Chapter Nine

"W here is Amery?" Reese was the only friend my wife enjoyed talking to. While others weren't in conflict with her, she was particular about who she allowed in her life.

"Where have you hidden her?"

I chose to ignore her, focusing on polishing the wood with sandpaper. The deadline for this commission was fast approaching, and it was crucial to refine the piece as it entered the final stage before I could apply the beeswax finish.

Reese stomped her feet and yanked the sandpaper from my grasp, scraping her fingers against the coarse edge in the process.

She shot me a glare, and even though she must have felt the urge to soothe her hand, she merely clenched her jaw and maintained her fierce gaze. Her attempt at intimidation was clever, but it didn’t faze me.

"What do you fucking want, Reese?" I snapped, feeling out of sorts now that she had stirred the beast within me.

Stepping closer, she raised an eyebrow defiantly and exhaled sharply through her nose.

"Where Is My Friend?"

I tightened my jaw, measuring each breath that escaped my nostrils.

"That’s none of your business, because your friend is my wife." I reclaimed the sandpaper and resumed smoothing the rough edges of the wooden dragon that needed to be finished by this evening.

"None of my business, you say? Should I just stand by and let you, worse than a crocodile, do whatever you want to my damn friend? Who do you think you are to make decisions for her, Amir? She isn’t answering her phone, nor is she responding when I come to your house, and to be clear about these strange occurrences, Amery hasn’t opened her shop since the night I heard from Darius about the fight you had with her on the street!" Her voice dripped with venom, souring my mood.

I despised having to hear her concerns.

"She is Amery Shen. That girl is indifferent to everything, including her own feelings when it comes to her career, Amir. So, tell me, or I’ll have to file a missing person report—where is she?" The threat was more than just a threat; knowing Reese and her unique personality, she might actually follow through if I left her out on the streets without an answer.

"At home."

With safety glasses on, I picked up my carving pen and began to discreetly etch my name on the side, along with an emblem indicating that this piece is an original creation of mine.

"Step back, or you might get hurt by the wood chips," I cautioned her in a flat tone while continuing my work.

She complied, stepping back but still focused on her goal for being there.

"I already know that. What I want to understand is why she has shut herself away and what you’ve done to her that led to this lockdown, assuming she’s still alive and you haven’t killed her and hidden her body in your fridge."

According to Reese's profile, she’s a genetics engineer working two hours away from Willow Crest at one of the top research labs in North Carolina, if not the entire country. However, given her sharp wit, I was surprised she could be sarcastic, but she certainly is.

"Reese, for the last time, I’m saying this is our issue—"

"Do you honestly believe it’s just your issue now that the police are involved, Amir?!" Darius stormed into my studio; His eyes blazing.

Since he visited me at home a week ago, he’s been coming over to have this ridiculous conversation about needing to see my wife and that I should fix things.

"More of this nonsense, Darius?" I sighed, rolling my eyes, but the expression on his face was anything but reassuring.

A scowl formed on my face as I set my pen down on the side table, stepping away from my workstation and striding toward him.

Confronting the man directly, I shot him a fierce look. "What do you mean?"

His jaw clenched, a muscle twitching, igniting a fire in my veins.

"A letter was sent to my brother containing a ring, claiming you’ve been holding your wife captive in your home. That letter was sent by none other than your wife. Dimitri is on his way to arrest you!" He delivered each word with a heavy pause, draining the color from my face.

What did he just say?

I scowled and pushed past him, sprinting toward my Jeep, with Reese and Darius unexpectedly trailing behind. They jumped into the passenger and backseat, and I sped off, ignoring red lights and stop signs, until the tires screeched to a halt in my driveway.

Everything appeared normal, but I sensed something was off.

A knot twisted in my stomach.

I skipped the porch step, flung the door open, and dashed upstairs to my room, disregarding the two behind me.

Amery was still there, cuffed to the bedpost, sleeping peacefully.

But my gaze was drawn to the dressing table mirror when Reese gasped, standing before it, her hands covering her mouth, stifling a scream I could easily sense.

A shiver coursed through me, and I clenched my fist.

What the fucking hell?! How did she break into my house?!

"You fucking crazy, nut crack jackass!" Darius exclaimed, staring at Amery, covered in my marks.

I growled at him and made my way to the bed, retrieving the key from the small compartment in the side table drawer to unlock the cuffs on Amery's wrists.

"Get out, Darius!" I shouted, my voice causing my wife to groan in her sleep as she stirred.

I hardly remember the haze I was in with her, but I could never be the kind of jerk who would leave his wife exposed after we fucked. She is not my plaything. She is my wife, and I had no intention of making her feel any other way.

Yet, the mere thought of her leaving sent my anger spiraling, but nothing would change how I treated her.

"Amy!!" Reese cried out, rushing to the bed, nearly leaping onto it.

Amery stirred again, slowly opening her eyes, rubbing them, and letting out an adorable yawn.

