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“I have to get out of here.” I try to move past him, but he swoops me into his arms, carrying me back to the bed.
“The only place you’re going is to get a CT scan of your entire body.”
“I can’t. I’m fine. Nothing is broken.” I turn to sit on the side of the bed. Mikael’s jaw that I was admiring moments ago hardens.
“Well, Ezra said if you didn’t come down for one so he could give you a clean bill of health, he’d have to report what happened to the police in good conscience.”
“It won’t matter. If Edward knows, he’ll already be—”
“He doesn’t know.”
“But how?”
“We did some digging and put things together. The name Aurora isn’t the most common, and it’s on a wedding announcement.” I relax some. “Only I, my brother, and Marco know you’re here at the moment. Oh, and Ruby.” My stomach drops. Is that his wife? Why do I care? Still, my eyes go to his left hand, but I don’t see a ring. Relief fills me, which I know is ridiculous because I don’t even know this man.
“Who’s Ruby?” I can’t hide the jealous tone of my voice. I swear he smirks.
“Most days you’d think she was my mother, but she keeps the house in order for me.”
“Okay, I’ll go for the scan.” I don’t really have an option.
“Good, now get back in bed. I want to see if we can get some food into you with these pain pills.” I slip back into the bed. Mikael pulls the blanket over me. “You’re scared of him. I take it you don’t want to marry him.”
“I don’t want to marry him. Honestly, I don’t really know him. I met him once over a year ago. Then a few weeks ago, my stepmother informed me I’d be marrying him. When I tried to protest, she said it was too late. Before I knew it, I was on a plane coming here.” I still can’t believe that Mara basically sold me so that she could maintain the lifestyle she was accustomed to.
“He do anything else to you I need to know about?” His words are calm, but I sense a darkness under them.
“No, he smacked me when I wasn’t more grateful or excited to see him.” I reach up and touch my lip. “Then we went to some office. That’s when I made my escape. I knew it was then or never. I couldn't let him get me back to where he lived.” The thought of what would have happened to me once Edward got me to his place sends a shiver through my body.
“Good girl.” Mikael’s praise warms me and makes me relax more.
“I know I have no right asking you this, but I don’t really have anything to lose.” A humorless laugh leaves me. I really don’t have anything to lose. I have nothing. “Can I stay here for a bit? Until I figure things out. Maybe I could help Ruby with things around here or—”
“You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart. I can promise you that.”
“Thank you.”
“Like I said, don't thank me yet.”
4
MIKAEL
“I think you should be up front with her,” suggests Ezra. “Tell her that you’ll pay off whatever debt she owes Blackstone in return for marrying you.”
“And if she says no, do I lock her up and beat her until she agrees?” I flick through the photos of wedding dresses that Ruby found for me, pulling out the ones that would fit Aurora the best. She looks like a girl who would like a big princess gown.
“I just don’t want to wake up to find you knifed in your bed by an angry shrew.” Ezra leans over and taps one of the photos. “This one.”
I pick it up and survey the ballgown with the millions of crystals hand sewn into the bodice and the skirt. If she stood in the sun, there would be enough reflection to light up an entire city block. “I’m a light sleeper. Yes. I like this one, too.”
“If you aren’t going to be honest with her, what do you plan to do?”
“Offer the protection of my name and bank account. A girl in her situation does not appear to have many options.”
“And if she finds out you used her for revenge, what then?”
I toss the other photos in the trash and set the selected gown to the side to give to Ruby. “How would she learn of it? I don’t plan to tell her. Do you?”
Ezra rolls his eyes. “Of course not.” He gets to his feet and snatches the photo from my desk. “I’ll give this to Ruby while you go propose to the girl.”
“I can’t yet. I need to pay a visit to Blackstone.”
Upstairs, I find Aurora struggling to get out of bed again. “Do you have a schedule to attend?”
