Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
FIONA
T he kiss goes on far longer than I want it to, and I don’t engage with it, but I also don’t fight it. I go somewhere in my head where Alex is drinking a lemon-drop martini and telling me all the times she had to do something like this to save the victim or nail the murderer. When he finally draws back, I pant. I’m sure it looks like I’m excited, when really I’m just trying my best not to be sick.
For his part, Roman’s gaze veers toward Vivian and narrows. “I will give you this, wife, as a wedding gift. But if she causes any trouble, she dies, and I will punish you for your misstep. Are you prepared to endure the consequences if she’s not worth your trust?”
I gulp and nod. I know better than to try to save Donovan. Even looking in his direction right now could jeopardize Vivian, and by the tears forming in her eyes, I know she needs out of this cell. “I’m prepared. She’ll be agreeable.” I turn to stare directly at Vivian. “Or I’ll kill her myself.”
Vivian has the good sense to look terrified, although she must know I’m acting.
When I turn back to Roman, he gives me a sidelong glance like a husband might if he was indulging his wife with some jewelry or a clothing splurge and then punches a code into the keypad. I memorize it. 8-8-3-6-7-8. I say it over and over again in my head. Maybe the code to Donovan’s cell is the same. Maybe I can sneak back down here when Roman’s not in the house and free the dragon. He runs a damn company. He can’t stay here forever, can he?
The door swings open, and Vivian practically leaps into my arms. Her body is so thin it feels like I can wrap them around her twice, and she smells like she hasn’t bathed in weeks. I squeeze her hard and then leave my arm around her waist even as I take Roman’s outstretched hand and allow him to lead us up the stairs.
Vivian doesn’t say a word as he leads us to the second floor and shows her to one of the guest rooms, one I see has an en suite bathroom. I catch the eye of a member of the staff who looks like he’s trying hard not to be noticed. “She’ll need food and a change of clothes,” I say in a firm voice, then immediately turn to Roman. “I mean, if you approve.”
He gives me another creepy smile. Play the part. Just a little longer. For your friend.
Roman glares at the man. “Do it.”
Fine. Better than that cell. I meet her eyes and load mine with promise. I’ll get us out of this, somehow .
The servant bows and then takes off toward the kitchen. Roman looks at Vivian, and there is death in his eyes. “Leave these rooms without my permission and I will remove your legs from your body.”
I wouldn’t think it possible, but Vivian pales even further before Roman closes the door between us, her wild, terrified eyes disappearing behind the heavy paneled wood.
Roman turns to me with a sigh, his hand stroking down my spine to the curve of my back. “Shall we?”
I nod, although I’m not sure what he means. Are we going to sign paperwork? Get married this very minute? I’ve been awake for almost twenty-four hours. Will he allow me to sleep?
He leads me to his bedroom, and the sight of the bed makes me long to lie down. My feet ache in the heels. But then what will he expect from me?
Behind me, I hear him close and lock the door, and then he approaches until I can feel the buttons of his dress shirt against my back. “You’re trembling.”
My eyes burn and my head pounds, exhaustion limiting what few inner resources I have left. “You said the Order requires we wait until we’re married. Do you still want to wait?” My voice cracks and I pray it comes across as nerves and not dread.
His hand lands on my zipper, and I close my eyes as he draws it down my side. The red dress falls off me and pools around my heels, leaving me in scraps of lace that serve as a bra and panties. I almost break down when he unhooks my bra and slides it from my shoulders. It drops to the floor. When the cloth hits the carpet, it barely makes a sound, but inside my head, an explosion is going off. I’m Connor’s. I’m Connor’s! I don’t want this man touching me. I don’t want him seeing me.
He’s still behind me, and I’m shaking hard now, hard enough I worry about tripping in the shoes.
“Arms up,” he orders, and a whisper of silk falls over my body.
I look down to find myself in a black silk nightgown. I release a shaky breath.
“Lie down. You’re exhausted.”
Slowly I walk to the opposite side of the bed, remove my shoes, and climb under the covers. He strips down to his boxers and climbs in beside me. But he doesn’t touch me, just closes his eyes.
I try to fight sleep. I want to fight it. I want to run. But the consequences if I did would fall on Vivian, just as I will suffer if she tries to escape. I’m only human and a physically weak one at that. My joints ache from the stress of the day, and I pray to God this doesn’t throw me into another flare.
No, if I’m going to survive and escape Roman, I’ll have to do it using my mind. I believe in my soul that if I give Connor enough time, he’ll come for me. I don’t trust Roman, and I want to stay awake, but in the end, the endless fatigue and exhaustion is too much. I fall into a sleep so heavy I don’t even dream.