Chapter 1

"Did you mean it when you said you'd lock me up for life and help me get revenge?" I had to ask again because it sounded too good to be true.

The man before me smiled, seemingly savoring my reaction. "Cami, stay with me forever, okay? I'll take good care of you. You can stay inside all the time. You don't need to leave the house."

He let out a low chuckle, then looked up to watch my reaction.

I honestly never thought something this good would fall right into my lap.

Earlier that day, my beer-bellied boss had chewed me out within an inch of my life. The thought of dragging myself back into the office tomorrow already made me so tired I didn't even want to lift a finger.

But this mystery man's appearance had given me a chance to breathe. I really should've bought a lottery ticket.

"So I don't have to go to work? Like, ever?" I asked.

"Of course not. All you need to do is stay with me," he answered.

I nodded without hesitation. The next second, everything went black.

When I woke up again, I was already in a basement.

"Cami, you're so obedient." The man stood in front of me and gave the chain on my ankle a light tug. He tilted his head, looking like a hunter lurking just out of sight in the dark. "And you're gorgeous."

He was pretty good-looking, too—defined jawline, strong brows, and sharp eyes. In short, he was definitely better-looking than my fiance, Seth Dane.

The thought of me getting to lie in bed and stare at this handsome face every day put me in a really good mood. I honestly didn't care much about the chain on my ankle. As long as it didn't mess with my sleep, we were fine.

The basement wasn't exactly gloomy, either. The man had fixed the place up nicely.

I walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge, lowering my head. "What's your name?"

"Ashton Grayson, but you can call me whatever you want."

The moment I asked his name, something like excitement flashed across Ashton's face. I could literally see his pupils widen.

He went on, "This is the first time you've asked for my name, Cami. I'm so happy. I'm definitely saving this recording in the deepest, most hidden corner of my favorites folder. I'll watch it over and over every single day."

"Wow." I flopped back onto the bed and pulled out my phone, my tone lazy and flat. "You could put it on a QR code on your tombstone. That way, anyone who comes to leave you flowers can scan it and watch."

"You're so smart, Cami!" He sounded genuinely delighted by my joke. "But I'm sorry to say I can't do that. Your videos are for my eyes only. I'd get jealous if anyone else saw them."

Yeah, he was definitely obsessed.

I lay sprawled on the bed, too lazy to even lift my arms. I said, "For dinner, I want spicy sausage and vegetable stew. No garlic, thanks."

"I know. No cilantro and scallions, too. You're okay with a bit of vinegar, but not too much, and the chili has to be maxed out."

Ashton stood at the basement door, his arms folded and his eyes crinkled as he smiled.

I had no idea when he'd started paying attention to me. Still, it didn't really matter as long as he was willing to keep me fed and housed.

I'd barely started scrolling on my phone when Seth texted me.

"You working late tonight? I didn't see you downstairs at the office. By the way, I'm not coming home tonight. This client has been a nightmare. I mean, this is Bianca Grayson, after all. She's a big client. I'll make it up to you when I get back."

This was the first time he'd ever stayed out. Normally, the second he got home, he would head straight to the kitchen to cook for me.

But I already had a new personal chef.

Seeing Bianca's name, then putting that together with how similar she and Ashton looked, I had a pretty good idea those two were more than just strangers.

Whatever.

Having someone who would let me quit my job and laze around while they paid for everything was more than enough for me.

The only issue now was that I needed to call off my engagement to Seth. Cheating was a hard no for me.

Back in high school, a few guys had confessed to me, but I hadn't wanted to date anyone. Seth had very naturally pretended to be my boyfriend.

One thing led to another, and we'd ended up together for real. Then, in college, my family had gotten into a car accident, and only I'd survived.

The crash site had been a nightmare. When I woke up, my whole world had changed. Everyone had pointed fingers at me.