Page 68 of Onyx Realm

One day away from the manual labor in the village, and I was already reverting to my old ways of staying up too late drinkingand snoozing the following day away. I plucked the empty wine bottles off the ground as I trudged to the main living space.

Where I was still alone.

The condo was an open concept, the smaller kitchen tucked away by the main door and the living-dining room taking up the rest of the space. The best feature was the sliding glass door that led to the balcony. As soon as I made a coffee and milk, I was going to sit out there, watch the waves, and mull over this newest turn of events.

Just like I’d done all night with a bottle of wine.

“My friend red was no help at all,” I muttered, digging around for beans and a pot. There was nothing, in fact, the fridge was completely empty. The cupboards and pantry were bare. No pots or pans, not even dishes, lined the shelves. There were some plastic utensils still wrapped from takeout places in a drawer, as well as plenty of extra chopsticks in paper packets.

It was as if Markos barely lived here.

Slamming the last door, I spun around. The only sustenance in this place was the liquor cabinet and a package of half-eaten crackers. That simply wouldn’t do. The pinch in my stomach wasn’t going away. But how did I go about finding food? I had no phone or cash.

Something black on the counter caught my eye. It was a credit card, and under it, a small note. Evidence that he had been here sometime during the night.

Serena,

Order whatever you need to be comfortable. The laptop in the guest room is available for your use. Spare no expense; I want only the best for my wife.

Markos

A shiver rattled down my spine. There was no outward threat in those words. But I didn’t need it to remember how he promised to take Leo’s life. That was no doubt why he trustedme in this condo. What was I going to do? Tell the neighbors I’d been kidnapped?

I tapped the card violently on the countertop. Coffee was the first order of business. But it wasn’t that simple. I couldn’t use the delivery service under my account. If my brothers were smart, which they were, they would track my email.

No, I would have to create a whole new email and set up accounts tied to that.

Bringing the laptop to the kitchen, my finger stabbed the power button.

The laptop whirred to life, the fan kicking on with a soft hum that seemed unnaturally loud in the empty condo. I drummed my fingers impatiently on the kitchen counter while the screen brightened, displaying Markos’s sleek, minimalist desktop background. Of course, it would be a geometric pattern in black and grey. The man was nothing if not consistent in his aesthetic.

So different from the coastal beauty of the cottage with its cozy, homey energy.

I shivered, suddenly freezing.

After wrapping the comforter around my shoulders, setting up a new email took less than five minutes. I chose something generic—nothing that could tie back to me or my real identity. [email protected] wasn't exactly subtle, but CoffeeAddict427 would do the trick. I plugged in fake information for everything.

I hesitated before typing in the password. My fingers hovered over the keys as I considered my options. If I ordered food, I’d be admitting defeat, accepting my role as Markos's captive bride. But the hollow ache in my stomach reminded me that principles wouldn’t sustain me.

“Coffee first, rebellion later,” I muttered, typing in a password I’d never used.

Heroes1defeat1monsters!

Grinning, I placed an order only to be stumped again because I had no idea what the address of this place was. A quick Google Maps search narrowed down the building, and a peek outside gave me the number for the condo. When the coffee and bagels were finally on their way, I sat back and stared at the card.

“He only wants the best for his wife,” I mused, flipping the hard, black plastic over and over.

Well, this could be fun....

Opening a new tab, I created a Prime account. Grinning like an idiot, I began to shop. It wasn’t hard; I was an addict. This was my favorite vice. I added item after item to my cart, starting with the essentials, moving to clothing, and then I began to furnish this apartment.

Some of it would arrive by tonight!

I clicked the order, momentarily wondering if it would go through. When it did, I grinned like a fiend possessed. “There are going to be so many boxes!”

My coffee was ten minutes away, having been picked up by the driver.

I began another order with the delivery service, this time for groceries. There was no point having pots and pans if I couldn’t cook anything. Once that delivery was on its way, I sat back and calculated my handiwork.

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