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Chapter 1
Excited jitters swept waves of tingling warmth through me as I danced around my room. The gorgeous sweeping white dress I’d be wearing down the aisle hung off the back of my closet door, the light from the moon illuminating it in an almost ethereal way.
Soon–tomorrow–I would be walking down the aisle to Harvey, and even the thought had me throwing myself back on the bed and beaming. Sleep was a lost cause, but I’d figured it would be. No one would judge me for being too excited to sleep the day before my wedding.
Looking around at my room and all the boxes stacked within it, I sighed blissfully. Soon I wouldn’t be staying here anymore. After tomorrow I’d be moving in with Harvey, and we would start our married life.
The ring glinted on my finger, its weight a comfort as I touched it.
Soon.
When the nerves and excitement didn’t abate after thirty minutes, and I’d done nothing but stare at the ceiling, I sat up. There was no point in trying to sleep; I may as well be productive instead.
I wasn’t supposed to see Harvey before the wedding, but I doubted he’d care if I stopped by. He’d never been the one to follow the rules.
Breezing out of my room, I walked down to the guest one Harvey claimed. The nearby window offered the only light, a beam of white cutting through the darkness and illuminating the hallway as I raised a hand to knock.
“Harvey, I know we’re not supposed to see each other before tomorrow, but can I stay with you? I’m too excited to sleep.” I said, waiting a second.
No response.
Maybe he’d already gone to sleep?
Gently turning the knob, I looked inside, frowning at the empty room that met me. Usually, Harvey slept early and always on the dot, at the same time every night.
Could his excitement have knocked him off the schedule he lived and breathed on?
Giddy warmth vibrated through me and I smiled, making for the study next. If he couldn’t sleep, he would’ve gone there to try to get some work done. He’d always hated wasting time.
When the heavy wood door came in sight, I raised my hand and went to knock, only to freeze when Harvey’s voice drifted to my ears.
“Would you get off my ass? Tomorrow is my wedding, and this can wait.”
Oh, his boss must be badgering him again. That’d been happening more and more often lately. A pang of sympathy hit, and I went to step back. I would make some of his favorite tea to calm him down and by the time it was done, he should be done with his call.
Before I could leave and give him privacy, though, he kept talking.
“Yes, I’m aware that I have a part to uphold in the deal. The bitch’s body will be disposed of properly. It just has to wait until the wedding is over!”
Everything froze, the only sound was the hammering beat of my heart and the rush of blood in my ears.
What was he talking about?
Harvey worked in an office, a normal nine-to-five job…so why was he talking about dead bodies and ‘disposing’ of them?
Soul deep dread fisted a hand around my heart as I stayed stuck to the spot, listening in as every word he said sank my stomach further.
“Look, I’ve been planning for years how to get my hands on her family’s money, and I’m not backing out now just to handle something that can wait a day. After the wedding, I’ll come and deal with it, alright?”
I bit my hand to muffle any noises I would have made otherwise as pain and confusion buzzed in my head like angry hornets. My family money; I’d only ever mentioned it once. It was a small fortune that’d been left to me.
He was marrying me…for that?
Memories rose, fighting to contradict the outlandish thought. Times that we’d gone out on dates, nights spent curled together watching movies, and even the times we’d argued only to apologize afterward hit, playing behind my eyes like a movie.
I had to be misunderstanding something. The Harvey I’d grown to care for couldn’t do this. Despite that, he kept talking, and the more he did, the more my stomach shriveled.
“I have several spots to dispose of the bodies, take your pick. Last time I used my property bordering the swamp in Louisiana, so don’t choose that one. We don’t want any cops to come sniffing.”
