“We’re here, sir.”
The doors were open; I was minutes from my reunion. I breathed in the brackish, winter air. Air I’d missed so much. I could already picture the beaches covered in powdery snow—
That outfit doesn’t look like something West picked out.
Just like that, fear choked me. I wondered what Grayson would think once he saw me in this dress, so similar to the woman he had hated all his life. I was so…so terrified.
Not that he wouldn’t love me.
But that because he loved me…it would hurt so much more.
“Do you really think he loves you, Angel?” West’s light, cutting voice made me blink out of the memory. He pulled the paper tucked under his arm. “You haven’t even been gone two weeks.”
It was the same imprint that had got me attacked. The photo was of Lottie and Grayson, and it looked like it was taken the morning after the Nutcracker Masquerade. Lottie was seated on a golden chaise, and Grayson was behind it, hand protectively above her. I noted the one I’d handcuffed him with was hidden. He had his Grayson Crowne smile. Lottie didn’t even bother to smile.
They looked like an old royal painting, a lost Romanov artifact.
It read: A New Era of Crowne Begins: Grayson Crowne to Announce Heir
I knew when I left we would be tested. I knew they would test us. But even still, tears wetted my eyes. I rubbed my bare collarbone, staring at the dueling shadows on the hardwood floor.
My heart broke for the ache in his eyes.
I told him I’d write to him, but he’d never received any of my secret messages. I’d broken that promise. What had my lonely prince, my Atlas, had to go through without me?
West came up behind me. “I have a proposal for you… I’ll give you the video and files. Every little thing keeping Grayson Crowne hostage.”
My eyes locked with his in the mirror.
“I’ll even give you your locket back.”
He unfurled his fist, dangling the gold so it reflected in the mirror.
“And in return?”
“Choose me. Sleep in my bed every night, no tears.” The gold locket still dangling out of focus, he swiped at my tears.
No.
No. No. No. No. No. No.
My chest screamed it.
That was a one-time scar. I refused to cut myself again.
“If I say no, you’ll force me in your bed.” I glared at him through the mirror. “Like last time.”
“I’m giving you an option. You’re his, but I want you to be mine. So, why don’t we make this interesting, Angel?”
“Another bet, West? I guess you are so good at them.”
Some emotion flickered in his eyes, but he looked away before I could register it.
“I sleep in your bed one night and you’ll give me the password?”
He shook his head.
“Then how long?”
West shrugged a shoulder. “That part you don’t need to know.”
“That’s not really…” I couldn’t breathe. “That’s not a choice.”
West’s plush lips quirked. It was like a dark, twisted version of my night with Grayson, of the moment that started this all. Once again I was insurance for a plan I wasn’t sure I could pull off, but this time if I failed, our happily ever after would shatter at our fingertips.
Evil. West du Lac was evil.
He grinned like I’d caught him.
“I…” I whispered. “Can I have a few days to think about it?”
He turned my face back to the mirror and embraced me from behind, pulling my empire waist dress flush against my body, exposing my baby bump for the world to see. He pressed his lips to my neck and nausea swamped me at his silent threat to what would happen if I didn’t obey him. “You can have tonight.”
I bowed my head out of the town car, like Josephine had done only a few weeks earlier. It was hard to imagine just two weeks ago this place was raging with snow that had kept away the paparazzi and glitterati now swarming its front steps and gates.
I could already imagine the giant pine tree inside, gleaming satin-wrapped presents underneath.
“Mr. du Lac!” a paparazzo called, but who exactly was impossible to tell. The cameras were a thousand glittering fairies.
He ignored them, wrapping his arm around mine and leading me toward the steps. I looked one paparazzo dead in the eyes.
Would they really forget me?
Just a few weeks ago I would have given anything to be forgotten by them…so why did my gut twist at the thought?
I could faintly hear the sound of Christmas bells, laughter, and music as we got closer