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I frowned, realizing I didn’t know what the escape route consisted of. But from the little I heard; it wasn’t good. “You must help him. I don’t care what you do.”
Alex considered it, eyeing me as he thought. “One condition.”
Shit. I knew the condition, and it went against everything I wanted. But what choice did I have? I got Marc into this; it was my responsibility to get him out. Even if I had to sacrifice my own newfound future to ensure he had his.
My eyes locked on Alex, and I tried not to cry as I nodded. “I’ll do it. I’ll be your wife.”
Mr. X could force a marriage, but he could never force my will. Only I could make the decision to bind myself to Alex, and once I did, I could never go back. I could nevergo.
Alex nodded, looking just as grim as I felt. He held out his hand, “Deal?”
My voice trembled as bad as my hand as I took his, whispering a weak, “Deal.”
He let me go, and I turned away to hide the tears rolling down my cheeks. I just sold my soul to the devil and his son. But it was a prize I was willing to pay if it meant Marc could live. No matter how bad it hurt to give up on everything I once dreamt of, I didn’t regret it. I was never meant to have a life anyway. I never thought I’d have a future. Now I had, and never in a million years could I have guessed it’d be as a fake wife to a gay man. If that wasn’t ironic, I didn’t know what was.
*
I wasn’tallowedto see Marc. Alex claimed it was too risky, and all I could do was pray and hope he was still alive. Days passed, and with each new morning my hope plummeted a little deeper. I met Alex at breakfast, and all he did was smile as if this was some normal family gathering.
Mr. X joined, and the looks he gave us made me want to crawl out of my skin. One good thing came out of me agreeing to play Alex’s little game. Mr. X left me alone. If he believed I accepted my fate, and possibly even took an interest in his son, all was well—expect him torturing a man in the basement for fun. The mere thought of it made me nauseous. I couldn’t eat. I barely got the coffee down without hurling.
My eyes were on Alex, searching his face for news, but he ate his freaking pancakes as if he had no care in the world.
Not until I kicked him under the table did he face me. “Not now, Kaylie.” He winked at me, as if I wanted his attention for something fun, rather than the pressing matter of someone’s life.
I gritted my teeth, turning my gaze to the uneaten food on my plate and tried to prepare for the worst.
Almost a week passed, and nothing happened. Every time I tried to bring it up, Alex changed the subject. He was as evasive as my father, and now I knew why. He lied. Avoided my questions so he wouldn’t have to tell me the truth. Did Alex do the same? Was his not telling me any good news, just his way of hiding the bad? If Marc died, I’d have no reason to follow through with our deal and he knew it. It was in his interest too to keep him alive. If he failed, he’d regret it. I’d make sure of it.
“Kids!” Mr. X’s sudden voice snapped me back to the dining room. My eyes darted to him. He was well dressed as usual. Wearing a dark gray suit, and his salt and pepper hair combed back and styled to perfection. “Only one week to go, isn’t it exciting!” He turned to me. “I see you’re adjusting well, Miss Remington?”
I managed a nod and a polite smile.
Mr. X chuckled. “Don’t be shy, sweetheart. I’m practically your father now.”
I tried not to cringe. I’d rather eat poison than havehimas a father-in-law.
“I hope Alex is treating you well,” he wiggled his thick eyebrows, adding with a twisted grin. “Don’t worry. I’m not expecting you to wait until marriage. Even if it’s just a week away.”
In the corner of my eye, Alex looked at me. My eyes flickered to him and his narrowed in warning.
“We are waiting, sir,” I said. “Don’t want to mess up the traditions.”
Mr. X laughed. “You’re a good girl aren’t you.” He turned to his son. “The perfect match, isn’t she?”
Alex grinned, and if I didn’t know better, I would have thought it was genuine. “Couldn’t be better.”
“I’ll leave you to it.” Mr. X rose, patted both our shoulders, then left while humming to himself. I waited until his voice and footsteps faded, then turned on Alex. “I was this close to tell him,” I hissed, pinching my fingers barely an inch apart to demonstrate. “Next time I will.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” The dark look on his face was intimidating on its own, but his tone… I shuddered. There were moments when I pitied him, when I saw an innocent boy behind the young man following in his daddy’s footsteps.
“Is Marc…” I didn’t want to say the word,alive. I feared thenotoo much.
“He’s fine,” Alex hissed, and I blinked at his choice of word.Fine? Fine! He was far fromfine.
“How can you—”
Alex slapped a hand to my mouth to shut me up, and I regretted shouting.
