Page 14

Willow

M s. Milligan used to say that an idle mind was the devil’s playgroundwhich is why she kept me busy; I wouldn’t have time to think about my life before I arrived at Peartree House or plot ways to escape if I had endless tasks to do.

Often, I went to bed exhausted, wishing that for one day, I could justhave a day where I did nothing. A day where I could just sit, and think about my past or let myself imagine what my life would be like if fate had taken me on a different path.

How I regretted those wishes after James kissed me.

For three days, I was locked away in my room with nothing to do butthink. Think about how I felt when James kissed me. Think about his words, telling me that he needed me and that he couldn’t get me out of his head. Think about how his emotions changed from boiling to ice cold in a split second.

Think about why he had kept his distance since that night, and whythe hell there was a part of me that kinda missed him in a strange way.I eventually came to the conclusion that the only reason I thought Iwas missing him was because I’d been starved of any kind of attention for so long.

Sure, James was cruel to me, and only used me for sex, but Iwondered if brief moments with him were better than not having any human interaction. It wasn’t like I could count Edith, the woman barely acknowledged my existence.

Wasn’t there a saying in the journalistic world? Even negative presswas still press, and the same could be said for the relationship I now had with James. He might have only seen me as an object he could use whenever hesaw fit, but he still saw me. That was more than what could have been said for my time at Peartree House.

And wasn’t that just pathetic?

Day four was no different from the last three days, and I was beginningto feel like I was slowly going insane with staring at the same four walls.

After Edith had brought me lunch, and I’d picked at the tuna salad, Idragged a chair over to the Juliet balcony and opened the doors so I could at least feel the fresh air on my face as I admired the view of the garden.

It was the closest I was going to get to going out for a while.

Seconds, minutes, and hours ticked by as I stared out at the grounds,my mind replaying the very moment James slammed his mouth down on mine when we were in the back of the car. Every time that memory played, my core would clench, sending a delicious tremor through my body.

No matter how many times I tried to shut the memory down, it justwouldn’t go away.

As the sun began to set on another day in isolation, the jangling ofkeys indicated the door being opened. It was too early for dinner, and my heart leaped in my throat at the thought that James had finally returned.

I wasn’t sure the bolt of anticipation that shot through me was entirelya feeling of dread.

But I didn’t need to worry that James was about to abuse my bodywhen Edith stepped in with a large box in her hands.

“You will be attending to some business with Mr. Carter this evening.You will shower and dress in the garments he has provided for you. Be ready in one hour.”With that, she left, the door shutting ominously behind her.

I stared at the box she’d left on the bed for a moment, apprehensionbeginning to build in my stomach, not just at the thought of seeing James, but at wondering what business he could possibly want me to attend with him.

When a few minutes passed, and I hadn’t moved, a little voice in myhead reminded me that if I didn’t get my ass into gear, I’d only be punished.

Exactly fifty-eight minutes later, I waited in my room, my feetalready hurting from the five-inch silver, strappy sandals I was wearing.

They perfectly matched the beautiful dress James had sent - atight-fitting, long-sleeved, black dress that reached my knees, and had a thin silver belt around my waist.

Not knowing what to do with my hair, I’d decided to leave it down, buttucked it behind my ears, as opposed to letting it hang around my face like it usually did.

As I waited, I passed the full-length mirror, catching a glimpse ofmyself but unable to look for more than a few seconds, scared of what I might find. Like a sparkle of hope lingering in my different colored eyes that James would tell me I looked pretty and kiss me again.

“Good, you’re ready,”Edith said after she’d unlocked the door andcast an assessing gaze over me.“Come on.”

I followed her through the hallways of James’ mansion, my heelsclacking on the marble floor. I kept my head down, silently begging my racing heart to slow before I gave myself a heart attack.

Reaching the front door, a shiver ran down my spine when Edithopened it, and a blast of cool air hit my bare skin. At least that was what I told myself. It had nothing to do with finding James throwing a bag into the trunk of a black car before slamming the hood.

His head whipped to where I’d momentarily paused to take in the tuxhe was wearing, and doing my best to ignore the flush creeping across my chest.

James’ eyes scanned over my body, his face completely stoic, andany hope that I’d built up in my head that there was more to our kiss was instantly dashed when his eyes hardened.

“Get in the car, Willow,”Edith barked harshly from next to me, givingmy lower back a shove.

