Page 93 of Carnival
“Vivian would hate to know how you actually feel about her.’’ He steps closer, closing the distance between us. The threat lingers in the air, but I pay no attention to it. It’s not like shehasn’t shown me her true colors already. “And friends? What an exaggeration. You were a job. A hot one, but a job nonetheless.’’
“A job,’’ I repeat, my tone coated in disbelief. “What was the job, exactly?”
“To get close to you,’’ he shrugs. “To find out your routine in detail. To pay attention to who you’re close to and every single detail of your day-to-day life. I must admit, though, it was oddly endearing trying to go and see James in prison, despite the many times he’s rejected seeing you.’’
My heart sinks to my feet, and I’m not surprised by his words. I’m shocked by the coldness in his voice. The Chase that I thought I knew never existed, and the fabricated image of the man in front of me starts evaporating, replaced by the person I don’t know. I’m fucking grateful that I don’t know who he is.
“You knew about James long before I told you,’’ I state. “And what? You were just waiting for Vivian to snatch me? And what is it about her and her delusional thoughts of me ever wanting to be with you?”
He takes a strand of my hair, fiddling with it between his fingers. He stares at the hair, not quite looking at me, as if the strand of hair is the most fascinating thing in the world. He grips it, but doesn’t pull. He just holds it, as if he’s grounded himself.
“Oh, sweetheart,’’ he smiles, finally looking at me. The smile on his face makes me want to vomit. It’s insincere, as if he knows something I don’t. “It doesn’t matter what you want or don’t want. Vivian promised you to me. Meaning, you’ll be mine once her plans are fulfilled.’’
I try not to barf right then and there. The thought of letting Chase anywhere near me is enough to make me physically recoilin utter and complete disgust. It just goes to show that my soul, body, and mind belong to one man, and that man will never be James.
However, I try not to focus on that aspect. He seems awfully chatty, and it’s a unique opportunity to try and gather information out of him while he’s willing to give it away.
The night we got taken here was the last night I saw James. With a bullet in his chest. The image hasn’t left my mind since. I know for a fact that he isn’t dead – I know it, deeply in my soul, that I would feel it. I would feel it if he were to leave me, and he didn’t. That’s the only string of hope I’m holding onto, and the longer I’m here, the thinner the string is becoming.
I need to know where he is. I need to know if he’s okay, if his wound is being tended to properly. If Vivian has left him to bleed out, I’ll never forgive her. Hell, I might just kill her myself. And this time, I’d remember the murder I’d commit, in full detail.
“Her plans?’’ I ask, keeping the tone of my voice as innocent as possible. I don’t want to give Chase any reason to stop speaking, even if it means letting him touch me more. His hand moves from my hair to the back of my neck. He doesn’t hold it tightly, just resting his palm there.
“Mmm,’’ he hums, eyes glued to the pulse point on my neck. “Of course, Vivian knew where the chip was all along. She didn’t count on you figuring it out, though, which is why her plans have to be sped up.’’
“And her plans are?”
He tilts his head to the side. “What do I get in return for telling you?”
“What do you want?’’ I ask. I already know what he wants, and I’m dreading his answer. Chase’s eyes trail all over my body, almost undressing me. He grins widely, dropping his hand from my neck.
“How about you owe me a favor?”
A frown is on my lips.
That’s when something suddenly comes to mind.
James’ promise of Chase being the first man he’ll kill when he leaves prison. Given the events, he didn’t have the time, but I know he’ll honor his word and have this bastard dead sooner or later.
“Fine,’’ I nod. “I’ll owe you a favor.’’
“Fantastic,’’ he beams, then walks into the living room and takes a seat.
The room is as lavish and as spacious as the rest of the manor. Big, floor-length windows all around, with furniture that looks like it came straight out of the Victorian era. It smells like vanilla and cinnamon, with the walls decorated with some of the most expensive paintings I’ve ever seen.
I take a seat across from him, not caring that my wet dress is ruining the soft cushions beneath me. Chase glances around, skimming the surroundings. He lowers his voice, loud enough for me to hear, and covers the side of his face from the camera.
“Vivian wants power, which is something you already know. That chip is something she’ll use as a bargain.’’
“With whom?”
“Anyone, really,’’ he shrugs. “The president, the politicians, law enforcement. She wants to be the biggest, most powerful shadow looming over the United States, and she won’t stop untilshe gets it. She will do whatever it takes to achieve it, too. As for you… her plan is very simple.’’
I hold in my breath, my heart beating in my chest rapidly.
“She wants heirs from you. She killed your mother, so she’s trying to turn you into a miniature version of herself. She wants the business to eventually be inherited by family only, so she’ll marry you to me, and we’ll have a bunch of babies she’ll get to use for her gain,’’ he pauses, smiling wickedly. “And I can’t say I’ll hate the process of making them.’’
All in me is screaming to reach across the wooden coffee table in between us and slap him so hard that his teeth will fall out. I manage to restrain myself, because doing it in front of so many cameras would just mean giving them exactly what they want — to see me act out.
