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They approached me before I could reach the car park, asking me for directions. The woman, clutching the arm of the man, stumbled as they made their way back to the path. I rushed over to help, kneeling down and wrapping my arms around her to steady her.
There were no missed calls or texts when I got to my phone. I tried to send a message on the dating app but was blocked. I drove home in a daze. I couldn’t believe Leah had stood me up without so much as a call or message.
I spent the evening drinking whiskey and scouring the app for any profile that resembled her, but she was just gone. I drank, grieving what I thought I’d lost in her.
It was morning before I realized my wallet was gone from my jacket.
It was a setup. The whole thing—the texts, the messages, the pictures—none of it was authentic. It was all a ploy to see if she could lure me to the middle of nowhere, using two elderly pawns to rob me.
Now, Ophelia and I will both pay the consequences.
‘Til death do us part.
CHAPTER 6
Haze
Ophelia breaks her silence,turning to me. “Can you tell me about the Villa? I’d feel better knowing something about it before we arrive.”
“It’s a beautiful place to come home to,” I say.
“I told you, I won’t call that place home.” A tear slides down her cheek. Angry she’s shown weakness, she swipes it away.
“God, don’t cry.” My words sound harsher than I meant. I’m already affectionate for her; the last thing I need is to see tears fall from her blue eyes.
“I’m not crying,” she snaps. “I don’t cry.”
“Okay.”
I have no idea what to say to a crying teenage girl who says she’s not crying. I try to come up with something, but it’s a wasted effort because she’s now sliding back into her nervous-talking phase.
“It’s not like I shouldn’t be crying if I were, which I wasn’t. If I did cry, I would think you’d be able to understand why. This whole thing—it’s... crazy!” Overwhelmed, she shakes her head.
I attempt to swallow back my soft feelings towards her. “Here. Put this on.” Lifting her coat from the seat, I lay it on her lap to calm her.
She pulls her jacket up to her chin, covering her chest like a blanket. “Breaking into my house… how did you even get inside?”
“Thank God I came into your room when I did,” I retort. “Who knows what could have happened with that shithead.”
She side-eyes me. “What you did wasn’t much better.”
“You begged me to keep going.” I want her to stop crying, so I give her a cocky grin.
The face I pull gets results. She rests her head against the headrest, throwing her hands in the air. “Gah! You’re insufferable.”
I’ll gladly take her anger over her sadness. “Do all teens use such big words?” I ask sarcastically.
She rolls her eyes. “Expensive school—large vocabulary.”
I don’t want to see another tear. I try to appease her, thinking of the benefits of our arrangement. “You’ll have everything you could ever want. All your needs will be met. You can study without having to work, and you can even graduate early if you like.”
“All in exchange for becoming your child bride.” She eyes me. “Should I also wear long braids and a dress down to my ankles?”
“No. You’ll wear Armani. Or Prada. Whatever designer you choose.” I stroke a finger over the satin fabric of the coat that covers her, tracing along the upper curve of her breast. Shesucks air in at my touch. “A gown made just for your body—the fabric, style, cut, all chosen to complement your beauty. Have you considered the upsides?”
Her hand swipes at mine, pushing me away from her. “Fate has played me a dastardly hand.”
Fate…