Somehow, I managed to make my feet move, adrenaline pumpingthrough my veins as I made my way down the stone steps to the car, aiming for the back seat.

“In the front, Mouse,”James growled, storming past me to get in thedriver’s seat.

Pausing for only a second to make sure I’d heard correctly, Iwalked to the other side of the car and slid into the passenger seat. James started the engine, a wave of his cologne hitting me from our close proximity, and making my mouth dry in an instant.

He smelled delicious.

James ignored me for the first hour of the journey, not that I expectedany different. I stared out the window, wondering where we were going as I watched the evening descend, causing long, dark shadows to fall over the hills and forests that surrounded us.

I wanted to find a little clue as to where in the country we were, butroad signs were few and far between on the roads James took, and aside from the flash of the car’s headlights lighting up the odd sign, it was too dark for me to see.

“Did Edith tell you where we were going tonight?”James saidcoolly, breaking the tense silence between us.

“No, Sir,”I replied, tearing my gaze away from the window to look at him.

His eyes were firmly fixed on the road ahead, but his jaw clenched,along with his hands around the steering wheel.

“My father has requested we attend dinner with him and my mother.He wants to meet you, and we’ll be staying the night,”he said, looking over at me, his eyes filled with their usual coldness.“But I warn you, he is nothing like Kiera. He won’t show you any kindness.”

Like I’d just swallowed a lump of stone, a heavy weight settled in mystomach, and trepidation began seeping into my bones.

Stupid really, other than the night I met Kiera and Billie, I couldn’t remember a time when anyone had shown me kindness, yet the thought of James’ dad joining the list of people who despised me felt like another blow to my already fragile heart.

“And on the topic of Kiera,”James continued, pulling his gaze awayto focus on the road ahead once more.“You won’t mention to my father that you have met her or Billie. We don’t speak about my sister, and we certainly don’t discuss my niece.”

My brows furrowed together in confusion. Why would his dad notwant anything to do with his daughter and granddaughter? As if sensing my confusion, James sighed, his shoulders deflating as he loosened his fists around the steering wheel.

“Kiera was ostracized from the family when she was fifteen. My fatherhas had nothing to do with her since then, and he has never met Billie,”he said, an unmistakable hint of sadness to his tone.

“He’s never met his granddaughter?”The question fell from my lipsbefore I could stop it, and I closed my eyes, cursing myself for my stupidity.“I’m sorry, Mr. Carter. I shouldn’t have asked that. I apologize.”

“No, you shouldn’t have asked,”James scolded softly, turning the caroff the main road, and onto a gravel track. Surprisingly, there was no bite to his words.

Convinced that was the end of the conversation, I turned to look outthe window to stare into the darkness, only to turn back to James when he spoke again.

“My father denied Billie’s existence for the first few years of her life,”he started, warmth creeping into his voice. He might have been a monster, but it was evident he loved his niece.“But there came a time when Kiera needed my father’s help.”James looked over at me, finding me listening intently, and more than curious as to why he was telling me about his family.“Billie was diagnosed with leukemia when she was five.”

My gasp interrupted him, and a sad smile tugged on his lips.“Yeah,you’d never think it, right? The kid’s a fighter. Anyway, when she was eight, she had the chance to be accepted into a clinical trial, but Kiera needed my father’s help.”

“Did he help?”I whispered, waiting for James to explode at anysecond, and tell me to be quiet, but he surprised me once again by answering.

“No. I wanted to take Billie to meet him thinking he’d take one look ather and fall in love with her like everyone else does.”He paused, turning to give me a fond smile.

My breath caught in my throat. Why did he have to be so handsome,when underneath, a monster lurked?

“But I realized before I inflicted him on a sick child that he didn’t havea heart to be able to fall in love with her.”A little voice whispered in my head that James wasn’t so different from his father, that he didn’t have a heart either, or at least, if he did, it was only big enough to hold his love for Billie.“Thankfully, we were able to get the help without my father, andeighteen months ago, Billie started the trial,”James continued as I shook the little voice away.

“Is the leukemia gone?”I asked, hope lacing my tone.

“She’s got a test in a few weeks which we’re all praying will give herthe all-clear,”James replied, taking another turn through two large gates.

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed for her.”

His lips twitched again, almost as if he wanted to thank me, but hecaught himself, schooling his features like he was so good at.“No more questions, Mouse. My niece is none of your concern.”

