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“They won’t?” I ask.
He chuckles as he moves his head from side to side a couple of times. Then all humor vanishes, and his eyes find mine.
Holding mine.
The smile completely fades as he stares at me. My entire body breaks out in a sheen of sweat. I feel as if I’m beneath a microscope, being studied by this man, and I’m not sure what he thinks he’s found, but when he does, he pushes off the counter and takes a step backward.
“The police are not going to put your picture on the nightly news, babe. This can’t be lost on you. No reports will be made. No looking in the desert for your body. Nothing. Your husband and his men may look for you for a little while, but even they will move on, and you will be right here, just a few miles away the entire time.”
“And if I say no?” I ask.
He snorts. “You don’t have that option. You know how this world works.”
Sliding my tongue over my bottom lip, I shake my head as I pinch my eyes closed. He’s right. About everything. I am screwed, and the odds that the Devil’s Hellions even know where I am is extremely low.
I do know how this world works, unfortunately. All I want to do is to curl up into a ball and sleep. But I can’t do that. At least not yet. I have a lot of fighting I need to prepare myself for, because none of this is going to be easy, but I meant it when I said that I would not live this life.
I refuse.
“There are some clothes in the bedroom. Go and change. We have an engagement,” he announces, then turns around and walks away.
I watch him for just a moment as he crosses the living room, until he disappears down the other hallway. His bedroom is probably down there, but I have no desire to find out exactly where it’s located.
Spinning around, I hurry toward my room and lock the door behind me when I slip inside. It’s then, as soon as the lock flicks into place, that I realize it’s bullshit.
It’s all bullshit.
This lock is bullshit; it’s just a semblance of safety. He could come in here at any moment and do whatever the hell he wants to do. Sucking in a deep breath, I let it out slowly and push off the wall. Moving through the room, I stop at the closet and wrap my fingers around the knob.
As if something is going to jump out and get me, I gently tug the door open. There is only one item in the closet. It’s like nothing I would ever pick out for myself, and yet, it’s been chosen for me.
A bright red bandeau minidress.
I hate it.
If he makes me crawl at his feet the way Cyrus did, I might just scream.
ChapterThirty-Five
PIPER
Slipping into the dress,I walk out of the bedroom, still barefoot, but I’m not afraid to run away barefoot. It wouldn’t be the first time. It probably won’t be the last either. I will never bow down to this man, to whatever his plans are—I refuse.
He stands in the living room wearing a suit, and as if he can feel my presence, his head swings over and his eyes find mine. His gaze slides down to my feet, then slowly back up to meet my own. It feels as if he’s actually touching me instead of just looking at me.
“Let’s get this over with,” he mutters.
I have no idea what we’re getting over with. But he is ready to go, and even though I’m not wearing any shoes, I follow behind him. He opens the front door and takes a step out, waiting for me to walk past him.
I’m not sure what I expect to happen, but it isn’t to be walking down the hallway of his building where all his neighbors can see if they want. Especially with the way he mentioned it before, but maybe it’s okay this time because I’m freshly showered and changed? I don’t know, and I don’t bother asking because it’s the least of my worries.
Instead of moving up the staircase to the roof, we make our way to the elevator and ride down to the lobby area.
It’s empty.
This whole building is like a ghost town.
He said that he had nosy neighbors, but I have a hard time believing that considering I’ve seen not a single solitary soul, not even a bellman or anyone behind the reception desk. Nobody.
