Page 100 of Deadly Vows

“You’re probably tired and want to call someone to let them know you’re okay. There’s a shower through there, and I’m making breakfast. You can leave anytime you want,” he says, slowly backing away.

I wait until he’s a good distance away to pick up the phone. And as I slowly back out of the room, I note that he doesn’t follow me.

Once safely in the hallway, I sprint to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. The phone isn’t locked, and as soon as I open it to dial a number, I realize that I don’t know Luca’s number. He kept me so isolated that I never had a reason to call him. He was always with me.

I slowly look away from the phone at myself in the mirror.

I’m covered in bandages. Some covering the wounds caused by Alexander and some from the wreck. Even my back screams in pain from the bruises and split skin from his constant beatings. My eyes are black from the force of his hit last night. It’s probably why I was unable to remain conscious. He hit me so hard that he gave me a concussion.

Tears slowly well up in my eyes, falling down my cheeks as a soft chuckle leaves my lips.

I escaped. I’m free.

Chapter Forty-Three

Elise

My escape still doesn’t seem real. For the better part of the day, I expected Alexander to storm down the mountain, barge into Wyatt’s home, and drag me back to that hell. But he hasn’t, and my day has been filled with a sense of peace I didn’t know existed.

I never realized how peaceful snow can be when it isn’t being used to prevent an escape.

I flinch when I suddenly feel a panting breath on my hand, followed by a wet nose, forcing my hand on his head.

“Rosco, leave her alone,” Wyatt calls to his dog as he enters the kitchen. He keeps his back to me as he begins making tea.

I give him a soft smile, patting the dog on the head.

“It’s okay,” I say softly.

I’ve never had a dog before. The thought of wanting one never crossed my mind. They don’t usually fit into our world unless they are viciously bred to follow simple commands like “attack” or “eat.”

Wyatt has been nothing short of a gentleman since my arrival. He hasn’t even questioned if anyone is coming to get or looking for me. He seems content to stay out of my business, though I have caught him watching me in pity at times. He’s seen the scarring and bruising beneath my clothes, and I’m sure he has an idea in his mind of how I ended up here.

But at a moment like this, when I am at peace and not in danger of my family finding me or Luca’s enemies, I wonder if returning to him is even required at this point? Would both of our worlds go on if I just stayed hidden forever?

I quietly move to the couch, sitting down, and Rosco follows me, laying his head on my thigh as he takes up the rest of the space. He’s very fond of me for some reason. Maybe it’s a new face, or maybe it’s his instincts that I am just as sad as a wounded animal.

Wyatt appears next to me, placing a cup of tea on the end table. I eye it, distrust flowing through me as I watch him sink into the armchair across from me, blowing on his own mug.

“How did you end up at this place?” I ask, looking back at the snow. The sun has set, so the sky is barely visible. But I can still see the snow that sits just outside the windows.

Wyatt laughs, taking a sip of his tea.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he says before looking around the cabin. “I had this place built a few years ago. I come out here when I want to be alone.”

He shifts his attention to me, deciding to flip the question.

“And you? What were you doing in a car, twenty miles from the nearest house?” he asks. I don’t respond as I gently stroke Rosco’s head. He looks up at me with large puppy dog eyes, taking a deep breath as he groans his approval.

Wyatt takes my silence for what it is, leaning back in his seat.

“If you don’t want to tell me, that’s perfectly fine. But finding you in the state that you were in… feels like something the police should be involved in,” he says.

I laugh at his naivete. It’s as endearing as it is enviable. There was a police investigation into the death of Enzo’s mother because of who my husband is. If I went to the police, not only would Luca find me instantly, but the rest of the underworld would know I am alive and well, and continue to come after me to get to him.

I don’t know if I’m ready for that.

“I’ll leave in a day or two… I just need to clear my head is all,” I say.

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