“Yes, Mr. Carter,”I replied, my gaze dropping to my lap asdisappointment washed through me at the bite returning to his voice.

The image of a carefree Billie danced in my head until James broughtthe car to a stop a minute later. As I glanced up, it was to find we’d pulled up outside a huge manor house made of old stone, and looked eerily similar to Peartree House. Waiting by the front door were two men dressed in suits like James was.

“Fuck,”James cursed as he glared at the men.“Why the fuck is Elijahhere?”

Even if I knew who Elijah was, I knew better than to reply, but thevenom in James’ voice made fear spike in my blood, certain that I’d bear the brunt of any anger brewing within him.

Following James’ lead, I stepped out of the car and made my way tohim where he snatched my hand and rubbed a finger over my wedding band as if he was checking I was still wearing it.

“James, my boy. Good to see you,”the older of the two men saidcheerily, stepping forward and offering his hand to James.

It was evident that he was James’ father, James had inherited hislooks from his dad, and even though he was easily twenty years older than his son, he was just as handsome.

“Dad,”James said, shaking his father’s hand, but dropping it quickly.“This is my wife, Willow. Willow, this is my father, Eric.”

Eric turned his attention to me, a blatantly disgusted sneer curling hislips as he ran his assessing gaze over my body. The hatred rolling off him caused words to lodge in my throat, but just before I looked away in embarrassment, a pang of familiarity shot through me.

I’d seen his face somewhere before.

Had he been to Peartree House to claim a girl?

“Does she speak or is she as pathetic as she looks?”Eric barked, stillglaring at me, and making me want to shrivel up on the spot.

“She speaks,”James said, his tone neutral, but for some reason, hegave my hand a gentle squeeze, almost as if he was reassuring me.“She’s just well trained.”

“And so she should be given her time at Peartree House.”

Next to me, James’ body tensed.“You know I went to Peartree?”

Eric smirked.“You think I don’t know every move my son makes?”

For a tense few seconds, James and his father glared at each other,an unspoken argument going on between them, only interrupted when the other man cleared his throat, drawing James’ attention to him.

“Willow, I’m Elijah, James’ cousin,”he said, beaming brightly at mebefore turning to James.“I have to say, James, I’m surprised that a man of your stature stooped to such pitiful measures to find a woman willing to marry you. Peartree House? Honestly,”he tutted.

James’ hand squeezed mine once again, only this time, pain shotthrough my bones where he was squeezing so hard. Biting my lip to stop a wince from escaping, I wiggled my fingers to get them free. James’ head whipped to the side, and when he saw the pain etched on my face, he released my hand.

“Yeah, well, a man will do whatever he has to do when he’s backedinto a corner,”James replied sharply.

Elijah chuckled and responded to James, but whatever hesaid, I didn’t hear as an intense feeling of unease coursed through me, growing stronger when I found Eric carefully watching me with narrowed eyes.

“Where’s mom?”James said, pulling Eric’s attention from me.

The feeling of familiarity reared to life once more, and a memory that Icouldn’t quite grab onto lingered in the deepest recess of my head.

“Your mother isn’t very well. She got herself worked up over thismeeting, especially when she found out how you came to meet your wife,”Eric replied.“I’ve given her something to keep her calm, but she won’t be joining us for dinner. If she’s feeling better tomorrow, you can visit her.”

James didn’t reply, but chancing a look up at him, it was to find amuscle ticking in his jaw, something I’d come to learn was a sign that he was trying to keep his temper in check.

“Well, now introductions are done, I’m sure you’ll want to freshen upbefore dinner,”Eric said, throwing yet another disgusted look my way.“Your old room is ready for you and your wife, and dinner will be served in thirty minutes. I expect all three of you to be sitting at the table before then.”

He spun on his heel, and strode back toward the house, leavingJames and Elijah glaring at each other, as I tried my hardest to not drown under the anxiety coursing through me.

If I thought the first meal I ever had with James was tense, it wasnothing to how dinner was. A heavy atmosphere hovered over the four of us as we were served dinner, and any time Elijah spoke, James’ body wound tighter than a coiled spring.

At some point, he was going to snap, and I doubted Elijah would bethe target of his wrath.

For the entirety of the conversation, I was excluded. The men talkedabout their businesses, each one bragging about how much money they’d made over the last year.

