Chapter 35

Ibring my hand up to my head and rub, in an attempt to ease the throbbing. It doesn’t work. Was I drinking? What the hell did I do to deserve this kind of torture?

I rack my brain, trying to figure out what I did. The last thing I can remember is being at the arena, having made the decision to go and talk to Travis.

My eyes squeeze shut before I slowly open them, only to regret it immediately when the blinding light hits me.

“Argh, god!” I groan, roll over, and look towards the door. Except it’s not there. I stare at the blank wall as I push myself up.

Where the hell am I?

My blurry vision begins to focus on things. Things I don’t recognize. Like the white marble dresser that has nothing sitting atop of it. Or the single pink bedroom chair tucked into the corner of the room. I climb off the bed, my body aching with each step I make towards the door, which is not where I remember it being in the rental house.

My palm wraps around the handle. I turn it slowly and pull. Nothing happens. The door doesn’t budge. I tug harder, and then harder again. What the fuck? My heart is racing in my chest as I take a step back and spin around. There has to be another way out of here. I cannot be locked inside this room. I can’t be.

When I spot a second door, I grab the knob and turn, sending up a little prayer when it pushes open. I curse under my breath when I realize it’s a bathroom.

Shit. Think, Lili. Think, damn it.

What is it that Dad always says?

We were trained for situations like this. And yet, as the panic sets in, as my heart continues to race and sweat coats my forehead, I can’t for the life of me remember what I’m supposed to do. I know what I need to do. And that’s get out of this room. I look around the bathroom and step over to the window. It’s older, the kind you should be able to slide up and down, but there’s no movement no matter how much I try to push it open.

I pivot back towards the bedroom, shove the sheer curtains out of the way, and try each of the windows there. They’re locked and there’s no key in sight. When I peer through the glass, I don’t see anything except for trees and more trees. Like I was dropped in the middle of the woods somewhere.

Where the fuck am I?

I suck in a steadying breath as I sink to my knees on the carpet. I just need to calm down and think.

Find a weapon, anything you can use to inflict damage.

My father’s words flit through my mind. I need to find something I can use to protect myself. There has to be something, anything. I push to my feet and walk over to the dresser first, pulling open drawer after drawer. They’re all empty. I try the bedside table next. I bend down and look under it while feeling around.

“Well, that would have been too fucking easy,” I murmur to myself. We usually have a gun or knife secured to the underside of furniture like this at home. The sound of keys jingling has me straightening up and spinning around. The door opens, and I blink at the figure filling the doorway. “What’s going on? Why am I here?”

“You’re here because you were a very naughty girl, Liliana. You went and slutted yourself out to that hockey player when you were always meant to be mine,” Lou Monroe sneers at me.

I shake my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lou. You need to let me out.” I glance behind him. At the door.

“Oh, I will, once you learn your place. But right now, I have a surprise for you, sweetheart. I’ll be right back. Don’t you go anywhere.” He laughs as he slams the door closed again.

I rush forward and try to open it, but it doesn’t budge. Shit. Gray’s uncle? What the hell is happening? I’ve only met the man a couple of times. I’ve never even had a real conversation with him. I just need to stay calm. My father will be looking for me by now. He’ll find me. And God help anyone who tries to get in his way.

I step back when the door is flung open for a second time and a different man walks in, his eyes wide and full of fear. Lou is behind him, pressing a pistol to the back of his head.

“Darling, meet Harry. He’s a celebrant and has agreed to marry us,” Lou says while nudging the guy farther into the room. Harry trips and lands on his hands and knees. “Get the fuck up, you weak bastard,” Lou barks as spittle peppers the air.

I shake my head. This cannot be happening to me right now. “No, Lou, you need to let me go. If you stop this now, I can talk to my father. I can make sure he doesn’t kill you.”

Lou laughs. “You think I’m scared of your pathetic excuse for a father? No, we’re getting married today, Liliana. Our families will be joined. You and I will be joined. And then I’ll take over, rule that little empire of yours. It’ll be mine.”

I shake my head again. That’s not how it works. That’s not how any of it works. And I would think a man like Lou Monroe, a man who grew up in the life, would understand as much.

I don’t say any of that, though. The guy is clearly off his rocker. And I don’t want to aggravate the situation. My eyes drop to Harry, who is pulling himself up off the floor. He’s an older gentleman with gray hair and light wrinkles on his face.

“Get the paperwork. Say whatever bullshit you gotta say and get this done. My bride and I have a busy night ahead of us,” Lou says before winking at me.

My stomach twists. I swallow down the fear. Now is not the time to show fear. My attention remains hyperfocused on that gun. If I can just get it off him, I can end this. I’m not an idiot, though. Lou is a big guy. There’s no way I can overpower him without some kind of leverage.

“Sign here.” The celebrant’s hands shake as he holds out a piece of paper and a pen for me to take.

“No. I’m not marrying Lou.” My voice is firm, unwavering, as I swallow down my nerves.

“Sign the fucking papers, Liliana.” Lou turns the gun on me.

“You’re not going to shoot me. If you do, you lose everything. Everything you’re looking to gain from my family,” I tell him while hoping like hell that I’m right.

“You’re right,” he says, as if reading my mind. “I’m not going to shoot you. But him?” Lou swipes the barrel through the air and levels it at Harry. “He’s nothing. I’ll shoot him without a second thought. Do you want that kind of blood on your hands, Liliana?”

I look at the old man, who’s very clearly innocent in all this. “No, I don’t,” I say.

“Then sign on the fucking dotted line.” Lou snatches the paper and pen from Harry’s hand and shoves them towards me.

It’s just a bit of paper. It doesn’t mean anything.

That’s what I’m telling myself as I scrawl my name across the bottom of the page. I belong to Travis. Nothing Lou Monroe does to me will ever change that.

“You’re now man and wife,” the celebrant says as he stamps the documents at the bottom. The second the words are out of his mouth, the sound of gunfire blasts through my ears. Blood splatters across my face, and I blink a few times as I watch Harry’s body topple forward and hit the ground with an audible thud.

“There’s a robe in the bathroom. Clean yourself up and put it on. I’ll be back—oh, and smile, Liliana. It’s our wedding night after all. And I plan to make the experience something you’ll never forget.” Lou turns around and walks out the door, leaving me standing here staring down at Harry’s lifeless corpse, the old man’s blood pooling around what’s left of his head before seeping into the carpet.