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talie

I cracked open the door, peering down the hallway. Last night had been fun, but now it was the next day, and I was waiting for Damian to come back for his revenge. I’d been hanging out in the guest room all morning, but I was bored.

Tiptoeing down the hall, I kept an ear out for Damian as I ventured down the stairs, heading to the kitchen. A voice rang out when I reached the foyer.

“Looking for your husband?”

I glanced over my shoulder to see Sylvia.

Her dress was exactly the same style as it was every day, except it was an off-white color this time.

I suddenly felt underdressed in my black baggy sweatpants and loose t-shirt, but I had no plans to go anywhere today.

Since this was now my house too, I planned to live in it comfortably.

“Is he here?” I asked, my eyes darting down the hall.

“He’s at work,” Sylvia informed me. “He leaves at seven sharp every morning.”

I knew his schedule, but was worried he’d taken the day off. I relaxed since I wouldn’t be facing him anytime soon. If he was at his father’s company, then he probably wouldn’t be home until dinner, maybe even later.

“You know, in the three years I’ve worked here, Damian has never ordered seafood.” Sylvia raised an eyebrow. “I always thought he didn’t like it.”

I let out a small laugh. “It’s kind of our thing. He doesn’t eat it unless we’re together.”

She studied me, curiosity flashing in her warm eyes. “Would you like some breakfast?”

“No thanks. I’m just going to grab a cup of coffee,” I answered, following her toward the kitchen. “I’m not much of a breakfast person.”

“Like your husband,” she noted. “Though I think he doesn’t have time to eat.”

“I’m sure his father keeps him busy,” I muttered as I rounded the island to grab a mug.

After pouring myself a cup of coffee, I said goodbye to Sylvia before wandering through the house.

I was so damn bored. Keeping my coffee in one hand, I pulled my phone out with the other, staring at the screen for a moment.

My pulse thudded as I found the number I was looking for.

Taking a deep breath, I hit call, putting it to my ear.

It rang a few times before she answered.

“Hi Mom,” I said softly.

“Talie.” She sounded distracted. “You have two boxes of things here. Where would you like me to mail them?”

I brushed off her nonexistent greeting. The friend I’d been traveling with in Thailand shipped my stuff to my mother’s a couple weeks ago when I told her I wouldn’t be coming back. I hadn’t asked my mom to mail them because I’d been hoping I would leave the States again.

“About that.” I strode down the hall as I spoke. “I was hoping you could talk to Dad, and let me come back to finish my internship?—”

Her laugh cut me off. “Let’s not lie to each other. I know you weren’t at an internship. Just like you weren’t at school. I covered for you because it was a way to get back at your father. But that’s over now. You knew it wouldn’t last forever.”

I bit my tongue. “I don’t want to stay here. Please. Damian will agree if you can make sure Dad can’t force me back.”

I had no idea how my husband would react if I left for a second time. But since he didn’t come after me for five years, maybe he didn’t care where I went.

“Listen, Jude—your father—already called me last week.”

My heart stopped. “What?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he had a feeling you would want to leave.” She paused. “I can’t help you again, Talie.”

“But—”

“Things have changed. Damian’s father and yours have built an empire together. They have friends they didn’t have five years ago.”

I found myself in front of the library and pushed open the door as I frowned. “What does that mean?”

“It means if you leave, they’ll hire people to bring you back. The kind of people you don’t want to be associated with.”

My lips parted in shock. “You mean like criminals?”

She chuckled. “My naive daughter. You don’t grow as powerful as Jude Rutherford without getting your hands dirty. He may run a clean business, but some of his partners? Not so much.”

Did Damian know this? My mind spun as I set my coffee down, falling into the oversized reading chair.

“You chose to marry Damian,” she said, her voice slightly gentler. “You knew he was a Valentin. It was your decision, Talie. That’s your life now.”

“You left this life,” I stated, keeping my voice steady.

“Because my family has their own friends in the shadows. Back then, Jude didn’t have the power he has now.”

“Why didn’t you take me and Char with you?” I asked quietly.

The silence dragged on, and I wasn’t sure why I blurted out the question. Even when I was a child, she was never a mother to us. We had nannies who raised us.

“Maybe if you hadn’t married a Valentin, I could have helped you,” she finally answered. “It’s too late now. I’m sure the contracts you signed after the wedding ensure divorce is next to impossible.”

In all honesty, I’d barely looked over the paperwork I signed. A ball of dread filled my stomach. I had been so young and excited I found a way not to be stuck in an arranged marriage my father would have chosen.

“Text me the address. I’ll mail your things tomorrow,” she said curtly. “I have to go.”

She hung up without saying goodbye. I tossed my phone on the cushion next to me as I stared at the massive bookshelf in front of me. My one small hope of leaving again was fucking gone. I had a feeling that was the case, but knowing it was the truth made it worse.

I wasn’t sure how much time passed as I got lost in my thoughts. It wasn’t like Damian was a monster. But like me, he did what our parents expected. Did he know what was in our marriage contracts?

My eyes slowly drifted over the titles on the spines of the books. Damian loved to read, yet I hadn’t seen him in here since I moved in. Most books looked like they hadn’t been touched.

Except for two of the encyclopedias.

My curiosity heightened when I spotted a third one on another shelf that wasn’t aligned with the other books.

I climbed back to my feet, padding across the plush carpet until I was standing in front of the shelf.

I pulled an encyclopedia from the shelf only to freeze when I spied something behind it.

Bending over to get a closer look, I snatched two more of the heavy books, stacking them on the floor next to me. There was an entire second row of books behind the encyclopedias. Did he run out of room? I snagged one of the hidden books, my eyes widening in shock when I peered at the cover.

“What is this?” I muttered, flipping the book over to read the back.

It was a romance book. I had no idea he read these kinds of books.

The cover was a man with no shirt on and abs for days.

I moved to flip through the pages until I realized something was added.

He had what looked like little tabs throughout the book.

My curiosity was burning now. I hurriedly pulled a few more books from their hiding spot and took the entire stack back to the chaise.

I had a feeling this would be a great way to get my mind off my mom’s phone call.

After making myself comfortable under the blanket, I picked a random book, opening it to where he’d marked one of the pages.

“Which do you want more? My tongue or cock?”