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“I know what I want,” I said, licking my lips. “I know what I need, but…”
I trailed off, unsure if I should dare say what was on my mind. He waited, and I finally decided to finish my thoughts. “I don’t know that I’ll ever be enough for all of you.”
Atticus let out a roar and grabbed me, pushing me down until I was lying on the bed. He climbed on top of me, his lips twisting into a mischievous grin. “I don’t know why you need reassurance or what more I can do to convince you that I’m on board with whatever you desire. But when all is said and done, you will have it all, Little Monster. I didn’t fight the ranks of this empire just to give you a mediocre existence. Augustus and Leo will join us even if I have to tie them to your wrists or beat them into submission. You understand?”
I nodded, unsure what to say. Something about his words sounded like a threat. “Okay,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. “Will Leo come to see me while you’re gone?” I asked.
A shadow crossed his face. “If you wish.”
“Will you hurry back?”
Atticus grimaced and kissed me again. He got up and walked to the door. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
I watched him leave, wondering if he really believed his own words. I thought about the things I’d seen, the things I’d done. The danger being a part of this world could be. I’d seen countless people torn down and discarded, draped with cobwebs and left to decay in the shadows. There was no guarantee that I wouldn’t be another forgotten casualty left to rot.
I stayed in my room for a few more hours, unable to keep my mind off Atticus. I needed something to keep me busy. I kept thinking back to his promises and his words. I had to get out of this room. I might have been the only prisoner here, but I’d have rather been in a cage with a hundred chains than alone in his bed, smelling his sheets, wearing his button-up shirt.
I got up and grabbed my shoes, then threw a cloak around my shoulders and opened the door. I was surprised to find no one on guard outside. I was even more surprised to find that I had free rein of the rooms on the floor. I took a few turns, running down halls and climbing stairs. Aside from my quick dinner with his parents, I’d not had time to take in the tower. It was huge. It was stunning.
It was the kind of place only a psychopath could love. There was no warmth or personal effects. It was masculine but looked like it belonged on the cover of a magazine, not somewhere someone lived and breathed. It was cold and harsh. Just like Atticus.
Being alone without a guard felt like a trick. The moving cameras overhead were a stark reminder that I was never alone. Atticus probably instructed everyone to give me the illusion of privacy, despite the cage he’d locked me in.
I finally stopped in front of a large arched window that towered tall in the room. I touched my fingers to the cool glass and sighed. I felt trapped. This was all so confusing.
“Hello, darling. Atticus said you might be out and about.”
Elizabeth DuPont stood smiling, with her fingers tangled in front of her. The morning light cast a halo around her head. She was truly angelic. “I was wondering if you’d like to spend some time together today.”
I opened my mouth, not sure how I was going to tell this woman I was in no mood to socialize, but she held her hand up, forcing me to stop talking. “I contemplated manicures or having my stylist visit, but then I realized you probably didn’t want to do any of that. But I think I found something that you’ll enjoy. Follow me, darling.”
And with those words, she spun on her heels and started walking down the hall. I let out a shaky breath before following after her.
I didn’t trust this woman. Every second I spent with her made my skin crawl. She was too perfect, and I wasn’t sure if she was genuinely friendly or if she was more calculating than I realized. I was under Atticus’s thumb. I had no choice but to trust him. But I still couldn’t shake the feeling that Elizabeth was neither friend nor foe—just a brutal pawn in this game.
She led me to a plain door that seemed to have no purpose or reason. She opened it and I walked inside. I stood there, stunned and silent. Tears instantly sprung to my eyes. No…no way…
I closed my eyes. I opened them again, just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
It was glorious. A full-size training room with mats, workout equipment, and a punching bag. It was all state of the art, and a few men were grappling on the ground, letting out loud grunts as they wrestled. “You seemed like you needed to let off some steam,” she said with a shrug while beaming at me.
I had a feeling she was pleased with my response. I ran my hand over a rack of weights while she observed me. “Thank you. I’ve been needing…”
“We all have our outlets, darling,” she said with a coy smile. The posh woman looked out of place in this room meant for sweat and skill. Her skin glistened and the diamond studs in her ears shone brightly under the fluorescent lights.
“What’s your outlet?” I asked, curious about her. A shadow crossed her features, the look unexpected but hauntingly familiar.
“I’ll let you in on a secret, Christine,” she said, her eyes clouded with sadness. “I might be a DuPont, but I’m trapped in this game just like you. Just like everyone else.”
My chest tightened, and I felt suffocated. This beautiful woman could be telling the truth. She could be just as trapped as I was. I swallowed and took a steadying breath. “I don’t believe that. I don’t believe I’m trapped here. I will get out.”
Her eyes twinkled, and she looked almost like she wanted to laugh. “The heart has chains, even if you can’t see them. You can feel them.”
A strange breeze rushed over me and I shivered. I felt like I was in the presence of something dark and deadly.
“You never answered my question,” I finally replied.
“Pain,” she replied, her voice as dry as the desert. “Pain is my outlet. Something my husband is incredibly skilled at. Is that too dark for you?”
