Page 73 of Malicious Wedding

That’s the worst part of all this.

“Excuse me? Miss? Are you okay?”

I flinch away. A young nurse is standing nearby, looking worried.

“Fine,” I say quickly, walking away. “I’m totally fine.”

Carson owns her. He owns everything in this place. Paranoia weighs me down. Carson’s everywhere, he’s everything.

Iain’s right, I have to run.

But as I head out of the hospital, I realize that I have nowhere to go.

The Polish threat is real—they came to Smoke and threatened my friends. If I run away now, I’ll be leaving my people to fend for themselves, and I can’t do them to them.

Even if Smoke’s fake, my friendships with everyone are real.

Unless Carson arranged that, too.

But no, I’m being paranoid. I know those girls. I know Fulco. They’re not actors, they’re not being manipulated by Carson.

I have to believe some pieces of my life have been real.

There’s only one option. I can’t run away for all the reasons I decided to stay here and marry Carson from the beginning.

I have to confront him and find out the truth.

Chapter32

Carson

Ash is sitting alone in the living room with a glass of wine and the fire crackling in the fireplace. I drop my keys on the island with a sigh. “I see you’re starting to figure out the control panel.”

She flinches at my voice. Interesting. She hasn’t reacted like that before. Ash has been on edge, nervous, even angry—but she never flinches like I might hurt her.

Until now.

A cold unease settles into my chest.

“Yes,” she says, her smile looking forced.

She’s afraid right now. It’s etched all over her face. I know Ash better than I know myself, and she’s terrified of something, but I don’t know what.

I approach her slowly, like I’m trying to calm a skittish horse. “Everything okay?” I ask, keeping my expression neutral.

“Fine,” she says. “Totally fine.” She pauses. “I spoke with Iain.”

“He’s awake?” My eyebrows raise. I didn’t expect this to happen so soon and curse myself for not leaving instructions that the nursing staff call me, and only me, the moment he regained consciousness.

I wanted to have some time to prepare, maybe tell her some of the things I’ve been protecting her from, but based on the way she’s looking at me, I’m betting Iain already broke the news.

A stupid mistake. I’ve been making too many of those lately, ever since she came into my life.

“I’m surprised the hospital didn’t tell you,” she says, trying too hard to sound casual. “Don’t you own them?”

“Yes and no.” I cock my head. “I’m betting Iain told them not to.”

“Why would he do that, Carson?” She stands, taking one big step away from me.

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