I kept my head bowed, focused on the food in front of me, but mytime at Peartree House had taught me how to pretend I was occupied while really listening to conversations.

As I ate my meal of beef Wellington, I learned informationabout James that he’d never willingly disclosed to me. Like, how he was the CEO of a mobile phone company called Smarttech Solutions, or how he was the ambassador for a charity supporting victims of sexual assault.

Which was ironic, given what he subjected me to most nights.

But I should have known at some point that Eric would want to knowmore about his son’s new wife.

When our dinner was finished, and the plates cleared away, Ericturned his attention to me.“So, Willow. Tell me how you came to be at Peartree House?”

I froze, midway through dabbing my mouth with a napkin, as Jamesand Elijah both joined Eric in staring expectantly at me. James hadn’t instructed me to lie like he’d done when I met Kiera, and given that Eric already knew about my time at Peartree House, I figured honesty was the best policy.

“I…um…I don’t remember,”I said, my voice weak.

Eric’s eyes narrowed on me. Under the table, James slid his handonto my thigh like he’d done at dinner with Kiera, only instead of gripping it in warning, he rested it there, almost as if he was trying to reassure me.

“You don’t remember?”Eric said, a brow raised in curiosity.

“No, Sir.”

“And why is that? How can you not remember your life before youarrived at the house? Surely you must remember something, your parent’s names, for example. Come now, tell me how you ended up at the house.”

I swallowed down the lump forming in my throat as pain searedacross my back.

“I don’t remember my parent’s names,”I replied, trying to stop mybottom lip from wobbling as the pain intensified.

“I don’t believe you, girl,”Eric hissed menacingly as he slammed hisfist on the oak table.“You’re lying!”

“I…I’m not, Sir,”I pleaded, looking to James next to me and hopinghe’d take pity on me.

He knew the truth. I’d told him the night he came to my room andquestioned me about my past and who had caused the scars on my back.

But of course, he didn’t say a word.

“You’re telling me that you don’t remember anything from before youwere ten years old? And why is that, girl?”

I cast a frantic gaze at Elijah, my last chance of someone taking pityon me, but he grinned back, evidently enjoying my torture.

“Be…because…”

“Because, what?” Eric bellowed.

Tears brimmed in my eyes.“I was taught not to remember.”

Silence filled the room, but under the table, James loosened his gripon my thigh.

Eric slumped in his chair.“And how were you taught?”

His tone left no room for argument. The fire spreading through myback spread up to my cheeks as I fidgeted in my seat in discomfort.

“I…I was whipped,”I said, my voice a mere whisper as memories ofthe whip lashing my bare skin filled my head.“They whipped me until I forgot.”

A tear slid down my cheek, a waterfall threatening to cascade fromme. Until James’ fingers started massaging my thigh. There was something comforting about feeling his hand on me when my demons were trying their hardest to take hold of me.

Across the table, a malevolent grin spread on Eric’s face.“Theywhipped you until you forgot,”he said, stroking a finger over his lip the way James often did.“Hmm, that’s not an agreed tactic in the program, but I have to say, I approve.”

“So do I,”Elijah added, taking a sip of his wine and smirking at me.“I’ve seen some of those girls in the program. A few of them could do with several lashes of a whip to knock the attitude out of them.”

“Quite,”Eric agreed. Next to me, James was as still as a statue withthe exception of his fingers rubbing my thigh gently.“And where did they whip you, girl?”

As if responding to the question, another flare of pain shot throughmy back.“My…my back, and…the back of my legs.”

“They’re burning now, aren’t they? Your scars,”Eric said, his evil gringrowing wider.“They’re burning now as you try to recall what you can about your childhood.”

Another tear fell.“Yes, Sir.”

“I want to see them,”he said, making my heart plummet to mystomach.“Show me your scars, girl.”

“No,”James growled, ripping his hand from my thigh.

“Oh, come on, James-”Elijah started, but he was interrupted byJames abruptly getting to his feet.

“I said no!”he roared, grabbing my arm and yanking me up.“My wifewill not show you her scars. They’re for my eyes, and my eyes only. Willow, go to our room. Dinner is over.”

He shoved me away from the table making me stumble as he glaredat his father and cousin across the table, the two of them watching him with amused smirks on their faces.

Steadying myself, I bolted from the room, desperate to take my dressoff so the material stopped rubbing against my burning scars.