Page 24 of Heathen

Maybe he is just as evil as Dima and the men working for him. Maybe he's only trying to get compliance out of me until we're no longer here and then he plans to hurt me or sell me to someone else, or many someone elses.

I run my hands up and down my arms, doing my best to ward off the goosebumps that cover my skin. In any other situation, I'd turn around and run, but I know my feet can't carry me past the trouble I've gotten myself into this time.

My knees threaten to give out as we walk toward the man in the front.

I never spent much time worrying or planning my wedding, but the limited time I have pictured what it would be like, it looked nothing like this.

The rest of the ceremony is a haze. I know I say the words, repeating the vows after the man, but I also know I won't be able to pull this moment from memory when I need to.

I tremble even more when I hear the man say Ellis may now kiss his bride, a tear streaming down my face. But the man leans in, pressing his lips to my cheek rather than my lips.

I open my eyes, feeling very surprised he didn't take the opportunity he was given, knowing there isn't a single person in this room other than myself that would be offended by whatever he wanted to do.

"Very sweet," the big guy who came to the door the first time yesterday says.

"Mr. Burke, please come with me," Dima urges.

"And my wife?"

"She'll be right here when we get back."

The big guy smiles as Ellis walks away but his lips form a flat line once he's out of the room.

He turns toward me, making sure to invade my entire line of sight.

"You will do whatever is asked of you," he growls. "You signed a two-year contract, and you must stay married to him for that long. I'd suggest being a submissive wife, or it's going to be a very long two years for you."

Chapter 11

Heathen

There's absolutely nothing I can do about the trembling in her body once I come back out of the other room.

I don't know what that big motherfucker said to her, but whatever it was has clearly left her more shaken than before.

It only took five minutes for Dima to go over the expectations, return policy, and payment, but it might as well have been a lifetime for the terror I see in her eyes.

Thankfully, she doesn't hesitate to place her hand in mine when I hold it out to her.

Neither of us says a word as we leave the warehouse, and even after helping her into the passenger side of the Cerberus SUV, she doesn't speak.

"They're going to be watching us," I mutter as I turn out of the industrial park.

"Please take me home," she whispers, the threat of a sob in her tone.

"I can't," I say as we slow to a stop behind a pickup at the red light. "I need time to figure out the next step."

The last two hours have gone against everything I promised Kincaid back in New Mexico. We were selected for this position because we had the ability to think shit through, and here I am, seventy-two hours in the city and married to a woman I don't know, while also putting myself and my real name on the radar of a criminal organization. If there were more ways to fuck this all up, I probably would've done it by now as well.

"It isn't real," she whispers, trying to dash tears away with the back of her hand.

"It's very real," I argue. "The danger, the threat to Morgan. Is that a sister? Your mom?"

I don't know how I expect her to respond, but utter silence isn't it.

I know she has to be traumatized. I know I have some very hard questions to ask her, namely how long has she been there and what has happened to her since arriving. Also, how in the world did she end up inside the warehouse? Did they abduct her after catching her snooping around?

"I'll take you to a hospital. I don't think it's too far-fetched for them to think I'd want you tested for STDs before our wedding night."

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