Carissa

“When Alexander comes to dinner tomorrow evening, I expect you to be warm and welcoming to him. He’s an important business connection for your father.”

“I would never be rude to a guest, Mother.” Although, after hearing about Alexander Bellamy non-stop for the last three days, I was sorely tempted to do whatever it took to deflect his attention away from me.

“We’re lucky he’s still interested in you after the fiasco at the charity gala. You’d do well to remember that he’s quite the catch.”

I barely restrained myself from picking up the priceless vase off the fireplace mantel and throwing it at her head. “I’ve no desire to catch anyone, Mother. Especially not after my date with Vaughn.”

“Oh, please,” my mother sighed. “We know absolutely nothing about the man, except that he’s new to town and gauche enough to bid a ridiculous amount at the auction. I’m sure your little date with him was entertaining, but he’s hardly the kind of man who your father and I would allow you to marry.”

“Marry?” I repeated incredulously. “I didn’t say anything about marriage, and I certainly hope neither you or Father have told Mr. Bellamy I’m interested in marrying him. I barely know the man. The only time I’ve ever spoken with him, I wasn’t even eighteen yet and barely a dozen words were exchanged.”

“Of course we didn’t say any such thing to Alexander. To do so would have been terribly ill-mannered.” My deep sigh of relief was cut-off when she continued. “But your father and I are well versed in how these things work. Alexander’s intentions towards you are quite clear, and meet with our approval.”

“I’m nineteen, Mother. You can’t force me to date, or heaven forbid marry, the man of your choice.”

She pinned me with a hard stare. “Might I remind you under whose roof you live?

“No reminder is needed,” I bit out before turning on my heel and marching out of her office. “But I won’t remain here for long if you keep this up.”

Once I reached my bedroom, I slammed the door and locked it. The gesture made me feel slightly better, but it didn’t help with my frustration at my parents. Pressuring your daughter into a relationship with a stranger wasn’t supposed to happen in this day and age. Romance authors managed to make arranged marriages seem romantic, but the reality of what my parents were trying to force me into was quite the opposite.

I was scared.

Terrified, really.

Back when I’d met Alexander Bellamy, I hadn’t said much because there was something about him that made my skin crawl. The idea of sitting down to dinner with him tomorrow night, knowing my parents fully expected me to actually consider marriage to a man like him, filled me with horror.

Pacing my room, I tried to think of a way out of this mess, but none of the options I came up with were feasible. They all required money I didn’t have. Glancing at my phone, tears filled my eyes.

If only Vaughn had called or texted me, even once, during the last three days. After what had happened between us at his home, I’d been certain he’d contact me the next day. When he hadn’t, I’d started to wonder if he’d changed his mind about me. It had taken all my courage to send him a text after two days had passed, but he hadn’t replied.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures,” I mumbled to myself, pulling his number up again. He’d told me to contact him if I was in trouble. This situation certainly qualified.

Me: I need your help. Please call.

I went to bed with my phone clutched in my hand, waiting to see if he’d reply. Hoping he hadn’t been just giving me a line and he’d really meant what he’d said. When I woke up to a noise several hours later, I searched the blankets for my phone, assuming that’s what I’d heard. I didn’t get far in my search before a strong hand wrapped around my mouth, scaring the crap out of me.

My mind blanked, and the fight or flight response kicked in. I twisted and turned, doing whatever I could think of to try to break the hold on me. Kicking out wildly and struggling with all my might. It wasn’t until my chest was heaving and tears were rolling down my cheeks that the words from the man holding me registered.

“Shh, Carissa. I’ve got you. It’s Vaughn.”

I stilled, and his hand moved away from my mouth. His thumbs swept my tears away as I crawled to my knees and turned to him.

“You’re here,” I gasped. “You really meant it. You came when I needed you.”

“I protect what’s mine, beautiful. And you became mine the moment you let me lift up your skirt to get a taste of your tight, little pussy.”

I blushed wildly at the reminder of how our date ended, but then my back stiffened as I remembered how he’d ignored me ever since.

“You sure have a funny way of showing it,” I hissed. “Not a single word from you since then. You didn’t even bother replying to either of the messages I sent.”

“Fuck,” he groaned. “You called? Texted?”

I gulped at the odd mixture of anger and relief in his tone, nodding in confirmation.

“I didn’t get any of your messages, Carissa.”

“You didn’t?” I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. “Then how did you know I needed you?”

“I’ll explain later, and I’ll figure out what happened to your messages,” he promised. “After I get you out of here and to somewhere safe.”

“This is crazy,” I breathed out. “Do you really expect me to run away with you in the middle of the night?”

“I know I’m asking a lot of you, beautiful. But can you show me the same trust you did back at my house?” He slid off my mattress to stand next to my bed, one hand held out to me. “I don’t know what your message said, but I have to assume you were asking me for help. You’ve got it, but I need you to come with me.”

He looked lethal, standing there dressed in dark clothes with a gun tucked into a harness strapped around his thigh. The only things I knew about him were what he’d told me—and the feel of his mouth on my body. But my instincts told me to trust him, while they screamed at me to get as far away from Alexander Bellamy as I could. Which meant getting away from my parents as well since they’d squarely put themselves on his side.

Taking a deep breath, I made my decision. Putting my hand in Vaughn’s, I went with my heart and chose him.

“That’s my beautiful girl,” he murmured approvingly, helping me to my feet. “Is there anything you don’t want to leave behind?”

I hurried into my walk-in closet and packed a small bag with a few changes of clothes, jewelry my grandmother had given me, my birth certificate and passport, along with some personal items. I also changed out of the flannel pajamas I’d been wearing—trying not to cringe at exactly how unattractive they were—and into dark, warm clothes and shoes.

“Ready,” I announced softly once I was done.

Vaughn took my bag from me and slung it over his shoulder. Another gun peeked out from under his jacket with the movement, and I shivered at the reminder of the risks he’d taken to break into my parents’ home to get me out. I’d always felt safe, knowing they had security looking out for us, but it had begun to feel as though the guards were there to keep tabs on me more than anything else lately.

“We can’t go out the gate,” I warned. “There’s a guard manning it.”

“You’re too damn cute,” he laughed. “The guards are a nuisance, but they aren’t good enough to be a real concern considering some of the places I’ve had to get in and out of.”

“Sorry, I forgot you were a super soldier for a minute there,” I grumbled as he led me to the largest window in my room.

“I’m also not alone,” he added before pressing a finger to his ear. “Confirm our exit is clear.”

The answer must have been what he’d wanted to hear because he nodded in satisfaction. Then he dropped my bag on the floor, pulled off the pack on his back and unzipped it to yank out a red and white fire escape ladder.

“You really did think of everything.”

“I didn’t want to run the risk of having you rappel out, so this was our first option.” He helped me climb out the window. “Down you go. I’ll be right behind you.”

The next ten minutes were a blur of activity. Climbing down the ladder. Running across the back lawn with Vaughn. Having him hoist me over the wall like I barely weighed a thing. Racing back to his house in his Lexus. It felt as though I was starring in an action movie, playing the damsel in distress to Vaughn’s hero. Only this wasn’t pretend. It was real life. And I was ready for the answers Vaughn had promised me.