“I’m so sorry you had to witness that. Right now I need you to think, Elle, did they make any demands? Did they say anything about a ransom?”
She shakes her head. “Wait. Yes. When they first took me, one of them said ‘there’ll be no wedding today’.” Elena gasps. “They didn’t want me getting married. Oh my god! The wedding. What happened? Are we at war with the Irish again? Papa must be so angry with me for not being at the church.”
“Shh. Everything is all right.” I keep my voice low. “I married him in your place.”
“What? Ravenna, that’s crazy!”
I cringe.
The SUV lurches to a stop. Cian turns around in his seat and clicks on the overhead light. I blink against the sudden glare.
When my eyes adjust, my gaze meets Cian’s icy blues. He scrutinizes me and my sister. His features remain steely as myriad emotions storm through his stare. Interest, disbelief, shock, I read them all like an open book before seeing the flicker of betrayal and pain that disappears beneath his glacial shield. He gazes back at me with pure loathing.
Guilt knocks the air from my lungs.
“Cian, I can explain.” My voice cracks. Pulse raging, I reach for him, but he dodges my touch. “Please let me explain.”
“You’re nothing but a lying, manipulative Italian whore.” His words are like a slap in the face. I flinch. Elena gasps.
Cian turns around and starts to drive again, but I soon realize that we’re not headed back to his compound. Even so, I keep my mouth shut. What can I say that will make everything better?
“What does he mean?” Elena asks in a hush. She’s visibly shivering.
Shaking my head, I remove my coat and drape it over her shoulders. I’m unable to answer her as my heart feels like someone’s driving a stake into it. The pain’s so intense, it’s blinding.
My world spirals around me. Descending into darkness. Guilt consumes me from the inside out. I never should havesecretly taken my sister’s place. I should have told Cian the truth as soon as possible, it’s not like I didn’t have an opportunity or two. And as soon as we returned, I should have launched a full scale investigation into Elena’s disappearance.
I’ve failed both of them.
I spend the rest of the ride in silence, until we pull up in front of my parents’ house. A strangled cry tears from my throat.No, please no.
Where else would Cian take us other than home?
This isn’t my home anymore.
Elena immediately bails out of the SUV and sprints to the front door. She’s home. She’s safe. But her refuge is my hell.
I stay rooted in my seat, unable to convince my limbs to move. I have a feeling that if I get out of this car, I may never find my way back to my husband again.
“Cian…”
He catches my eye in the rearview mirror. “I never want to see you again,Ravenna.” He spits my name like a curse. “If you come near me, I’ll put a bullet in your head, and two in your heart for good measure.Get. Out.”
The backs of my eyes sting. He can’t mean it. He’s been my sanctuary, my hope, the man to unknowingly rescue me from what awaits behind that closed front door. I can’t go back to that. I won’t survive it.
I reach forward. “Let me exp?—”
“Get the fuck out of my car! Now!” His deafening shout rings in the confined space.
“Cian,please?—”
When he turns around in his seat, he glares at me. There’s no warmth or affection in his features. I don’t recognize the man staring back at me at all.
This is the face he shows to the outside world, not to me. Being shut out like this hurts.
He really is through with me. I blink. Tears trickle down my cheeks.
With a single nod, I slide out of the backseat. I have no choice now but to face the wrath of my father.
