Page 75 of Embraced in Ink

“Let me in. I want to apologize.”

“Colin, just go.”

He put his hand on the door and pushed his way in, surprising her. He was much bigger than her, much stronger, something she really hadn’t noticed until now.

She staggered back, and Colin moved in, closing the door behind him and locking it. The sound echoed in the room, and she swallowed hard, her whole body shaking.

“What the hell? I didn’t say you could come in.”

“We need to talk. Get this out in the open. Let’s figure this out.”

“There’s nothing to figure out. You need to go. You’re not welcome here right now.”

“We can fix that.”

“I should rephrase my statement. You’re not welcome here…ever. Get out.”

Her phone was in her studio, and she didn’t have a house phone. Now, she regretted the fact that she didn’t carry her cell with her everywhere.

“We need to talk.”

“You need to go,” she said, taking a step back towards her studio. Colin moved with her, and she froze.

There was something off about him today. Something she couldn’t quite figure out.

He was scaring her, and that worried her.

“No, we’re going to talk this out. You and me. Just like it’s always been.”

He walked around her.

“You’re not with him? He’s not here?”

“That’s none of your concern. Go.” She made to move around him to get to the door, but he gripped her arm tight.

She pulled, but he was stronger. His fingers dug into her flesh, and her heart raced, her breath catching in her throat.

“You need to go.” She tried to keep her voice strong, but it was no use, the shake was coming out anyway.

“Bristol, we’ve been together for years. You and me. You can’t simply toss it away now that you have someone else. I understand that he’s special to you. But what about us? What about what we had? You and I? We could take over the world together. Never forget that. Never forget who I am for you.” His hand squeezed even harder, and she let out a yelping sound, trying to move away.

“Let go of me,” she rasped.

“I’m not going to hurt you, Bristol. But we need to talk.”

“We’re done. We’ve been done. I’m not doing this. You need to go.”

“You can’t do this to me!”

Bristol froze, the terror slamming through her like a wave of nausea.

“Colin. Please let go of me.” She tried to make her voice sound steady, but it was anything but.

“Why? Why should I let go of you? You just don’t understand.” He shook her, and she tried to get away, but he put his free hand on her other arm, squeezing even harder. He was far enough away, his muscles stretched tight, that she couldn’t kick at him. She couldn’t get away.

She struggled, but he held her closer and tighter.

“You can’t just not do the tour with me. Not do the song. I have done everything for you. I have helped you get where you are, and this is how you repay me? With disloyalty?” He shook her again, and she bit her tongue.