Page 9

I close my eyes like he instructed, but sleep feels miles away.
Billie thinks I’m in danger. Her warning echoes in my mind as I sink deeper into darkness.WAKE THE FUCK UP!
* * *
The soft thudof the car door closing wakes me from a restless sleep. My eyelids flutter open, heavy with fatigue. Through the windshield, the headlights shine on a grand two-story mansion that looks impressive but also eerie under the pale moonlight.
My door swings open, and Micah stands there, smiling.
“We’re here,” he says, reaching his hand out to me. The other one is effortlessly holding our duffel bags.
I packed a few things quickly, mainly just the essentials, since he promised we wouldn’t be going out.
“This place is amazing,” I say, totally taken in by the architecture. Then I freak out when I realize I don’t have my phone. I quickly swing the car door open wider and bend down to check the floorboard.
“Looking for something?” Micah asks.
“My phone,” I reply, my voice tense.
“I’ve got it,” he says casually. “This week, we’re focusing on our wedding with no distractions. I turned mine off too.”
An uncomfortable feeling washes over me, tightening my chest. “May I please have it back?”
“No,” he replies, still smiling, but now there’s a hint of control in his tone.
The moonlight casts shadows on his face, highlighting the unsettling determination in his jaw. “You’ll get it when we head back to the city. You’ll thank me later.”
A tense silence hangs between us, and I don’t know what to say. My phone is my only contact with the outside world.
“Okay,” I finally say. He won’t budge.
I follow him toward the mansion. With every step up the grand staircase leading to the entrance, I feel more and more disconnected from the real world—mysafeworld.
He unlocks the heavy front door and pushes it open effortlessly. We enter, and as beautiful as it is, the mansion feels like an isolated fortress. It’s only then I realize I have no clue where I am. The entryway lights flicker on, revealing a gorgeous staircase that spirals upward toward the second floor.
“Wow,” I whisper, my voice echoing in the spacious foyer as I take in the elegant archways and high ceilings.
Every step forward only highlights the mansion’s cold emptiness.
“I designed this place myself,” he says proudly, watching me closely. “Pretty cool, right? Just like I imagined it.”
“It’s incredible,” I agree, feeling oddly small, standing inside his creation.
“And to think, you’re marrying someone so fucking talented,” Micah adds playfully, giving me a flirtatious wink.
I manage a soft laugh, though it doesn’t quite reach my heart.
He leads me up the stairs, guiding me by the small of my back down the hallway.
He opens the door to the bedroom and sets our bags down as he turns on the recessed lighting. A huge balcony outside the glass sliding doors overlooks the sea that sparkles in the moonlight, but it feels strangely distant.
Am I in the Hamptons?
A huge four-poster bed takes center stage in the room. It’s decked out with soft linens and surrounded by shiny oak furniture. Hanging above the bed is an abstract painting with strokes of bright blues, yellows, and reds, which feels too vibrant for my mood.
“Do you like it here so far?” Micah asks, stepping closer, his voice hopeful. “I think it’ll be perfect for our little getaway. After we’re married, maybe we can take full residence here.”
I nod, and he takes a step toward me. I notice how he holds my waist and the way his fingers grip me roughly.