Page 19 of Darkest Before Dawn (His Perfect Darkness #2)

I nara

The second I step out of the police precinct, I’m hit with the flashes from a hundred cameras.

“Mrs. Roy! Mrs. Roy!” There’s a mob in front of me, reporters waving to catch my attention, and a row of TV cameras behind the line of photographers. “Inara, over here!”

Shit fuck! I hold up a hand to shield my eyes as another round of bright flashes explode in my face.

“Is it true you’re now married to Rex Roy?” someone shouts.

“When was the wedding?”

“How did you meet?”

Reporters push forward, microphones in hand.

“No comment,” I yell, but my shout is lost in the fray. I am seriously overwhelmed. The crowd surges, driving me back towards the doors.

A man with a camera around his neck presses close.

He grabs my arm, and his disgusting breath hits my face.

“How does he like to fuck you?” He looks manic and eager, and an oily sensation slides over my senses.

I’m gagging, too overcome by his nauseating aura to call on my defensive moves to break his hold on me.

Before I can do anything, someone grabs him by the collar and tosses him aside.

The blond twins push through the crowd to flank my sides.

“This way,” one barks at me. We move forward as one, and if people don’t scramble out of our path fast enough, they get shoved to the side by one of the twins.

One guy refuses to budge, and the twin on my right grabs the guy and tosses him into a bank of reporters without breaking stride.

They get me into the back of Ivan’s waiting car and guard the door until he pulls away from the curb.

“You okay?” Ivan asks.

“Fine,” I clip, too breathless to say much else. I can’t even wrap my head around what’s happening—my name was changed without my knowledge, and the press thinks we’re married. “I need to get to City Hall. The sooner, the better.”

Fortunately, Ivan doesn’t need an explanation. “Understood,” he says cheerfully while accelerating toward a group of cameramen who stand in the street, right in our way. A few of them scream and dive for the sidewalk. At the last second, Ivan jerks the car and swerves to keep from hitting them.

Ivan laughs and lets out a string of words that can only be curses, then apologizes. “Pardon my Russian.”

There aren’t enough cuss words in any language for me to express how I feel about Rex right now. What was he thinking, pulling a stunt like this?

The fact that he did it so thoroughly and quickly is kind of impressive. Only Rex would think of something like this and have the means to pull it off.

Inara Roy-Ramos. Why does it have a nice ring to it? I fight a small smile.

Not that I’m letting him get away with this. If the good people at City Hall can’t undo what Rex has done, I’ll have to explore more drastic options.

“Hamish wanted me to give you this,” Ivan says, passing me a lunch cooler. “I’m supposed to report back if you prefer something else to eat.”

I typically munch on a meal bar or sip a protein shake for lunch, but I’m pleased to find a lightly dressed salad with grilled chicken and an iced, honey-sweetened green tea.

“This looks great, thanks.” At least I’ll have a full belly while I deal with the mess Rex has made. “Ivan, do you know any assassins?”

“I can probably hook you up.” He winks at me in the mirror, then lays on the horn all the way to City Hall.

Rex

I’m walking into my office when my assistant approaches. I can tell by the fast clip-clop of her stilettos that she’s in a hurry.

“Sir, you have messages from The Post , The Press , and The Times . They want a statement about your recent nuptials?” She can’t keep the questioning tone out of her voice.

“Tell them I’ll be holding a press conference by EOD. Location TBD. And clear my schedule for the rest of the day.”

She nods, looking harried, and rushes off.

So far, I’ve had a productive day. Inara is safe in the precinct and now has the protection of the Roy last name.

If she leaves, Fraternitas is on guard duty.

I have a team of more conventional bodyguards assigned to her detail, but nothing sends a message like having a member of Fraternitas personally escorting her to and from work.

The New Rome underworld will understand she’s off limits.

The rest of Fraternitas is on the street, shaking down their own contacts to sniff out the Bondage Killer. Not to mention Victor, the assassin I hired.

I don’t usually outsource hunting down a target like this, but I want BK taken out before he has another chance to torment Inara. She’s suffered enough.

His days are numbered, and when I get my hands on him, I will paint the town red with his blood.

I’m in the middle of reviewing my messages when an incoming call from Hamish interrupts me.

“I’ve spoken with the team at the duplex,” he says. “They’ve confirmed a man entered yesterday evening around ten and spent some time carrying full garbage bags from an unmarked delivery van into the townhouse. A neighbor thought he was moving in.”

Unbelievable. I brace my hands on the desk, willing my heart rate to slow down. “How did he get past our surveillance?” Inara’s townhouse wasn’t being as closely monitored now that I was no longer spying on her while she stayed there, but one system should’ve at least been operational.

“He was wearing a police uniform. Our outdoor system didn’t flag him because of that. Inara’s residence was recently a crime scene and, therefore, the site of increased police activity.”

I close my eyes. I’m the one who made her doorstep a crime scene. It’s my fault a police presence wouldn’t trigger the system or alarm the neighbors.

Hamish continues. “We can’t be certain, but it seems the intruder used a device that scrambled the camera’s signal but didn’t activate any emergency response.”

“I want to know how.” All this tech and surveillance was at my disposal, and I failed to protect her.

“I’m still gathering the details, but it’s clear the intruder had an inside knowledge of security systems. If you’ll recall, Dennis Bundy, the self-named Bondage Killer, worked as a security expert.”

