Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151097 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 755(@200wpm)___ 604(@250wpm)___ 504(@300wpm)
“Ocean…” I stopped breathing as I waited for her to tell me that I was wrong. That she wasn’t holding the situation with her brother against me, and that she was ready. Instead, she said, “Thank you for the room.”
I stared into her eyes for a little while longer before I kissed her forehead and forced myself to back away toward the door. “You’re welcome.”
COBY
The door closed behind Ocean again with a beep that had me immediately rushing over to it to test the handle. I yanked repeatedly, but it wouldn’t budge.
Locked.
Finding the square black pad on the wall next to the door, I stared at the green light indicating it was armed and punched the door. “Ocean! Ocean, I know you hear me, you psycho! Let me out!” I punched and kicked the door, but no matter how much noise I made, silence always answered back.
Defeated, I turned and leaned against the double doors and took another look around the room.
A princess palace.
Ocean had gifted me one of my wildest dreams as a clever disguise to hide what this room truly represented.
A pretty prison.
It wasn’t a show of wealth but rather a flex of how closely he was paying attention and his willingness to give me my heart’s desires if only I looked past all the red flags warning me to run the other way.
I’d be a fool to fall for it, but tell my foolish heart that.
I’d already spotted the cameras that he hadn’t bothered to hide and wondered if he was watching me now. I extended my middle finger toward the camera above the fireplace and went in search of the bathroom.
Instead, I found myself inside a walk-in closet that made me squeal internally. It was so large that calling it a closet was the understatement of the year. It was easily the size of my apartment. The second thing I noticed was that the decor matched the bedroom. The third was that it was empty and waiting to be filled. There were two levels with curving stairs that led to the second floor, but I was too exhausted and wary of falling into Ocean’s glittery trap to explore, so I resumed my search of the bathroom.
I discovered it adjacent to the closet through a connecting door and found it as grandiose as the closet and bedroom. The clawfoot tub with gold baroque feet stole the show, and I had the fleeting thought that even if Ocean changed his mind about marrying me tomorrow, before I had the chance to soak in that gorgeous tub, he’d have to drag me out kicking and screaming.
Unlike the closet, the bathroom was fully stocked with products I didn’t recognize, and that discovery brought immense relief. Ocean already knowing the exact brand of toothpaste or toilet paper I used would have felt a little too intrusive.
Reluctantly, I fell into my usual routine because it was the best chance I had of sorting my thoughts and coming up with a game plan.
If Ocean thought I was marrying him after he showed his ass tonight, the motherfucker was delusional.
I couldn’t call Hunter because he had my phone.
I couldn’t escape while locked inside this room—the nail in the coffin where I’d laid my fantasies to rest.
My best chance of getting out was finding my way in—past Ocean’s defenses. It wasn’t until I shed Ocean’s hoodie and the rest of my clothes, and I was up to my neck in warm water and fragrant bubbles with my head resting comfortably on the engraved satin pillow, that my mind began to form a plan. Once the groundwork was laid and I was confident it would work, I stood and stepped out of the tub. As soon as I began dripping water everywhere, I realized that I had nothing to wear.
I briefly wondered if it was his plan to get an early glimpse of the goods until I spotted a robe hanging on the back of the door. I preferred to wear as little as possible to bed, but it would have to do.
I had trouble containing my excitement once I left the bathroom and saw the bed again, but since I knew he might be watching, I kept my expression neutral. There was a mountain of throw pillows on the bed, but I didn’t bother removing any of them as I settled in the center of the bed surrounded by them. And most importantly, hidden by them.
It was nestled in that cocoon of pillows that I closed my eyes and said a prayer for Hunter and my brother.
I’ve had weird mornings, but nothing beat the one after I was stolen by the mafia and ordered to marry the underboss. It started when I woke up sprawled on top of a bed that wasn’t mine, surrounded by extravagance meant to tame me. The sash on my robe had slipped free of its knot, so my bare breasts and belly were exposed to the sunrise-lit room as I lay on my back. It wouldn’t be that bad if it weren’t for the fact that I was also drooling with my mouth wide open.