Toxic - Zoe Blake Page 0,21

a jewel-encrusted branch.

To the world, these brooches were a quaint and rather old-fashioned proclivity of Richard’s. I knew them for what they truly were… his mark on me.

A constant reminder that I was no more than a bird caught in a gilded cage forged by him.

As we waited for the driver to open the doors of Richard’s Rolls Royce Phantom, Harris called out to him.

I hated that man. There was just something sinister and untrustworthy about his appearance. There was also no mistaking that whenever Richard needed something unsavory done, Harris was the man he called.

Richard waited till I was settled in my seat before turning toward Harris.

It was clear the two men were having a heated discussion. Judging by the way they both kept looking in my direction, it was about me. With the car door closed, I could only hear muffled snatches of their conversation.

Elizabeth.

Dangerous.

Knows too much.

Needs to be dealt with.

Game over.

Oh, my God, he was going to kill me.

I had pushed him too far. Questioned his motives with the games he liked to play. Told him I hated him. Like a pawn that had outworn its usefulness, he would get rid of me.

Not wanting to be caught eavesdropping, I nervously opened the metal clasp of my evening bag to appear as though I was searching for my compact. Nestled inside my purse… the purse Richard had just handed to me… between my lipstick and the money clip was a single blood-soaked feather.

Game over.

Chapter 9

Richard

Someone was about to die.

No one threatened my Elizabeth and got away with it.

When I entered the car, I knew Elizabeth had read the rage in my expression before I could school my features. I could tell by the way she initially shied away from me, clinging to the other side of the car. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I forced her to my side, holding her tight as I whispered endearments into her ear and stroked her arm.

She mustn’t know how angry I was right now. I would be damned if I spoiled her evening with what I had just learned. It would only frighten and alarm her. She was skittish as it was after learning the true extent of our last game.

I couldn’t have her running off again… especially not now.

As I pulled her petite body close, I went over in my mind my conversation with Harris.

“Your Grace, I need a word.”

“Make it quick, Elizabeth is waiting in the car.”

“There was a disturbing and possibly dangerous incident earlier today at Bond Street.”

“Tell me now.”

“One of the carpool staff was washing the car Elizabeth and her driver used, when they found a dead parakeet in the glove box. It had a large metal pin jabbed through its heart.”

“Did Elizabeth see it?”

“Thankfully, no, Your Grace. I questioned the driver. According to him, he doesn’t know too much about it. He stated he found the bird and removed it before Elizabeth emerged from the jewelers.”

“This needs to be dealt with immediately. Access the CCTV cameras in that area. I want a full report on any person who so much as looked toward that car.”

“Yes, Your Grace. Trust me. We are treating this as a full-alert threat till we learn otherwise. If someone is playing some sort of game with you or Elizabeth…”

“Then it is game over. Do you understand me, Harris?”

I knew I didn’t have to elaborate with Harris. He understood. If there was a threat against the woman I loved then I expected him to eliminate it. Permanently.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t keep her hidden away at my country estate forever. Eventually that powerful drug dose would wear off and she was bound to ask questions. I just wish I had had more time to plan. It would still be a few weeks before the island I was preparing for us was habitable. Despite my tripling the labor force, there was still much to do.

It had been my plan to take her directly from my estate to the island, to start a new game. Now I would have to endure sharing her with the modern world for a few more weeks. It went against every instinct of mine to do so. I had to fight against the urge to spirit her away again… even if it was against her will.

Even though I had access to several more memory pills, I was reluctant to use them. Although it had worked perfectly in the beginning, it was clear the more stress I