Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

ZAIN

I hate to admit it, but she has a point. If I want people to believe that we've fallen headlong in love in a matter of days, and want to get married, then we need to do things in the right order. In my eagerness for payback, I'm rushing. I need to slow down.

But if I comply with this request, it will give her the impression I can be bargained with … and I can't.

"Call him and end your relationship. You don't need to give him a reason."

"Zain, please."

"You have the count of three to make the call. One."

She stares at me.

"Two."

For a second, there's a hint of defiance in her eyes, but as my mouth forms the word ‘three', it fades away and she picks up her cell.

"If he's at work, he might not answer."

"Then leave a voice message."

She taps her screen, and then holds the phone to her ear.

"Put it on speaker. "

She sighs, but does as I say, lowering the phone to her lap. The sound of ringing fills the car.

"Hi, you've reached the voicemail of Scott Donovan. I can't take your call at the moment, so please leave a message after the beep."

"H-hi, Scott." She licks her lips, glances over at me, then clears her throat. "Listen, I w-was thinking about what you said yesterday … when you called me. I … umm … I'm sorry, but … but I just don't … I can't." Her chest moves with her intake of breath. "I'm sorry, but I don't want to see you anymore." She blurts the words out in a rush. "I'm sorry." She ends the call, and squeezes her eyes closed. "I hate you."

"You'll get over it." I start the car, and pull out of the parking space. "Do you have your driver's license with you? You'll need it for proof of identification for the paperwork."

"And if I don't?"

"Then we go back to your place and get it."

She flips her phone over and peels off its case, revealing her license and a credit card inside.

"Perfect."

"What happens after the forms are filled in?"

"I'll drop you back home. I have something to do this afternoon, so you're free to do as you please until this evening."

"What's happening this evening?"

"I'll pick you up at eight and we'll spend the night together."

"We absolutely will not! "

"To outside eyes we will. Don't worry, your virtue will be untouched. You can sleep in your own room, with a lock on the door so I don't come in and murder you while you sleep."

She doesn't answer that, turning her head to look out of the window while I drive through town. When we get to the county clerk's office, she follows me inside without argument, and we join the line to get the forms.

The process is relatively simple, and only takes a couple of minutes. Once everything is filled in, and our identification has been photocopied for the system, I pay the fee. The woman behind the desk gives us a bright smile.

"That's it. All done. Congratulations to you both!"

"Thank you." I don't give Ashley a chance to speak, tug her away from the desk, and out of the building.

Once we're back in the car, I drive her back to her mom's place. She doesn't speak to me at all. Not a single word. Barely acknowledges my presence.

I let her do it. Because once I have that ring on her finger, and she's beneath my roof, ignoring me isn't going to be an option. Until then, I'm conscious that there's still a small risk that she'll run the second my back is turned. I'm ninety-nine percent sure she won't. She doesn't want anything to happen to her mom. But there is still that minor chance one of her friends will talk her into going back to New York while I'm otherwise occupied.

If ignoring me gives her a false sense of security, and saves me having to chase her down, then I'll allow it for the moment.

When I pull up outside the house, she has her seatbelt unclipped and the door open before the car has even stopped .

"Ashley." My voice stops her in the middle of getting out.

"What?"

"Make sure you present a happy face when you go inside. We don't want your mom asking questions that could lead to her facing a prison cell for the rest of her life."

I didn't need to remind her of that, and the way her spine stiffens tells me she doesn't appreciate it.

She steps out of the car, turns and bends slightly so she can look back inside.

"Is there anything else? Maybe you'd like to give me a list of things I can and can't do?"

"The list is in your contract. I'll bring a copy for you to keep later." I know she's being facetious, but take the opportunity to remind her that everything happening is what she's agreed to. "Dress for comfort. We'll take a walk along the beach before going back to my place."

"Your place?" The color fades from her cheeks.

"Is that a problem?"

I know exactly what she's thinking. The only house she knows I own is the same one where Jason and Louisa were killed. I'm curious whether she'll say something about it, but other than turning pale, she doesn't acknowledge it.

"Eight, you said?"

I nod.

She straightens and slams the door without another word. I don't drive away until she's inside her house, and then I head back to my parents' house. It's quiet when I walk inside, and I go up to my bedroom without seeing anyone.

My phone rings just as I walk inside.

"Hello?"

"It's me." The familiar voice of the man who shared my cell for five years sounds down the line. "I'm texting you a link to an encrypted file. You'll need to log in to get to it."

"Encrypted?" I sit on the edge of my bed and lean down to unlace my boots.

He snorts. "My brother is as paranoid as it gets. The password is Tallulah with a capital T, one six nine, capital J, lower case r, seven."

"One second. I need to write that down."

I find a notepad and pen in the drawer of the nightstand, and ask him to repeat it, scribbling it down.

"Inside the folder, is the police footage of the girl's interview, and your interrogation."

"Did you watch them?"

"No, but Knight did. He says watch it carefully. The folder has a file listing timestamps of discrepancies and contradictions he found. Some your lawyer already knew and used in the appeal, but there are a couple of other things you should pay attention to."

"Thanks, Rook. I owe you one."