She looked at me with a grin, but as she shook off the remnants of sleep, that smile began to fade until reality hit her, and it vanished, replaced by anger, hatred, and disgust directed at me.

Sitting up abruptly, another painful groan escaped her lips, and before I could reach for her, Reese was there, helping her sit up. Amery paused for a moment, but then, seeing her friend, fresh tears filled her eyes. She couldn't quite believe that I had finally allowed someone into our home, that when she embraced her friend in tears, her hands were no longer restrained.

Maybe I’m not a jerk, but the version of me that Amery perceives isn’t too far from the truth.

I have caused pain to my wife, and I am fully aware of it. However, what she requested of me was something I simply couldn't provide. It lies beyond my capabilities.

"Mrs. Rowan," I called out tentatively, and she recoiled, her eyes narrowing in anger once more.

She detached herself from Reese but made no move toward me, clearly stating that I had crossed boundaries I should never have approached.

"Get lost, Ro. I don’t even want to look at the face of a bastard who strayed in his marriage and then had the audacity to keep his wife trapped. Thank your girlfriend for stopping by and having the skills to break in, so I could get some assistance from her." She spat, not pausing for a moment or allowing me the opportunity to explain.

I was utterly confused about what she meant.

Willow and I had never been like that, no matter how captivating she was or the allure that surrounded her whenever I was near. Nothing could ever compel me to betray my marriage or break the vows I made to the woman I loved.

"You have to let me defend myself!" I stepped away from the bed, maintaining a safe distance to keep myself from acting out inappropriately.

Anger was not my ally, after all.

The thought that Amery sought Dimitri's help made my stomach churn. She viewed me as nothing more than an abuser now, and perhaps, yes, I was responsible for much of this.

But if history were to repeat itself, I would choose the same path again.

Amery is mine.

"Defend yourself all you want, but I’m not falling for your nonsense. Ro, you’ve let me down enough already; don’t resort to cheap manipulation tactics. They won’t work on me."

I took a deep breath, turning myself into a silent wall that absorbed the blows of her words.

It wasn’t meant to hurt, but it did, and it cut deep.

"Willow is not my girlfriend, Amery, and I haven't broken any of our promises—"

"That's where you're mistaken. In our marriage, you were meant to protect me, but I forgot to ask who would shield me from you if things took a turn for the worse."

Reese kept her head down, choosing not to interrupt, but she remained close to Amery, her presence a source of support for her friend, and it brought me some comfort knowing Amery wasn't entirely alone.

"I have no idea how she even got into our home—"

"Yours, Ro. Your home. It's not mine anymore. I'm leaving. I'm filing for a divorce, whether you like it or not!" She stated flatly, turning her gaze away from me.

I couldn't help but feel the tightness in my chest and the throbbing in my head. I despised it. The idea of her no longer being part of my life felt like a personal hell, a torment born from my own selfishness.

"I will not sign. Understand this, Mrs. Rowan. I will not fucking sign it." I charged toward her, kneeling on the bed to confront her directly.

Reese faded into the background, and all I could see were those cinnamon brown eyes that filled my vision.

In those frightened orbs, I caught a glimpse of my own reflection, flickering with fear and doubt.

There was nothing appealing about what I saw in her eyes. Yes, I was still the husband with the platinum blonde hair she used to love playing with during our cozy moments in bed. I was the man who made her swoon with his blue eyes, the one she flirted with when he dressed up for work, the one she surrendered to completely. Yet, despite that knowledge, the truth in her eyes was undeniable, as were the tremors in her body and the way she clung to her friend. She was just as afraid of me, perhaps even loathed me. And I hated seeing my ugly reflection in those beautiful eyes.

"For you to be free, you’d have to kill me and ensure I’m truly gone, because without that, there’s no escape for you." I ground out. My jaw clenched.

I burst out of our room, but the turmoil of emotions behind my eyes was undeniable.

On the porch, I saw Darius, with Ace, a member from his MC and his brother Dimitri with another officer standing behind them.

I’m not exactly skilled at begging for forgiveness, but punishment is meant for sinners, and if my sin is loving her the way I do, then she’s the one who gets to decide how I suffer for it too.

"Amir Rowan—"

"I can't deal with the formalities. You're here to arrest me, so just do it. I’m leaving." With that, I stepped out with the officer Dimitri had brought along.

As I exited, I asked Darius for a favor. "Keep her safe, and file a report against Willow for trespassing. If you can, look into her background."

He nodded, and I allowed the officer to place the cuffs on me.

"You might be the first suspect who didn’t give us any trouble," Dimitri chuckled, but I ignored him.

Once settled in the back of the cop car, I couldn’t resist glancing at the window of my room, where she stood—my beautiful wife.

Her expression was distant, and the weight of her gaze pierced my heart. I felt parched, as if someone were clawing at my skin, but I had to stifle the fire within me, so I did.

"I’m sorry." A whisper that should have reached my wife went unheard.

I felt guilty for the void that had all started with my single mistake, and it consumed my marriage.