Page 8 of Take My Place

“So, let me take you to your room.”

“Whatever,” I mutter, pushing him away as he tries to take my arm. Realising I’m not interested in any physical contact, he lets me walk ahead, as his parents chuckle over our first ‘lover’s tiff’.

I wait until I think we are out of earshot of his parents before I turn on him.

“What the hell was that all about?”

“I’m sorry, Ivy. I didn’t think they’d bring up the engagement so soon.”

“Why wouldn’t they? Apparently, that’s what it takes to get some sanctuary in this town. Jeez, Romy. Why didn’t you mention this sooner? You had plenty of opportunity to let me know the real deal. It’s not like we weren’t stuck in a car together when you brought me back.”

“I didn’t think you’d come with me if I told you my dad expected us to get married. Being truthful, you would have run a mile. So stubborn.”

“Ya think?” I laugh bitterly. “This.This right here is exactly why I didn’t want to come back to this town. It’s so messed up. It’s like something out of the Middle Ages.”

“Would it really be so bad being married to me?” Romy asks, taking a step closer. His chest brushes against mine as he runs a finger down my cheek. I shiver, almost closing my eyes from how much I enjoy his touch. “You can’t deny there’s a spark between us.”

“Romy, I’m eighteen. I wasn’t planning on eventhinkingabout getting married for at least another ten years, if ever. It’s not like marriage worked out too well for my parents. We may well have a spark, but-”

“You basically just admitted you have feelings for me,” he points out with a happy smirk.

My shoulders slump. “Yes, I have feelings for you. But they’re more the ‘wonder if he’s as good in bed as he says he is’ kind of feelings rather than ‘oooh. Let me spend the rest of my life with the man who’s slept with half the girls in town.’ And right now, there’s no way I’m ever going to let you see me naked again, so you’d better prepare yourself for many decades of celibacy because if we’re married and you cheat on me, we’re heading to the divorce courts faster than you can say ‘I blackmailed her into marrying me.’”

“Ouch.” Romy mimes being shot in the heart, but I’m in no mood to fall for his charms.

“I’m serious, Romy. You have no idea how angry I am with you right now. I thought you were different, but it turns out you’re just as bad as my father. Worse-–at least he doesn’t pretend to be a nice guy.”

“Don’t be like that, Ivy,” he counters, lifting my chin with his finger. “You know I’m not that bad. I don’t want to trick you. I just want you. Period.”

“Still a trick, Romy.”

“I can see you’re in no mood to be reasonable, so maybe it’s best if we talk about this in the morning.”

“You think I will want to talk to you in the morning?” I smile sweetly. “Oh, Romy. You really don’t know me at all.”Burning with anger, I walk away, not giving one shit that I’m going to get lost in this house. No one is tricking me into marrying them.

Not even Romy with all his charms.

Chapter Five

Iwas so angry the night before that I didn’t think I’d ever go to sleep, but I must have drifted off at some point, because I am woken up the next morning by the sun streaming through the windows. I’m still wearing the clothes I wore last night and my head feels like a hundred tiny little people are hammering at my skull. I don’t know what was in the champagne I’d had last night, but whatever it was, I am paying for it now.

Dragging myself into the bathroom, I turn on the shower, letting the water warm a little before stepping in.

“Oh my god,” I practically moan as powerful jets of water massaged my aching body. This certainly beat the trickle of water I’d had to make do with when I was living in the care home. The luxurious shower helps chase away some of the fog from my mind as I think about how crazy the past twenty-four hours have been.

One thing is for sure. There is no way I am marrying Romy. Sure, I’d play along with his father’s little game for as long as it suited me, but I would be long gone before the time came to walk down the aisle.

Yet again, I find myself planning my escape from King Town.

And yet again, my heart hurts at the thought of leaving Romy or Archer or Declan. I don’t even know if Declan or Archer want to see me again. They could have moved on, got lost in the secrets of this place, but I hope they didn’t. A part of me just wants to see them again.

The same part of me that doesn’t question the feelings I have for three guys.

I lose track of how long I spend in the shower, loving the endless supply of hot water. Eventually I know I have to get out though. Much as I am tempted to lock myself in my room and never come out again, Romy said we are going to go shopping and I intended to milk his father’s card for everything I could get today. If they want to keep me here and marry me off to their son, I’m not going to make it cheap. A part of me feels a little guilty, but then again, trapped people do insane things.

And I’m so tired of being trapped.

When exactly do I escape this hell town?

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