's turning sounded unnaturally loud.

Andrew stepped out calmly, his tie still perfectly straight. Behind him, Susan resembled a butterfly battered by storm, her evening dress in tatters.

"You bastard!"

Ethan's roar echoed through the bathroom. He wrapped his jacket around Susan's trembling shoulders, his heart wrenching when his fingers brushed her ice-cold skin.

Susan buried her face in her knees. What terrified her most wasn't Andrew's violence, but being seen like this by someone important. Daniel's innocent eyes flashed in her mind, making her stomach twist.

"Let's get you to the hospital."

Ethan's voice softened suddenly. He lifted Susan with the care one would give fragile glass art.

Neon lights flashed outside the car window. Staring at the bruises on her wrist, Susan suddenly remembered being carried to the ER by her adoptive mother during a high fever at fifteen.

"Marry me."

Ethan slammed the brakes abruptly. The red traffic light painted his usually cheerful eyes crimson.

Susan jerked her head up.

"I know what you're thinking." Ethan gripped the steering wheel. "Andrew was your ex-husband, wasn't he?"

In the rearview mirror, Susan watched shock bloom across her pale reflection.

"So what?" Ethan turned to her, gaze burning. "I want to marry the Susan standing before me now. Not anyone's ex-wife."

Raindrops suddenly pounded the windshield. Watching the blurred lights outside, Susan saw something fatherly in this man for the first time.