“I can’t run away. Actually, I just want to see Darren. I want to talk to him.”
She nodded quickly. “I don’t know where he is but I can find him for you.”
“Please,” I said.
She kissed my cheek then ran off to the house.
Penny could hunt him down. The staff only partially listened to me, but they obeyed her orders without hesitation. I paced along the edge of the pool until Penny waved me over.
“He got home a few minutes ago. I think he’s up in his room.”
“Thank you.” I squeezed her arm. “I’ll see you later.”
“Good luck!”
I ran off, winding through the maze-like corridors. I marveled at how quickly I’d learned the layout of this place before realizing I’d been here for a while now.
Time slipped past like oxygen through my lungs.
I knocked at Darren’s door. “Come in.”
I stepped inside and found him standing in front of the mirror adjusting the cuffs of a black dress shirt. He looked at me and smiled—and his face lit up like magic.
It almost took my breath away. He transformed from a serious, studious glare to something softer and genuinely excited to see me. I’d never experienced that before—never seen someone light up when I walked into the room like that.
“What’s going on?” he asked, head tilted. “Come for a little pre-wedding pep talk?”
I chewed on my lip and wondered, what the hell was I doing there anyway?
“Are you sure about all this?” I blurted out. “Are you really sure you want to marry me?”
His smile faltered slightly and I hated myself for letting that happen. He turned and carefully finished buttoning his cuff before stroking a thumb down his chin thoughtfully.
“I’ve been through a lot in my life. I’ve seen bad things happen and caused worse. But I’ve never second-guessed any of my own decisions, not because I’m always right, but because I believe that a man’s word means something. If I said I’ll do something, then I’ll do it.”
“That’s not exactly sweeping me off my feet.”
He held up a hand, his smile returning. “Let me finish. With you, all this has been excruciatingly hard and exceedingly easy all at once.” He came toward me, his smile deepening into something soft and caring.
“I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean.”
“When I first took you, I thought you would be a tool to use against Roman. I didn’t expect something to develop between us. I never imagined I’d want you for more than just a political game.”
I chewed my lip harder. “I thought that’s all I was.”
“You’re going to be my wife for real. I told you, if you accept this and embrace it, I’ll treat you like my queen.”
“Then it’s all on me.”
“Not entirely.”
“How’s this been easy then?”
“You make it easy. You’re smart and gorgeous and you have this magnetism about you that I can’t deny, even if it pisses me off and makes things inconvenient. I don’t want to marry you, Winter—I need to marry you.”
I stared at him for a long beat, letting his words sink beneath my skin.
He stopped inches in front of me. “You asked if I was sure, and I’m telling you that I’ve never been so sure before.”
I turned away then. Tears lodged in my throat and I had to get some space. I walked across the room, my head spinning in wild directions. I didn’t think I’d get this when I came up here, but it was exactly what I needed.
I was going to marry this man. I chose to do it for my friend—to keep her safe, to maybe help end whatever war Darren was diving head-first into. But I also knew that being his wife would bring certain other benefits that I could take advantage of, if only I could accept what was happening and commit myself completely.
I hoped he’d understand, that he’d be unsure and not fully invested, and I was wrong.
So stupidly wrong.
“You asked me why I ran away from home and I still haven’t told you. Do you still want to know?”
“Of course.” His smile faded and his voice was soft. “I want to know everything about you.”
I wrapped my arms around myself and stared at his bed. King-sized, gray sheets, sleek headboard, modern and beautiful, a work of art in itself. Soon I’d share that bed with him, sleep next to him, fall into his world—this room would become my room.
If I could accept it and commit to it.
“My father used to have a lot of parties at our house. He’d invite clients and potential clients, get them all to mingle and talk politics and money and whatever, and hopefully bring more money into the firm. I grew up with those parties. He’d show me off to everyone, brag about his smart little girl, then send me off to my room so the grown-ups could talk uninterrupted.