Page 15 of Reckless Promises

“Only Mr. Cross’s and your personal staff have access to these rooms.” Darci keeps walking, pointing at each room as we walk past. “Sitting room. Library. Office.”

I only have enough time to glance in each if I want to keep up, but I can’t help noticing the rooms in this wing aren’t like the main entrance. They’re smaller—cozy even. This part of the manor manages to feel more like a home than a corporate office. And something about that is comforting, even if the reality is that this is just a facade like everything else.

When we reach the final door in the wing, Darci and Peyton pause, and Darci pulls out a phone. She hands it to me, and they both turn their backs to look the other way.

“What’s—” I start to ask what the phone is for when I’m cut off by it ringing.

Pressing the answer button, I slowly bring the phone to my ear.

“Seven, three, four, nine, seven, two, one, one.” Cillian’s voice comes through the other end of the line before I can say hello.

“What is that?”

“The code to the room.” He slams something shut on his end, and it makes me jump. “Only you and I have it. Do I need to repeat the code?”

“No.”

He ends the call before I’ve barely gotten the word out.

Charming. I roll my eyes and huff out a breath. I’m not sure what’s worse, being disregarded or ignored.

Turning to the keypad, I type in the numbers while Darci and Peyton keep their backs to me. And the second I press the final digit, the door clicks open.

Once more, I’m comforted by the fact that there’s a certain amount of privacy knowing the staff can’t access me here. If only this room also offered me an escape from Cillian.

The moment the door clicks, Darci spins around and walks past me, pushing it open. She makes her way through and starts flicking on lights while Peyton waits for me to follow her.

“Cillian placed your bags in the closet.” Darci flicks on another light, motioning to a wide set of doors on my right. “And the bathroom is through here.”

Darci stops in front of an archway that leads to a bathroom that’s larger than my room at my father’s house.

“And if you need anything.” Darci continues to circle the room, until she stops at a keypad on the wall. “This rings directly to Mr. Cross.”

“Does it dial out?” I notice there’s a full keypad and hope I can use it to contact my sister on the phone we have stashed in her room.

Darci shakes her head only once. “It only rings to him.”

I shouldn’t be surprised, but I can’t help that my shoulders deflate. Cillian isn’t going to make escaping him as easy as handing me access to the outside world.

“Thank you.” I force a smile, pretending the room isn’t closing in around me the longer I stand in it.

“We’ll leave you to get some rest.” Peyton smiles, but the brightness has faded, and I’m sure she senses what’s written on my face. “And we’ll be back in the morning with breakfast and your dress.”

“What dress?”

“Your wedding dress.”

Cillian told me in the car we were getting married tomorrow, but I hoped he’d change his mind.

Peyton’s eyes dart to Darci, who doesn’t so much as flinch.

“The wedding planner will be here first thing in the morning to make note of your preferences.” Darci once more skims me with an unimpressed frown. “And we’ll fit the dress here to make sure it’s ready. The ceremony is tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow night.” I clutch my stomach and let out a breath. “Cillian doesn’t waste any time.”

“Mr. Cross doesn’t waste anything.”

I wasn’t looking for a response, but hers is unsettling.

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