Page 98 of Prince of Darkness

“Give me your hand.”

She holds out her hand for me. Now I’m the one who’s surprised as she lets me slip the ring right on to her finger where it belongs. Something settles within me with that tiny action, knowing she’s agreed to be mine, for now.

6

MACKENZIE

Istare at the ring, unable to take my eyes away from it since Victor put it on my hand. I shouldn't have let him do it but I found myself holding my hand out. Baiting him to put a ring on my finger without a challenge. One I knew I was going to lose but yet I did it anyway.

“Are you not hungry?” I snap my eyes up from the ring to look at Victor. “I thought you’d like the mac and cheese.” He lifts a bite of it to my mouth. I part my lips, letting him feed me. I can’t taste anything. I was starving when we came down here, but now all I can think about is the ring on my finger. It makes this marriage all the more real. As soon as that ring slid on to my finger, Victor seemed to relax.

“I guess I’m not as hungry as I thought.”

“Relax, Mackenzie,” he tells me again. I feel my body follow his command as I sink back into my chair. I have to fight myself from asking him why he’s suddenly calling me Mackenzie. It’s been wife since he got here. Was it the ring that I’d so easily let him put on my finger? I told myself if I stopped running, he’d stop chasing me. Is that happening already? Why do I feel a bit of disappointment? It's what I wanted, but now I’m not so sure. So many things are racing through my mind.

“There you go again. Going back into that head of yours.” He reaches up, his hand brushing my cheek. “I’ve got you. Trust me. I would never hurt you.” I look back down to my plate, lifting a bite of steak to my mouth, not wanting to tell Victor what I’m thinking. The man already knows too much about me. I often think he can read my mind.

“I’ll get you to trust me. I just need time. I know trust isn't something someone can demand.” He brings another bite of food to my mouth. This time it’s mashed potatoes. “Which is better?”

“The mac and cheese,” I answer.

“You do love your pasta.” He takes a bite for himself. “Tell me about college,” he asks as we both start to eat again.

“You don’t know?” That would have been in the folder he had on me.

“I know that you finished early. Lived with your sister while you attended. I couldn't find much of a social life. You don’t even have one social media account.”

“And you do?”

“No. I’m not real social.”

“Except with me.” I laugh. He isn't. Whenever I see him out, he always stays in the background, his arms folded over his chest. He speaks when he has something he wants to say. He gives nothing else.Except to me.He is always seeking me out. Finding his way over to me to get me to talk to him. Sometimes I think he only tries to do business with my boss so that I will have to engage with him. He knows in that situation that I’ll have no choice. That I always maintain my professionalism at work.

“Except with you,” he agrees.

“I work. I’ve come far for my age.”

“You are very driven,” he agrees. He looks proud of me. I swallow, trying to hold back the rush of emotions that he makes me feel. God, he always makes me feel so much. It’s overwhelming. No one has ever evoked these feelings from me before.

“I had to be.”

“You don’t have to do anything. We make our choices.”

I bark out a loud laugh. “Oh, like I chose to get married?”

“How many things have you signed without looking? I find this very out of character for you.” He picks up his champagne glass and takes a sip. My body feels warm from the few glasses I’ve had already. At least I think it’s the champagne. It could be Victor.

“I don’t think any.” I am still surprised that I did that, but I saw the marriage certificate. It is my signature. I couldn't even deny it.

“You think this was a mistake?”

“You think I knew I signed it?” I look down at the ring. The weight feels good on my finger. Too good. I am enjoying it.

“You like your ring?” He asks a question of his own.

“I think I’ll keep it along with my new beach.” I smile, picking up my own drink and downing the rest.

“Is there anything else I can get you?” He smiles over at me, waiting to jump and get whatever I ask for. My stomach tightens. He really would do just about anything for me if I asked. I tilt my head to study him. Asking people for things is not really a strong point for me.

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