Page 42 of Outcast’s Vow

“There should be someone at the door any minute,” my husband explains, so irritatingly self-assured.

I roll my eyes at his tease and put down my cup of coffee.

“Not another surprise, Baptiste...”

And as if on cue, the doorbell rings.

My mouth hangs open in shock. I look at Baptiste. He nods at the door.

“That’s for you,” he says.

“Oh, screw you.”

Tentative, I slide off the stool and make my way over to the door with my husband’s eyes burning into my back. I skeptically turn the lock.

As Baptiste predicted, there is someone waiting for me. It’s a butler wearing the official uniform of the chalet resort.

“Mrs. Tremblay?”

“Yes?”

“Please, madam,” the butler says politely, gesturing to the parked limousine behind him. “Come this way.”

I turn back to Baptiste still in the kitchen, sipping on his coffee and still watching me.

The smug asshole.

“What’s this?” I ask him, waving toward the butler and the limo.

“As you said,” my new husband replies, “it’s another surprise for you.”

“And you’re coming with me?”

“No, it’s just for you today. I want you to enjoy yourself. Weren’t you listening to what I just told you?”

I narrow my eyes.

“I don’t trust you, Baptiste.”

My husband smiles.

“Forget about hating me for one minute, let your hair down and relax, Your Highness.”

I turn back to the butler.

“Go on,” I say to him. “Take me to wherever my annoying husband wants me to go.”

We drive the short distance down to the five-star resort. It’s snowing this morning, but the sun is bright in the sky. It’s that kind of beautiful, crisp winter cold fairytales are made of.

We pull up outside the doors of the wellness center, where a smiling staff member is waiting for me with a glass of wine and a goblet full of chocolate-covered strawberries.

Spared no expense, has he?

“Very nice,” I say as I step out of the limousine.

“On instruction from Mr. Tremblay,” the butler replies with a nod.

I sigh.