Page 7 of Beast's Wife

“No, please, just one game?” she asked. “I would askCarver, but I don’t know how to ask him.”

The man stopped and turned toward her. “You’d be willing to play a game with Carver?”

“Well, yes, I mean, I assume he would be into playing games. This is his home, right, and this is his game room. So, it goes without saying I would ask him.” She frowned. “Unless you would advise against it? Does he not like questions?”

The man before her smiled. “He is a complicated man, but I have a feeling you are going to be quite the intrigue.”

“What’s your name?” Morgan asked.

“Andy.” He took a step toward the table.

“Nice to meet you, Andy.”

“It’s a pleasure, Morgan,” he said.

He loaded up the game, and within seconds, he had already sent the hockey puck into her goal area. One-nil. She didn’t mind. The second game lasted a little longer.

“So, tell me, Andy, what is it that you do here?” Morgan asked.

“I take care of the house while Carver is busy,” Andy said.

“You’re allowed to tell me this?”

“Yes, you are his wife, and I don’t see you running to the cops, not that it would do you any good. Before you left this house, someone would capture you, report you, or even kill you,” Andy said.

This made her stop defending her goal, to which he slid the puck right past her and into her goal, making it two-nil.

“Kill me?” she asked, a little taken aback.

“Everyone here is loyal to Carver. They believe in him, trust him, and if you even try to hurt him, there will be consequences.”

“I’m not here to hurt him.”

“Then what are you here for?”

“I don’t know. I mean, I’m his wife.”

“And yet, you don’t wear his ring.”

She glanced down at her hand. “I was never given one.”

“And maybe you should ask him yourself,” Andy said.

The third game started and this time, Morgan focused. She pushed the puck away from her goal, he was so close to getting it in, but she blocked each attack and then swung it out. Much to her surprise, she slid it right past his goal, and now it was two to one.

“And with that, I must get back to work, but that is a sign, young Morgan. I have a feeling you’re going to do quite well, especially if you’re not afraid of him.”

Andy didn’t give her a chance to argue. She had loved playing the air hockey, and she was a little annoyed he had left early. She would have loved to play another game.

What did he mean that she was going to do quite well?

She knew the logical side of her should be terrified of Carver. But she just couldn’t be, and it wasn’t even down to the gifts, although that had been so sweet of him. She adored them. But it was more than that. He took care of her and didn’t hurt her.

Carver didn’t leave her to die, whereas her family didn’t give a crap that she’d been ill. All they wanted was their own goal—money, power—and that had gotten them a death sentence.

What did Carver want from her? What could she give him that no one else had?

Leaving the game room, she made her way upstairs, knowing dinner would be served soon. She took a quick shower, applied her skin care, and was tempted to try the makeup, but she opted not to.

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