I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that everything fits like a glove. They took down my father’s security system. Hacking my online shopping history was probably the warmup.
When I’m dressed from head to toe, I give myself a once-over in the floor to ceiling mirror. I’m almost shocked that I look no different than yesterday. Everything has changed for me overnight; my whole life has been turned upside down. Shouldn’t the reflection looking back at me change too?
“Here, put this on.” Liam’s deep voice startles me. How someone as big as him moves so silently is beyond me. I spinaround just in time to catch the small velvet box he throws my way.
I flip the box open and look at the beautiful princess-cut diamond ring set Liam presented to me like an afterthought. Like the obedient wife I am, I slide the sparkly rings onto my finger and set the now empty box aside.
“Let’s go,” Liam urges, like he is growing impatient.
I follow him out of the bedroom, down the hall, where I memorize every door we pass, creating a mental map of this place. When we pass a picture hanging on the wall of me in a wedding dress and him in a tux, posing for a fake wedding day, I can’t help but scoff.
“Nice Photoshop skills,” I say under my breath.
“Surprisingly cheap too. People should start to do this instead of spending all that money on a photographer.”
We enter the main living space, which consists of a huge sectional in front of a fireplace, a modern kitchen, and a dining area that seats at least ten people.
The table is already set for two, and there is an older woman in the kitchen preparing plates. She is short and heavy-set, with gray hair pulled up in a neat bun. Liam takes the seat at the head of the table and motions for me to sit down next to him. I take my seat and watch the woman approach us, holding two full plates of food.
“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Knight,” she greets us with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes as she serves me my food.
“Thank you, this looks wonderful.” I make a point of complimenting her.
She looks at me like she is surprised about my friendliness, but quickly changes her expression to neutral. Giving me a curt nod.
“Thanks, Maggie,” Liam dismisses her, and she scurries back into the kitchen.
The savory smell of bacon and eggs has my stomach rumbling. Picking up the fork, I notice that there is no knife set out for me. I guess I’m not trusted around sharp objects. Spearing the crispy bacon, I bring the salty goodness to my mouth and start eating.
I’m halfway done with my food when Liam breaks the silence. “I expect you to be on your best behavior today. When we’re in public, you will present yourself as my loving wife.” His tone is sharp, his words spoken like a threat without actually threatening me.
I slowly finish chewing my food, not in a hurry to answer him. “Don’t worry, I’m an expert at pretending,” I finally say, unable to hide the bitterness in my voice.
“Great, then this should come easy to you.” He checks his watch. “The car will be ready in five.”
I take a few more bites before washing everything down with a glass of fresh squeezed orange juice.
Liam suddenly gets up, motioning for me to do the same. I get on my feet and follow him to the elevator. Blocking my view of the pin pad with his body, he types in the code that makes this thing work.
The elevator takes us all the way down to the parking garage, where a black SUV is waiting for us. Liam ushers me into the backseat before sliding in himself. The spicy scent of his cologne fills the space as the car starts moving. We stop at a gate that is opened by an armed guard.Only one?I almost roll my eyes.
As we pull out into the street, I look out of the window and try to memorize the surrounding area. If I manage to break out of the penthouse, I will have to make a quick getaway. I definitely won’t have time to stop and ask for directions.
“You won’t get a chance,” Liam suddenly says.
“Huh?” I give him an innocent look.
“You won’t get a chance to leave the penthouse,” he clarifies. “The elevator is the only way out, and you don’t have the code.”
“Seems like a fire code violation to only have one exit,” I point out, but don’t mention that it would also be pretty stupid not to have another way downstairs. What if the power goes out? There has to be a staircase or a ladder somewhere.
“Don’t waste your time and energy trying to get away,” he says like he is giving some friendly advice.
“Then what should I do with my time and energy?” I snap before I can stop myself.
A sinister smile spreads across Liam’s face. He lifts his hand and places it on my bare thigh, gripping my flesh firmly. I do my best not to react to his touch, but my whole body is on high alert. “I can think of a few things to keep you busy,” he coaxes, squeezing my thigh lightly, sending a shiver down my spine.
His hand disappears as fast as it appears. The ghost of his touch lingers on my skin like a burn mark.
