Page 29 of Marriage and Malice

“What entire mess?” I loom over him, watching the way his jaw quivers. “What is going on here that I’m missing? I may be a monster, but I doubt that would be enough for you to think that Zoe would be better off dead.”

“Keep her name out of your fucking mouth. My man was only supposed to take her and bring her back to me.”

“And yet you think that she would be better off dead than with me. Why is that?”

“Get out of my house before I call the police.”

I study him for a moment before looking down and seeing the small panic button in his hand. “You really are an idiot, aren’t you?”

“They will be here in a few minutes. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll be gone before they get here.” He gives me a smug smile and sips his coffee. “I will have my daughter back one way or another. She isn’t going to spend her life with a monster like you if I have anything to say about it.”

“You come for her again, and I will gut you where you stand.”

I spin and take off, ducking through the window I broke to get in.

Sirens scream in the distance, red and blue lights illuminating the early morning sky.

I run across the property and disappear into the woods.

Now, to get home and make sure that Zoe is alright.

As I head toward my waiting car, I know that Jeremiah is too proud of a man to back off.

I’m going to have to keep a watchful eye over Zoe to make sure that he doesn’t try anything stupid again. Even though the plan was to keep away from her as much as possible.

I groan and run my hands down my face the moment I get in my car.

This arranged marriage is turning into more of a pain in the ass than I ever thought it would be.

8

ZOE

“How are you feeling?” Ruben asks as he sits on the couch beside me in the library. “Christian should be on his way back soon.”

“What happened to the man with the gun?” I ask, my voice faltering.

My heart is still racing, and my hands shake as I bring my mug of coffee to my mouth.

“Will all due respect, I don’t think that you need to know. It’s not going to be pretty and some things you will be better off remaining ignorant about.”

My stomach lurches.

I don’t know what to say or think.

One moment, I was asleep. The next I woke up with the distinct feeling of being watched.

I started screaming and throwing whatever I could reach as soon as I saw the man come through the balcony doors.

I was sure that I was going to die when he pointed a gun at me.

I hate this life. I just want to go home where it’s safe.

I want to curl up with Ava and watch horrible rom-coms until I finally feel better about everything that’s happened in the last few days.

There is a knock at the door before it opens and Christian walks inside.

Ruben gets up and nods to him before looking down at me.

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