40. Penelope
Penelope
The problem with lighting fires is that eventually, something burns.
I stared down at the screen of my phone for what had to be the millionth time since I’d talked with Vaughn over text.
Heiress Penelope Taylor: Protected or Imprisoned? The Mystery Deepens
The headline made me nervous, but it was satisfying to get the truth out there.
Vaughn had done exactly what I’d asked him to do, and now I was going to have to face the consequences of that.
It had me closing my eyes to breathe. Calm.
I had to stand my ground. I was pissed, and they were going to know it.
I opened the drawer to my desk, putting my phone inside. The last thing I needed was to remind them how I got word out. It’d been hell getting that phone to begin with. I really didn’t want them to take it away. I didn’t care if they were listening or reading everything I wrote.
Leaving my office, I saw Marian’s door open in the distance. The buzz of voices was nonstop, pausing as I passed cubicles on my way down the hall. Cassandra glanced up at my approach, her eyes lowering through the firestorm that was no doubt awaiting me through Marian’s door.
As I entered, Marian was standing behind her desk, her face hard and stoic. Katia was leaning against the wall length glass window. Her stare could have shot daggers at me with as angry as she appeared.
“Shut the door, Penelope.”
My full name.
I felt like a child as I obeyed.
Did they think I was acting like one?
The thought only heated my blood even more.
“Take a seat.”
I looked at the chair Marian gestured to, glancing at Katia before shaking my head.
“I’d much rather stand, thank you.”
Katia nodded. “Marian, you’re going to have to excuse us. I hate to do it, but what I need to say is between me and Penelope.”
Marian’s green eyes flickered to me and there was hesitation before she nodded and left. The moment the door shut, Katia pinned me with a glare.
“The article you had put into that paper—Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
“What I’ve done? What. I’ve. Done? I’ll tell you what I haven’t done. A crime. Yet here I am, a prisoner in this building.”
“Not a prisoner, a ward of Marian’s.”
“Ward? No, a prisoner of whatever bullshit agency you’re a part of. I have rights. I am not under arrest. You have to let me leave here or charge me with something.”
I had no idea if I was right, but it sounded good.
“That’s not how it works, Penelope.”
“Then tell me, Agent Marchase. Explain why the hell I’ve been here for over half a year. My life was ruined. I lost everything. The man I wish to be with—”
“Made one hell of a mess. You have no idea the storm you have created. I was so close to getting you more freedom. Now, you might have ruined that entirely.”
My head shook, and my body couldn’t contain the rage blistering inside of me. Heat poured from my body and eyes, and tears raced down my cheeks.
“You tell whoever is pulling the strings that I don’t care what I created.
You tell them that if they don’t give me more freedom, that article will be nothing compared to the ones that will follow.
You tell your boss or whoever you’re taking orders from that if they don’t ease the fuck up, I will take the king’s invitation and I will use that platform to blow this entire situation to hell and back.
Do you understand me? I’m done playing games.
I’ve been patient. Not anymore. Those are my terms. Unless you want this to turn dirty real fast, I suggest whoever is hiding behind in the background to play along. ”
Silence.
“There she is.” Her voice was full of awe. “There’s the woman hiding behind the mask. I knew I saw her that first night. You’re good. Very, very good.”
“Hiding?” My head shook. “Contained. You forced her out. That was a big mistake, Agent Marchase.”
“Is it?” She stepped from the wall, moving in closer. “I have to say, I’m truly fascinated by this development, Penelope. You have so many moving elements around you. I can’t for the life of me figure them out. Or maybe I don’t want to, because then the fun ends.”
“What are you talking about?”
She took a seat on the edge of the desk, her dark business suit fitting tighter to the curves of her body.
“You claim to love Theodore Hart. It’s believable.
He’s an attractive man. He has a great reputation.
He’s strong, funny, and he appears to care for his clients.
But the thing is, you’ve never met him before he showed up at this building.
And if you have, I can’t find proof of it.
He’s not titled, but neither are you. The thing is, you were very much on a mission to marry one before your parents’ supposed murder. ”
She laced her fingers together in her lap.
“What can you tell me about Lord Allford?”
My blood went cold.
“His Lordship, John, was a dear friend of my father’s. He came over every week for dinner.”
She nodded. “He bought an engagement ring shortly before he disappeared. You are aware he disappeared?”
My head shook back and forth, but I didn’t speak.
“Yes, well, it would seem he was already choosing his next wife. I guess he didn’t want to wait for his wife to die before he chose.”
“Is Babette—”
“Dead? Yeah. She died shortly after he disappeared. Ironically, around the same time you and your parents did.”
“I wasn’t aware of that. It’s sad she passed. What are you getting at, Agent Marchase?”
“Just messages about a contract between your father and Lord Allford, and yet no proof of one. And then, even more fascinating, how you claim to love an untitled man you’ve never met, but you reject the advance of the king. You do reject his invitations?”
“I can only love a title, is that it? Maybe after my parents forcing it down my throat my entire life, I don’t want one.”
She nodded as if she could understand that.
