I dragged my battered body onto the red carpet. Every step sent a tearing pain ripping through my abdomen.
Christian didn't offer a hand. He watched me struggle with the detached interest of a man observing something beneath him.
That was when my old phone buzzed.
Dennis had slipped it to me through someone before my release—a lifeline, he'd called it. The screen lit up with his name. Now, the sight of it was nothing but a sick joke.
Christian raised an eyebrow and gestured for me to answer.
I hit the green button and put it on speaker.
"Margot! Let me explain!"
Dennis's voice burst through, frantic and ragged.
"Nellie is just a pawn I'm using to keep the rival syndicate in check! Once she has the baby, I'll get rid of her!"
I let out a cold laugh, staring at the dried blood still caked under my fingernails.
"Your pawn is carrying your child and gunning for my seat. What do you take me for, Dennis? Your garbage collector?"
"Don't be reckless and marry that lunatic Finley! He'll destroy you! Where are you? I'm sending people right now—"
He was still trying to work me with that nauseating silver tongue of his.