Galloway Group had been on a meteoric rise these past two years, going from strength to strength.
In this city, nobody dared disrespect Galloway Group.
Crossing Toby was the same as crossing the entire Galloway empire.
Toby whipped around to the security guards behind him and roared.
"What are you standing around for? Get him! Show this lowlife what happens when he pisses me off!"
The words had barely left his mouth before two burly guards surged forward and seized my arms, one on each side.
The security guards had iron grips. My arms burned where they pinned me.
"I'd suggest you let go of me. You'll regret it if you don't."
My voice came out cold, like something dredged from the bottom of a frozen lake.
Toby, though, threw his head back and laughed as if he'd just heard the funniest joke of his life.
"Regret?"
"Who do you think you're threatening?"
"This isn't five years ago, pal. You're a broke ex-con. You're nothing to me. Less than nothing. An insect."
"Forget hitting you. I could put you in the ground and there wouldn't be a damn thing you could do about it."
I narrowed my eyes, watching him close the distance between us.
He stopped one step away and looked down at me, savoring the angle.
A long, deliberate pause.
Then he bent slowly at the waist, seized my chin between his fingers, and tilted my face up. His eyes glittered with provocation.
"Duke Gilbert, you're pathetic."
"I called you a cuckold and you still can't accept it!"
Pathetic.
Cuckold.
His words echoed over and over in my ears, and the restaurant dissolved around me. I was back. Five years ago.
That day was my engagement banquet with Fay.
The ceremony had reached the cake-cutting when Toby stepped forward, cradling an ornate gift box in both hands.
The lid came off. Nestled inside was a cake, and perched on top of it, molded in vivid fondant, sat a bright green tortoise.
The thing was emerald from head to tail, disturbingly lifelike.
Two glossy black eyes stared straight at me, mocking me without a sound.
Laughter erupted around the room.
Every guest was pointing, whispering, sneering. Nobody even tried to hide it.
They were all waiting to see what I'd do. Waiting for the show.
But Toby wasn't done.
He leaned in close, dropping his voice to a murmur only the two of us could hear.
"So what if you run a company? You're still marrying a tramp I already had my fun with!"
"You're pathetic. A cuckold. That's all you'll ever be."