Page 115 of Loving the Liar

That’s the name the Silent Circle hides under. A fake charity most of them use as a tax deduction to then have the money circle back to themselves.

“If you’re in here, I’d like to remind you that tonight’s event is compulsory for members of the foundation.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, the fear of disobeying making me jerk in Chris’s hold. I have to go. I can’t risk this. I push against him, my hands holding his forearm to try to get his hand off my mouth. But he holds me back effortlessly, pinning me harder against the wall. I whimper against his palm, and he puts his lips on my forehead, whispering discreetly.

“Stay.”

And just like that, I hear retreating steps, and all that’s left making noise outside is the rain hitting our porch.

His grip relaxes, and he slides his hand to my cheek. “For heaven’s sake, Ella. You’re burning up.”

“I’m okay,” I croak. A lie, but I need to convince myself.

I sense a tension growing inside him, and he takes a step back, clearly trying to contain himself. “You know how I feel when you’re unwell and don’t take care of yourself,” he growls.

“I’m a big girl, and I don’t need you to take care of me for a stupid cold.”

“Did you take any medicine?”

“I—”

“Were you in bed resting?”

“I was until?—”

“Did you eat? Are you drinking enough water?”

“Not yet, but?—”

“Go to the living room. Right now. And don’t make this worse on yourself. I’m angry enough as it is.”

I open my mouth one last time, but I know this is a lost cause. When Chris wants to take care of something, there’s no fighting it. And I’m too tired to try.

Like my body wants to tell him he’s right, I sneeze as I make my way to the living room, and I’m a shivering mess by the time he brings me a blanket and tea. I eye him up, unsure what to do, but he cuts it short for me.

“Don’t even think of refusing me anything. You were going to go to the temple when I explicitly told you not to. The only reason you’re not being punished right now is because your body can’t take it. Be obedient, Sweets, because I don’t want to have to tally up by tomorrow.”

I silently take the tea from him, sipping on it while he arranges the blanket on my knees. He leaves and comes back with a glass of water and some pills.

“For your fever.”

Setting the tea aside, I switch it for the medicine and water, and then put that on the table too.

“I don’t want to fight tonight,” I admit in a rasp. My throat feels swollen and hurts, and my eyelids are heavy. I just want to rest.

He kneels on the rug in front of me and delicately puts a hand on my thigh. “We only have issues when you refuse to accept the inevitable, Sweets.”

I shake my head slowly, a huff leaving me. “There is no inevitable. I don’t want to go back to being under your thumb. I was your secret in high school, and that is exactly what’s happening again. You just added who you’re hiding me from.”

“But this time, I know I’m going to have you in the end. And don’t tell me I’m delusional again, because you know I’ll take it all up a notch. The next step in persuading you could be too much for you to handle.”

I take a deep breath, some kind of distress making my muscles ache on top of the fever. I don’t want to ask, but I have to. Chris is so good at putting up that innocent front that I have to dig to discover what he’s truly capable of.

“What will happen if you do everything you can to have me, and I still refuse?”

“That won’t happen, Sweets.” He caresses my cheek, then my hair. “You won’t have to worry about choosing. By the time I’ve freed myself of Megan, there’ll be no choice at all for you.”

I swallow thickly, my chest tightening. “You scare me when you say things like that.”

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