Page 68 of Mine

Now he rolls his eyes.

“You didn’t even ask her sister, your wife?”

“Nope.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

“Established.”

“Okay, when did it happen? Do you at least know that?”

“A long time ago.”

“Like around when you hired her?”

“Before then. Are we going to spend this entire meal talking about my assistant?”

“Fine. Just tell me this. Why would she tell me that you picked out my clothes—which were your wife’s? Why lie about that?”

“I don’t know.”

“There’s something strange about her ... I just can’t pin it down. And while we’re on the subject, there’s something strange about this house.”

He looks at me from under his lashes. “Cillian told me about the doll and the pictures in your room.”

“Yeah, I confronted Prishna about it, thinking it was her. She looked scared when I showed her the doll. She said?—”

“Listen to me,” he snaps. “You are safe here. You are safe with me. Nothing is going to happen to you, as long as I have you. Ever. You have my word, Sabine.”

The image of Astor watching me sleep pops into my mind, and I realize then that he has not been watching me because he wants to. He’s doing it to make sure nothing happens to me.

My captor and my keeper.

What a confusing combination.

Forty-One

Sabine

Cillian appears in the doorway. Astor is visibly upset at the interruption.

“Excuse me.” He rises from the table. As he moves around my chair, he runs his fingertip along the back of my neck, leaving a trail of fire on my skin.

Just his touch.

With just his touch, I melt.

Astor returns quickly, his brows drawn with stress.

“Have you found Carlos?” I ask, assuming that’s what the interruption was about.

“No. But we’ve made contact.”

“Have you tried to call him from my cell phone? You could pin his location that way, I’m sure.”

“He doesn’t answer.”

Ouch. That stings. I’ve given Carlos years of my life, and for what?

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