Page 26 of Vow of Vengeance

Don’t be a fool, Ophelia.

Happy endings don’t begin with abductions.

Captivity is not what I craved. Is this my punishment for not being grateful enough for the family I have? Or should I say, had? I have to be strong now and do what I can to keep them safe. I’ll pretend this is my new, chosen home until I’m left alone. I’m sure the tears will come then, brought on by a lonely quiet, the despair of my hopeless, frustrating situation.

I will not cry. I hate myself for that single tear he saw earlier. There will not be anymore.

I focus on the scenery.

I’m in a freakingTwilightmovie. A dense forest spreads around the Estate, creating a thick barrier between the Bachmans and the outside world. We emerge from the trees to find a heaven on earth hidden against the foothills of the Italian Alps.

The craggy mountains provide an evergreen snow-capped backdrop to a beautiful lake. The water spreads along the shore, ripples sparkling over darkness under the moonlight. I’ve seen the unique, vibrant colors of the water in the daytime—a blue-green, even deep aqua.

The massive, original home, the Villa, is four stories high and has walls of windows. It belongs to Liam and Emilia Bachman. We pass smaller guest houses with the same white stucco planted in the grassy green hills that surround the lake.

Each one is a little different and as stunning as the Villa.

Haze’s voice breaks the spell. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“I have to admit, it is.”

I come back to reality. I’m not just moving here—I’m moving here to marry him. And I don’t know when I’ll see my family again.

Tears threaten to come. It’s all too much when I think about it, but I don’t want to break down. I focus on what I need to do next. Be brave and stay strong. I can’t show him weakness. No crying, and absolutely no letting him touch me again.

Like he did while I bucked against his lap, begging him for more… The memory blankets me in shame. That kind of thing cannot happen again. So, I ignore the secret, dangerous desire deep in my core.

I’m craving more. More of his dominance, more of his control. His dark, daddy ways.

We move closer to the sprawling estate, and wide, iron gates slowly open as we approach. The driver pulls through, past what looks like a security building. Men wearing uniforms are going in and out, and shiny, expensive-looking cars are lined up outside. He pulls behind the building to a small, stone lot where he parks the car and exits without a word—leaving me entirely alone with Haze.

I put my sneakers back on.

“Ready to tour your new home?”

“As ready as I can be.” I don’t let the words settle in.

They’re way too much to process. I'll break if I think of this place as my new home. I may let this dangerous man do all sorts of things to my body, but I won’t let him mess with my mind.

Seeing as this man infuriates me, I’m sure there’s no risk of that, but still, as I walk up to the house where I’ll now be living with him, I commit myself to protecting something other than my mind.

I have deep-seated daddy issues. My attraction to Carter was born from loneliness, and I connected with Haze’s statement about the chosen family a little deeper than I’d care to admit.

I’m weak. I’m prone to false attachments. I can’t let myself fall for someone who shows me attention and protection. If I allow him access to me, I must shield the one thing that will sustain the most damage.

My heart.

CHAPTER 9

Haze

She lookedadorable while kneeling against the back seat of my car, the pink plug peeking out between her pale cheeks, her long ponytail hanging over her shoulder, glossy black fingertips digging into the leather headrest.

“Get your shoes on,” I say, “We’re here.”

I’ve never seen anyone with her coloring—skin so pale, hair so dark, lips such a deep rose. Sometimes, when I glimpse her, her beauty stuns me momentarily. I watch her now as she pulls on her sneakers, bending on the seat carefully, trying to avoid putting any weight on the toy's handle.

I chose this toy because there’s no way to forget that it’s there.

---