Forbidden Fate (Crowne Point 3)

“You promised you would get me out. This is the opposite of out. West, it…” I took a breath. “It feels a little bit like you wanted to stay here.”

West laughed. “Angel, why would I want to stay in Grayson Crowne’s house?”

I frowned.

I didn’t know.

He sat down next to me, taking my chin in his hand. “Grayson’s right. We need to get out ahead of this. If we don’t, they’ll never stop following.”

Shivers raced up my spine at the thought. I was already stalked online…but to be followed in broad daylight?

“We can leave,” I whispered. “Somewhere no one cares.”

West stood so fast I nearly got whiplash. “Let’s go. I’ll stash you away on an island, somewhere the paparazzi can only get a blurry picture.”

I’d suggest leaving Crowne Point entirely, if you ever want to work again. Maybe try someplace in…fuck, I don’t know, maybe Portugal?

Grayson’s words from our first night echoed in my head.

Stash me away…an inky feeling filled my veins. “Maybe some place like Portugal…” I whispered.

I told my uncle I would get away, but it wasn’t freedom to run; it was just hiding. When I leave Crowne Point, I want to be free.

Sensing my disapproval, West sat back down on the coffee table opposite me, legs spreading as he leaned forward.

He gripped my chin, dragging me forward. “You know, Angel, it’s easier to get revenge when you’re right in front of him.”

I ripped my head away. “This isn’t about revenge.”

But my voice wavered.

I’d liked the look in Grayson’s eyes when he saw me with West.

Too much.

I don’t know why West agreed to marry me, why he wanted to in the first place. I told him I needed his name, his power. That I wanted to get out of Crowne Point, and I needed someone like him to do it. I refused to sign anything but the marriage certificate.

West hadn’t demanded a prenup.

He’d taken me directly to the courthouse.

I had all the cards, didn’t I?

I lifted my head. “What are you getting out of this marriage?”

“You, Angel.” He grinned.

A part of me felt like I was turning the table on West, and I liked that.

A sick part.

When we were kids, he’d tricked me into thinking he loved me, and had stolen something precious. Now I had the power to take everything from him, because he had fallen in love with me.

So I had to fight that urge. I had to go into this with honesty. It was already a dirty thing we were doing. There had been no god or love in our wedding. I needed to be so clear, so honest, to try to keep whatever pieces remained of my soul.

This wasn’t about love.

This wasn’t Abigail Crowne running away with Theo.