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"That’s sick," I protested, and she lifted her gaze to look at me. There was a resignation in her eyes.
"You think I don’t know that?" she muttered. "You think me and my family didn’t try to think of any other way we could get out of this? If there was anything, anything we could have done to make that money and keep this from happening …"
She gestured to herself, and the ring on her finger flashed in the light. I could see dark rings under her eyes, as though it had been weeks since she’d last slept well.
"You can divorce him," I urged her. "Get the police involved; tell them you’ve been blackmailed—"
She let out a bark of laughter.
"You really think that would do anything?" she demanded, her eyes fixed on mine. "After everything that’s happened? You think that would matter at all?”
I knew she was right. This man, if he had really done what she was accusing him of, wasn’t going to back off just because she threatened him with the police. And in his line of work, there was no doubt he’d have a few cops on his payroll, too. He wouldn’t let her get away. If he had decided she belonged to him, then it was going to stay that way, no matter what came next.
Shit. I couldn’t just walk away from her while she was like this. How could her family have let this happen? My mind drifted to the memory of her father’s death. If he’d known what was going to happen to her as a result, would he have done it? Would he have gone through with it? Or would he have held back to protect her?
Gregor could have been the one who pushed him to it, the one who nudged him towards this so he could get what he wanted from Morgan. I knew how deep these rabbit holes went, and how easy it would be for someone to get drawn into them if they weren’t aware of what they were up against.
"Why did he do this?" I muttered.
"Because he wants a child," she replied bluntly. "And he expects me to carry it for him."
I stared at her, not sure I was hearing her right. Marriage was one thing, but a kid? He expected her to have his kid?
"You’re serious?" I demanded. "Do you … Have you slept with him?"
"That’s none of your business," she replied, her cheeks flushing bright red.
"If he’s forcing you into it, it’s my fucking business," I muttered, staring at her. I couldn’t stand by and let something like that happen, no matter who he was, what kind of man he claimed to be. He was sick—utterly and completely sick—but forcing her into this? It would have been more than I could take.
"He hasn’t yet," she confessed. "But I … I don’t know how long I can hold him off. He expects me to … to … perform my wifely duties."
I closed my eyes, hearing those words come out of her mouth. Gregor, I had always known, was one of the cruelest men in this world, one of the nastier sorts you could deal with in this line of work. But this? Forcing her to be his wife and to perform as his lover too? A mother to his child? It was beyond twisted. She didn’t have long before he came to demand what he thought he was owed from her, and the thought of her having to …
"Oh, I see you’ve met my wife."
I spun around to find Gregor strolling into the room, a smile on his face as he made his way towards Morgan. She quickly wiped the tears away from her face as he put an arm around her waist and pulled her towards him. I could see the way her whole body stiffened at his touch; the disgust written all over her face.
"Yes, good to meet you, Morgan," I told her, forcing the words out of my mouth. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, or my eyes off of the way he was holding her, grabbing onto her like he felt as though he deserved to. She shouldn’t have to put up with this.
A plan was starting to form in my head. Something to get her out of it, anything. I didn’t care what it took, how dangerous it was, I couldn’t just stand by and let this happen.
"Thanks for making the time for me today, Gregor," I told him, keeping my voice as steady as I could. "But something’s come up. I need to go. I’ll be in contact soon, okay?"
Gregor’s face flashed with annoyance.
"I don’t appreciate having my time wasted," he warned me. I met his gaze steadily. If he thought he was going to scare me off, he had another thing coming.
"You have nothing to worry about," I told him. "I respect your time, Gregor."
Even if I don’t respect anything else about you.
I took my leave, stealing one last glance at Morgan over my shoulder before I went. Her blue eyes were fixed on mine, pleading, begging, silently praying that I would be able to find some way to get her out of this.
I didn’t know how. But I knew, for damn sure, that I had to try.
Chapter Five – Morgan
I shifted in my seat, the short dress Gregor had insisted I wear tonight threatening to ride up every time I moved.
