Page 19 of The Marriage

“What is this place?” she demanded. “You said a spa. I figured massages, or saunas ... except I don’t think you—”

Over Roman’s shoulder she could see Mel staring at them. She could likely hear some of their conversation, but Karine didn’t really care.

He reached for her, putting his hands on her shoulders. She always delighted at his touch—it reminded her of who she was now; his wife—and this time was no different.

“Yeah, I got us a spot, which was what I said, and I didn’t lie about what this place looks like and basically is,” he said quickly. “And no, I haven’t changed my mind about this. We’re not going back to the hotel.”

Somehow, Karine had gotten this all wrong.

She felt it in her bones as he stared at her, being very careful to choose his words and not lie, but cutting her deep all the same.

“Karine,” he said softly.

Roman had been studying her every move with his eagle eye, and maybe he’d seen the lightbulb switch on inside her head, too.

God knew it was bright.

Blindingly so.

“Roman, what is going on?” she snapped.

FIVE

Roman wished for nothing more than the ability to be completely honest with Karine. She was his wife, after all—it was the very least she deserved. The woman, maybe the only person, whom he owed anything to. His father and grandfather had both set the precedent, as Avdonin men, to treat their women right. In a way that they would want to be treated by their wives, too, because if they could demand so much from the women they proclaimed to love, there was no excuse.

He hoped she would always tell him the truth, but on this, he had not offered her the same respect. Her clear, burning anger was justified.

Roman wanted to tell Karine the truth from the beginning about the private psychiatric facility, but he had to hide it from her for her own sake. There was no way that disclosing his plans to her would lead to anything good. More like, an incident he couldn’t handle alone.

That’s what concerned him the most. In order for their Vegas trip to work, they couldn’t afford to be put into a situation where they might draw attention. What would have happened if Karine had a meltdown that ended badly simply because he didn’t think she could handle the truth?

The last five days had gone exactly the way he’d pictured their honeymoon together—or rather, what he hoped for. He wanted to give her a taste of what a normal life with him might have felt like. What he wanted their marriage to look like when all of this was over, and he could finally give her the world.

He hoped he’d been successful.

She’d been so happy. Blissfully unaware. He gave her every breathing moment of his days for as long as he possibly could—but now it was time they faced reality.

Was it going to hurt?

Yeah.

Just a little.

Roman was so fucking sorry for that.

His main duty was to keep her safe—this place offered exactly that. Michelle had helped to find the right facility because that had really been the most troublesome part in the whole equation when they needed a mixture of things. Therapeutic help for Karine, should she want to continue down that path with another doctor. Privacy not just for her sake, but also safety. It helped that the doctor who would be working with Karine here knew Michelle, and promised to tie up paperwork and anything else she could just to extend the stay as long as they needed.

Was that what he wanted?

No.

The idea of leaving Karine here, locked behind the high, stone walls that surrounded the property was killing him. It’d been killing him ever since he got word from Michelle that everything was a go. He didn’t sleep. Couldn’t. Not that she had noticed because he made a special effort to keep it from her. Instead, he let guilt chew him alive every single fucking night that she slept peacefully beside him during their stay in Vegas.

Roman was willing to spend as much money, and use all his resources for this—to make it work. It was a treatment and rehabilitation facility with a luxury feel, yes, but it had a larger purpose for Karine’s stay.

Who would look for her here?

Who would even know?