Chapter Twenty-Seven Her

Chapter Twenty-Seven Her

Married, Day Twenty-Seven

Parties weren’t my thing. Elaborate wedding celebrations complete with cake and decorations were even less my thing. Richmond’s

business partners threw this one for us. That didn’t make it any easier to take seriously despite the fancy dress that cost

more than I used to earn in a week.

A sizable engagement ring and matching wedding band sparkled on my finger. Someone else’s rings. No idea who they belonged

to. Richmond threw the set at me before we left the house and warned I could have them for one night only then it was back

to the cheap band he bought for when I ventured out in public.

As the guest of honor, one of the two, I had to look and act a certain way. Grateful and in love. I was neither.

The restless mood of the crowd resulted in an abundance of awkward small talk. Dodging whispers and pretending not to hear

some of the more inventive gossip bouncing around about me had me wishing I were anywhere else.

I married Richmond. The town loved Kathryn. The party highlighted that she was out as wife, and I was in. After a few hours it was clear everyone in the room hated my new title as much as I did.

The whirl of music, forced smiles, and food finally died down, leaving a few stragglers in the parking lot. They huddled around

Richmond and soaked in his... what? Brilliance? Ego? Unrelenting bullshit? I’d had enough of him for one day, so I didn’t

bother to find out. Exhaustion outran my annoyance as I leaned against the car, ready to climb in and wishing I’d grabbed

the keys from Richmond on the way out.

The spectacle could go on for hours. Tonight he was on. He laughed and joked. Traded stories as he worked the room and now the car lot. Every person he spoke with got his full attention

for the short period of time he spent with them. Their faces lit up and they hung on every word. He nodded, looked interested,

asked questions. He had a gift for making people feel special, if only for a few minutes.

The public Richmond differed greatly from the one I battled on a daily basis. He charmed his audience. They thanked him with

their rapt attention. His big smile hadn’t faltered all night. Until right now.

He crossed the lot toward me with his back to his adoring fans and friends. The ever-present scowl he reserved for me firmly

back in place. The door lock chirped. I slid inside without saying a word, mostly to dispel any idea he might have about giving

me a kiss or showing affection to please the crowd.

Arriving together at this shindig was his idea. He insisted and even I could admit it would look odd for us to show up separately

to a party thrown in our honor. That meant leaving together.

We drove home in silence, which I preferred, letting the steady thump of the wheels against the road serve as the only background noise. I closed my eyes for a second and dreamed of plunging into a warm bath. The heated leather seat lulled me into a daze.

My whole body jerked. The seat belt pulled tight at the sudden movement. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. No way I

dozed off. I’d been so careful not to give Richmond the upper hand. But the car had stopped.

Richmond turned off the engine, leaving us trapped together in a suffocating fishbowl. I looked for lights, buildings, people,

even nighttime joggers, but all around us darkness waited. Silence wrapped around the car as I struggled to sit up straight

and be ready for whatever came next.

Forget that. Escape was the right answer.

My muddled mind cleared long enough for me to grab the door handle. I didn’t want to be out there, but I couldn’t be in here.

“Don’t bother.” Richmond pointed in the direction of my lap. “Seat belt lock.”

Wasn’t he an enterprising psychopath. “You just happen to carry around a seat belt lock?”

He tapped his fingers against the wheel. “You’re a fan of games. I thought we’d play one. Out here. In the dark. You don’t

mind the dark, do you, Addison?”

The amusement in his voice sent my anxiety spiking. My breath came in pants and the air in the car felt sticky and humid.

Get it together .

I stopped fidgeting and tried to bury my rising fear. He would not see me lose it. But where the hell were we? Trees towered over the car. Shrubs lined my side. I struggled to see white or yellow lines indicating a two-way road. This looked more like an unpaved service path.

He liked issuing orders. It was time for him to obey one. “Open the door. Now.”

“And leave my new wife alone in the woods?” Even his humming sounded sarcastic. “What kind of husband would I be?”

“You suck as a husband and a human.” I pulled and tugged but the seat belt lock stayed latched.

“So you’ve said.”

“Give me the key for the seat belt.” Did it have a key? I shifted around, looking for one. “Take this off.”

“I told some people at the party how upset you’ve been. Never leaving the house. Feeling inferior and out of place. Threatening

to leave.” He nodded. “I’m sure they wouldn’t be surprised if you just... disappeared.”

His memory seemed to be failing. “Will they be surprised when they find out you’re a fraud?”

He laughed. “Should we go for a walk? Get some fresh air and enjoy the moonlight?”

“Take me home.” My voice stayed steady. I had no clue how because my insides were bouncing and swirling. My mind wouldn’t

clear long enough for me to dream up a solid plan.

“Do you have any idea what I could do to you right now? Out here. Alone.” He finally looked at me. The flat tone matched his

empty expression. All the life from the party had been sucked out of him, leaving an empty shell. A dangerous, angry empty

shell. “You’re not so tough without your bat.”

My bat. My flashlight. The night-lights I used to stave off the shadows. I missed all of that. My throat closed and my fingers clenched against the armrest.

“You put on a show at the beginning of the night, but you couldn’t keep up the act. You started frowning and made it clear

you wanted to leave. I should thank you for that because the attitude change supports my story. You saw her mood swing. She’s jealous of Kathryn. She kept spiraling then she stormed out of the house .” He said the last part in a mocking tone.

“You have your phone and car GPS. They would give you away.” I had no idea if that was true. I couldn’t think or reason through

any words before they popped out. The night kept pressing in, stealing the air.

Again he hummed, sounding very impressed with his maneuvering. “Good point. I wouldn’t want to leave any evidence behind.”

“Then what are you doing?”

“Taking my new wife for a drive.” Satisfaction thrummed off him. “This is a beautiful forty-seven acres of woods, ponds, and

rocks. Anything could happen out here.”

“Here” likely being the nature center. It should be closed at this time of night, but could you really close the outdoors?

I tried to swallow the thick lump of fear clogging my throat. I could outrun him in other conditions. The paralyzing panic

that sprang up when the darkness fell threatened any plans of escape. His advantage in size foreclosed fighting back.

He looked out the windowshield. “I like the dark.”

Fucker. “You would.”

He smiled, clearly enjoying my vulnerability. “I wanted to bring you out here to remind you.”

Word games. Great. “Have you forgotten about the evidence I have?”

“I remember but you need to know I intend to fight back.” He opened his hand to reveal a small key. He dropped it in my lap.

“You think you’ve won, but the war between us is just getting started.”