“Or maybe… there’s someone else you’ve fallen in love with.
Someone connected to Theodore Hart. Perhaps, and I’m just playing around with theories, here, but…
let’s just say for fun that this man—this masked captor, he chose you.
Maybe you didn’t know him at all at first. Not aside from the phone calls that lasted months.
I mean, if you would have met him in person, I would have found some sort of proof of it. ”
Her head shook.
“There’s nothing, Penelope. This man never met you before he took you.
But during that time after he did, you fell for him.
Now… I ask myself, what sort of person would kill, kidnap, and take a woman, only to allow her to escape.
I mean, he’d have to be a busy man. At least a little.
And the fighting. We can’t forget about the fighting you mentioned.
You’d have to be strong, physically and mentally.
You still fight to be strong, don’t you?
So much training. So much… anger. You want to kill.
You crave it. I see it in that gym. You’re preparing yourself. ”
“For what, Agent Marchase? Protection? Yeah, I was taken. You’re making no sense to me. Get to the point.”
She smiled. “Once upon a time, there was a king. He was betrayed and killed for treason, and over time, his blood line couldn’t accept that they’d lost everything.
They came up with a plan to retake the throne.
But only as a force more powerful than who he already was, so not to be contested.
Two worthy bloodlines, merged into one. His…
and yours. Is this story sounding familiar? ”
I returned her smile, keeping mine soft and sweet.
“I think I’ve read this in a book. What’s the title again?”
“The tragic tale of Masterson and Taylor.” Her face hardened.
“And don’t for a second play stupid and deny it.
I’m telling you right now, you are between two forces on a collision course.
King Lawrence wants you. Vaughn knows that.
If you put yourself in position to come between them, it’ll be the biggest mistake of your life.
When this all comes to light, and the truth becomes exposed, one way or another, you will die.
Do you understand me? A bloodbath is coming, and I would hate for a sweet woman like you to be caught in the middle of it.
Do not mistake yourself for a queen. We both know deep down, you’re not capable.
You are a pawn in this game. That is the truth. ”
Her hand flew up as my mouth opened. “Maybe Vaughn Masterson fell in love with you. Maybe. But what I know of him is, he only loves The Order. If it comes to losing you or it, he will not choose you. He is not allowed.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Vaughn Masterson is my job, Penelope. That is never-ending. There is no expiration date on this case. Why do you think you’re still here?
I’ve spent years tracking him. Watching his every move.
Reporting his choices and decisions. Do you really think you’re the first person he’s considered as a wife?
That he’s gotten close to? That he’s taken?
Vaughn does this, Penelope. He finds someone, he isolates and breaks them, and they either die during the trials, or he ends their life when he feels they’re not good enough.
The only reason he still keeps you is because of his hatred to the king.
Face it. You are not queen material. I know a dead woman when I see her.
If you buy into whatever he’s told you, you’ll die just like they did. ”
Sickness swarmed through the anger. Defensiveness rose, but the pain of the possibility that she was telling the truth hurt so much worse than any brutality I’d experienced so far. She knew a lot. Too much to be lying.
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t outrun the crushing force inside my chest.
Vaughn said he loved me. That he wanted to marry me.
Had he told the other women that as well?
Was he just using me in this game with King Lawrence because he knew the king’s interest?
Did I really mean nothing? I was strong.
I wasn’t weak anymore. But… Katia thought I was weak, and if she did… so would he.
“Go back to work, Penelope, and do us both a favor. Keep your head down and your mouth shut. The faster you lose communication with Vaughn, the faster I can convince my puppets you’re not a threat to their game, and I can set you free.”
I took a step back, finally able to force myself to turn around. I didn’t look at Marian as I passed. I did what Katia said. I kept my head down. I kept my mouth shut. And I went back to my office, reaching down and pulling out my phone.
I had spent months building myself up for a war I wouldn’t win.
Pawn.
Queen.
I couldn’t get used, hurt, or killed if I wasn’t either.
I reached in, grabbing my phone and pulling up the one new text message.
My Love: What happened?
I stared down, knowing if I didn’t text back, Vaughn would fear I was hurt. He’d try to come for me. As much as I wanted him to hurt like I did, he needed to know the truth.
Me: You lied to me. You played me by pretending I was the only one you ever felt this way about.
How many others did you lead on before they died?
Before you killed them? Were they just pawns too?
Or maybe they weren’t wanted by the king.
It’s the only reason you’ve kept me so long.
I can’t believe I fell for it. I won’t have this phone on me anymore.
I’m getting rid of it, so don’t bother calling or texting back.
My vow remains, but not to you. Find someone new to marry. We’re done.
I hit send, letting it go through. I immediately hit the power button, holding to shut down the phone.
Standing, I headed back to Marian’s office, not even bothering to knock as I barged in.
They both stopped talking as I headed up to Katia, pushing my phone into her hand.
My heart was shattering, but I held strong—not weak.
“You wanted control. Here it is. Don’t come back and see me unless you’re setting me free.” I turned to Marian. “I’m taking the rest of the day off. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”