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Eden

I didn’t see Bishop for the rest of the evening. I watched television for a while—reruns of an old nineties’ sitcom—and ordered a hot chocolate from room service because I didn’t want to drink coffee. I was already going to find it difficult to sleep, coffee would just make it worse.

The television was mostly background noise to my thoughts. Mainly, how had I become so desperate that marrying a virtual stranger in return for the safety he promised was my only option? Sitting in the hotel room, looking down at the gold band on my finger, I couldn’t believe I’d gone through with it. After everything I’d lived through with Chester, why did I trust Bishop not to behave the same way? He could very easily be just as violent as my ex-boyfriend. He was bossy, domineering, clearly used to getting his own way, and yet he didn’t scare me. He should but …

I glanced toward the door he’d disappeared through.

I wondered about the woman he’d been seeing. The one that had sent him to the extreme decision to offer marriage in return for safety. From the way he’d talked about her, it didn’t seem like it had been a serious relationship, so why couldn’t he just say it was over and walk away? Why did he need to present the woman with a wife? Why couldn’t he have just taken a girlfriend to the party?

You’ve married into a dangerous family, Eden .

His words whispered through my head. What did that mean? How dangerous? Had I moved from one dangerous situation into one that could be worse?

I stared down at the ring, willing it to give me answers, but it just shone under the light. Gold, cold, and silent.

Another two hours passed of me sitting, thoughts swirling around in circles, while the television went through one episode after another.

How long would it be before Chester caught up to me? While I was still married to Bishop? After? Would he be able to see through whatever new life Bishop built for me? Or was he really as good as I was told?

And that took me right back to the fact I had just married a man I barely knew.

When one a.m. rolled around and Bishop stayed firmly in his room, I pushed up off the couch, made my way to the other bedroom and crawled into the bed. One of the last thoughts I had before sleep took hold was that very soon, I would have to play the role of a woman in love … and I wasn’t sure if I could do it.

***

“I don’t think I’ve ever flown as much in my life as I have since meeting you.” I followed Bishop through the airport and out into the chill Baltimore air.

He turned his head to glance at me but didn’t say anything. I was beginning to learn that Bishop didn’t really talk unless he had something to say. Small talk wasn’t part of his makeup, and the longer we were in the air, the more I wanted to fill the silence with nervous chatter to stop myself from telling him I’d changed my mind. Marrying him was a bad decision and I wanted to get out of it.

If I did that, I’d lose my one shot at escaping Chester, and it was the only thing that stopped me.

“Isn’t there an airport closer to Glenville?”

“No.” He stopped beside a sleek black sports car. “Get in while I put the suitcases in the back.”

“I can help”.

“I don’t need your help. Get in the car, Eden.”

I glared at him for half a minute, while he ignored me and set about piling the suitcases in the trunk. When I reached for one of them, he shot me a glare. I rolled my eyes.

“Fine. Let the big macho guy do all the heavy lifting.” I muttered the words beneath my breath as I made my way to the front passenger door, pulled it open, and climbed in.

When he joined me a few minutes later, he settled in the seat and clipped on his seatbelt before turning to face me.

“My mother raised me right. I hold open doors, pay for meals, and do the heavy lifting .”

My cheeks heated up.

“I also have perfect hearing.” He turned to face the front of the car and fired the engine. “It’s an hour’s drive to where I live. Can I expect you to talk the entire time?”

My lips parted, jaw dropping. “Do you ever think about what you’re going to say before you say it?”

“Always.”

“So, you’re rude on purpose?”

One dark eyebrow lifted. “You think I’m being rude?”

“You just said I talk too much.”

He didn’t reply until he’d reversed out of the parking lot and joined the traffic heading out of the city.

“I said no such thing. I simply asked if you were going to talk all the way to Glenville. If you’re not, I’ll put music on. If you are, I won’t. I just wanted to know which way the journey was going to go.”

“Put music on, if you want to.”

“I have no preference. You’re uncomfortable with silence. If you wish to talk, talk. If not …” He waved a hand toward the stereo. “Have at it.”