“It was him. He was right there.” I thump my fist into the top of the desk. “We could’ve had him!”

“We also have to consider that this is the work of a copycat. Or he’s working with someone in the police department.”

“I want all the original records on Dennis Bundy ASAP.” I already know Inara left a voicemail on retired detective Lacy Collins’s phone, probably wanting Collins’s own notes on the BK case.

“Understood. I’ve hacked the Elyria police department records and sent an agent to retrieve the hard copies. They should be here by tonight.”

“Good.” My jaw aches from how hard I’m clenching my teeth. In my mind’s eye, I see Inara opening her townhouse door and collapsing over and over again. “It’s my fault.”

Hamish says nothing.

“If only I—” Could have what? Rewind time? There are some mistakes no amount of money can undo. “We have to catch him. He’ll make a mistake, and we’ll get him.”

“Indeed, sir. In the meantime, you should know the news is reporting that New Rome’s most eligible bachelor is now a married man.” His brief pause speaks volumes of censure. “Is there something I should know?”

I suppose now is as good a time as any to tell him.

“As of ten a.m. this morning, Inara and I are married. The paperwork went through this morning.” Technically, there’s a thirty-day waiting period between getting a marriage license and tying the knot.

The bride is also supposed to be present to sign the forms and actually have knowledge of the impending nuptials.

But no problem is insurmountable with a big enough bribe.

“Ah. Does she know?”

“She does now.”

“I shall instruct our lawyers to draw up a postnuptial agreement.”

“No need. What’s mine is hers.” She might accept me if she realizes how much fun it is having billions to your name. The thought fills me with satisfaction. Gives a new meaning to golden handcuffs.

“Then I shall order her a signature seal, as well as some stationery.”

“Hold that thought. She might not be too keen on taking my last name.” I smile as I scroll through her annoyed texts.

“Trouble in paradise all ready?” Hamish does not sound surprised.

“I’m working on it.” I’ve spent much of my courtship with Inara pissing her off. Why stop now?

My phone lights up with an incoming text from one of the Fraternitas twins guarding Inara.

Kaiser: Wifey is on the move.

She’s going to hate that codename. I look forward to her blowing up at me when she finds out.

“If you’ll excuse me now, Hamish. I’m off to hold a press conference.” It’s time to make it clear to this city that anyone who messes with my wife messes with me.

Inara

A swarm of reporters beat us to City Hall.

My blond bodyguards hustle me past them and into the quiet depths of the grand old building.

I go to wait in line, but once I show my ID, an official rushes over and escorts me to a private room.

Someone flagged my maiden name, and I’m recognized as the newest Roy.

It seems my association with the wealthy family is enough to award me special treatment, whether I like it or not.

I sign and figure it will be faster if I take advantage of the quick service than if I insist on waiting in line. Maybe I can reverse all this today.

“There’s been some mistake,” I explain to the official. “I haven’t actually gotten married or changed my name.”

The man fumbles with his computer, his brow creasing as he clicks and mutters to himself. “It says the forms were filed this morning.”

“But not by me.”

“Is this your signature?” He shows me the screen, and I grit my teeth.

“It’s a forgery.” But a perfect match to my own. Maybe there’s a journal of Rex’s somewhere full of practice lines. I take a moment to imagine a page filled with schoolboy script and “Inara + Rex” decorated with little hearts. The absurd image makes me bite back a laugh.

This whole thing is absurd, so I might as well let it amuse me. I was annoyed at this distraction, but it’s nice to have something to smile about, even in the middle of a case.

“But that’s fraud,” the official gasps. “Do you have any idea who would do such a thing? Or why?”

Apparently, to mark me in a way society will accept. I won’t wear Rex’s collar, so he went with something more conventional.

Now everyone will know you belong to me.

“It doesn’t matter.” I don’t want all this getting out. Rex makes headlines by walking down the street. This sort of scandal will be gossip fodder for years. “I think it was supposed to be. . . a joke.” I wince when the official gasps again. “I just want the record corrected.”

“The thing is, ma’am, as of this morning, you’re legally married. Do you want to file for divorce?”

“There’s no way to. . . I don’t know. . . just change the record back?”

The door creaks open, and a young woman sticks her head in. “Hey, George, there’s a bunch of reporters out here tryin’ to get a word with a Mrs. Roy.”

George gulps and stares at me. There’s a sheen of sweat on his bald head.

The young woman zeroes in on me. “Is that you? You married Rex Roy?”

“Uh, no?—”

“Actually, Denise, Mrs. Roy would like to file divorce papers.”

“Are you serious?” Denise props a hand on her hip, showcasing her acid-green nails. She looks me up and down, chomping her gum. “You just hooked him, and now you’re throwing him back?”

“Uh—” I glance back at George, who gives me a weak smile.

“Can I have him?” Denise waves a finger. “’Cause honey, the whole package works for me, you know what I’m sayin’?”

No! I’m surprised by a sudden surge of possessiveness. He’s mine.

Denise doesn’t give me a chance to answer. “I’ll get your divorce forms, stat. Fault or no-fault?”

I blink at her, trying to understand what she’s asking me. Before I can recall what fault or no-fault divorce means, she snaps her fingers to get my attention. “Will Mr. Roy be contesting?”

“Absolutely,” comes a deep voice. Rex appears behind Denise. Her mouth opens so wide her gum tumbles out. George also gapes.

But Rex has eyes only for me.

“Hello, wife.”