Page 17 of Coerced Wife

“Rachele.”

“What about her?” I ask without slowing in my task.

“She asked permission to marry Archibald.”

A half-smile curves my lips. “What did you say?”

“You know I can’t deny her. She was within her rights to leave you. You also know how I feel about divorce. I’d rather see a woman dead than let her break a sacred bond.”

It’s the closest he’s come to admitting that the car crash that killed his wife wasn’t an accident. Everyone knows she was running away on the night someone drove into the back of her car and pushed her off a bridge.

“I hope she’ll be happy,” I say, meaning it.

“Good.” He shakes off a bug that has crawled onto his shoe and crushes it under his heel. “That’s settled then. As for you, I was thinking.”

The hair in my nape pricks. I stop and give him my attention. “Thinking what?”

“I have a niece on my late wife’s side. She’s ten now, but in eight years, she’ll be ready to marry.”

He must be fucking kidding me. I’ve got twenty years on her, not that I’m looking for a wife.

“It’s not going to happen,” I say, gritting my teeth.

He taps his cane on the floor. “Think about it.” He flashes me with his yellowing teeth. “You have enough time.”

“You seem to have forgotten I have Anya.”

“Yes, well.” He throws the cane into the air and catchesit with surprising agility. “She’s not going to be around forever, is she?”

With that, he turns and leaves.

I clench the spanner so hard in my palm my knuckles crack.

Over my fucking dead body.

I’ll keep Anya right here, happy and safe, if it’s the last thing I do.

CHAPTER

FIVE

Anya

Staring at the sparkly surface of the Hudson River, I stir honey into my mint tea. I’ve done multiple searches for keys with cylinder-shaped ends and came up with a few for strongboxes and safes but not one resembles the key I found in the vault at the firm.

I wish I could ask a key maker, but Saverio’s men follow me everywhere. He’ll no doubt find out about such a visit, and I can’t explain why I’m searching for what the key unlocks.

“Hey.” Tersia snaps her fingers in front of my face. “Where are you? I bet you heard nothing I said.”

We’re sharing a table in a cozy tearoom not far from the firm. Our lunch dates became a regular habit. We’re meeting at least twice a week.

“I’m sorry.” My smile is guilty. “I can’t stop my thoughts fromwandering today.”

“Wandering where?” she asks, cupping her mug between her palms.

Besides trying to solve the riddle concerning the key? “I was just thinking about the future and what it holds.”

“Baby stuff, huh?” She blows on her mug. “I’m sure Sav has things figured out right down to applying for the best schools the very moment your baby is born, but you’re right to stay on top of things. I never rely too much on Richard even though he’s a gem. I like to know I’m self-sufficient.”

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