Page 79 of The Husband Contract

A crazed giggle escapes me.

“Don’t say that. You’re scaring me, Willow. Do you really think he could hurt you?”

“No. Not physically. But emotionally? Yeah. I’ve been wondering if Clark Kent was a psychopath. He deliberately lied to Sebastian because I rejected him and maybe that’s why Sebastian is being so adamant. I don’t know what that dude said to him. And I know he was off, because Ifelthe was off when I saw him. A lot of guys don’t take rejection well.” I laugh bitterly. “I’m never going on another dating app again in my life. This feels like I’m a part of a bad Lifetime movie right now.”

Not that I’ll be able to anyway since I’m a married woman. What a joke!

“Girl, this experience has warnedmeoff of all dating apps as well. And dating rich dudes. I’d rather be single forever than have to deal with some crazy shit like that.”

“You’re telling me. I just don’t even know what to do.”

“Can you escape?” she asks me.

“What do you mean?”

“Can you just get out of there and come back to Whispering Haven?”

“I guess. I mean, I don’t think he’s going to let me just walk out the door.”

“Is there any other way out?”

I think for a moment and look around the room. That’s when I notice a sliding door that goes out to a balcony. I peek out and contemplate. I don’t even want to know how high up we are.

“You know what, Katherine? There may actually be a way. Can I call you back?”

I didn’t say it’d be a smart or way, but it’s a way.

“Okay. Be safe.”

“I will,” I assure her. “I love you.”

“I love you too. And if you need me to call the police, let me know. Or if you need me and Brielle to come to the city, we’ll do it. Is there anyone else we can call?”

“You’re all I have. You and Brielle. You know that Charlotte wouldn’t give a fuck. In fact, she’d probably be mad at me. And my aunt, well, I don’t even know where she is right now.”

“I’ll always have your back, okay?”

“I know. I love you.”

We hang up and I sit on the edge of the bed. I need to figure out what to do next. I can’t stay here indefinitely waiting for him to do cruel and unusual things to me. Also, if I’m honest with myself, I don’t even understand half of what the contract said. I didn’t go to law school. I don’t speak legalese. But, I refuse to just sit here waiting for Sebastian to make retaliatory moves for something I never did.

The problem is, he’s powerful. I know he can ruin thelivelihoods of my best friends' families, and I can’t allow that. I’ll have to think of a way out of here and still be able to protect them.

I jump up and walk over to the balcony, slide the door open, and step out. My stomach drops when I look down. We are high. There’s no way I can even think about climbing down or jumping balcony to balcony. I’m not Spiderman. I can barely walk up a hill without tripping.

I feel like I’m inThe Matrix, but I’m no Morpheus. I can’t navigate a thing about this crazy world I’m now in. I’m stuck with no answers or solutions, and I don’t know what to do next. A pigeon lands on the railing of the balcony and stares at me with beady eyes.

“Want to fly me away from here?” I whisper, only half joking. The pigeon watches me as if it can understand what I’m saying. There’s sorrow in its brown eyes.

“You okay?” I ask softly. “If I could speak pigeon and listen to you and your problems, I would.” I look around at the plants on the balcony and think how it’s quite nice out here. Obviously, no money had been spared to make this apartment amazing.

I turn my attention to the skyline. “New York City,” I say, throwing my hands up. “Here I am and I don’t even want to be here.” I look back over at the pigeon. “Where’s the unicorn that’s going to save me? Or the handsome prince?”

Once I realize what I’ve just said, I die a little bit inside. I laugh bitterly at my own words. Look how that turned out with Sebastian. I thoughthewas meant to be my prince. Only, he wasn’t a prince, but he a nasty toad instead.

“Willow,” Sebastian barks as he storms through the door. “What are you doing?”

“Talking of toads,” I snarl, voice filled with venom.