Page 14 of King of Wrath
He quirks a half grin, making him even more handsome. Mysterious. “I’m not going to hurt you. Not one hair on your pretty head. I promise you that.”
I shake my head. He sounds serious but I don’t know how I could possibly trust these words. “Why am I here then?”
“In tomorrow’s papers, there is going to be an announcement.”
Is he ignoring my question? “Oh yeah. What’s that?”
“The announcement? That you and I are engaged.”
My mouth drops open. “What?” I can’t even make sense of the words. Why would he print that…my family will think…
“See. If anything happens to you, I’m suspect number one. It’s your insurance I won’t hurt you.”
But the ramifications of it send a shiver down my spine. My father won’t think I’ve been kidnapped. He’ll think I ran away from the shit wedding he’s planned for me. Which I was…but worse, they’ll all think that I betrayed them and then Toni’s going to… “I really am the bait to tempt Toni,” I mutter.
“Don’t think of it like that.” We slip through the desert, the dark of the night more comforting than I thought it would be.
“So just to be clear. People, my family, are going to think that you and I eloped?”
“That’s right, Mrs. Kincaid.”
“You’re even crazier than I thought.” I really am going to need to escape because if my family manages to get me back, I’ll have to pray that the Italian boss is very enamored with me. He’ll be my only hope of living to see Christmas.
He chuckles at that. “And you’re funnier than I thought.”
I let out a rush of air. Why is he so calm? He’s committing a major crime and…he’s probably used to that. My father is. Does he know what he’s doomed me to? I didn’t want to stay in Vegas before, now there is no choice at all.
“You have to know that I’m not marrying you.”
“Technically, I said we got engaged. Not that we married. Just so we’re clear.”
“Crystal. Why would I think you would make good on a public offer?” My lip curls. Much of my fear is gone, replaced with a reckless need to lash out. Maybe he’ll kill me quickly in a fit of rage and this will all be over. I’m so tired…
“Is that a specific insult to me?” He doesn’t sound like he’s gone into a rage. In fact, curiosity laces his deep baritone. Maybe even amusement.
“Nope. I just meant you’re all part of the same crooked beast that runs Vegas’s filthy businesses.”
“My family rarely breaks laws. But your father has attacked both of the women we protect and?—”
“So I’m up for grabs then? It’s justified to hurt me?”
“I’m not hurting you,” he says, his eyes level. “I would never hurt you. But after your father is locked away and spending his life in prison, you can make the choice where you want to go. What you want to do.”
I stare at him, my mouth hanging open. He thinks I could just go back to my family after this? Either he doesn’t understand anything, he’s lying, or he really is off his rocker…
CHAPTER FIVE
Nia
We drivefor at least three hours, the last half hour on some tiny desert road. It has to be midnight when the car finally stops in front of a small house in the middle of nowhere.
We haven’t talked for a few hours. I watched where we drove, but we changed highways at least a dozen times.
My head is aching and with the darkness preventing me from seeing landmarks, I’m not sure I could ever make my way back.
Jake Kincaid is so many steps ahead of me, it makes my head spin.
I missed my flight an hour ago and I’ve no phone to text Jess. Will she cover for me anyway?