Chapter 4

MORNING AFTER

~GISELLE POV~

I woke up alone.

For a second I didn't know where I was. The bed was too big. The sheets were too soft. Everything smelled like sandalwood and money.

Then it all came rushing back, wedding, explosion. Alessandro and the locked room. I sat up so fast my head spun.

The couch across the room was empty. The blanket was folded neatly like no one had ever used it. The bathroom door was open and dark.

He was gone. I looked at the clock on the nightstand. 9:47 AM.

I had slept for almost twelve hours. My body had basically shut down from exhaustion and trauma and said “nope, we're done, going offline.”

I got out of bed. My legs were shaky. I was still wearing the black silk nightgown from last night. It had ridden up in my sleep and was basically just a shirt now.

I walked to the door. The one he had locked last night. I tried the handle and it turned and unlocked. I stood there for a second just staring at it.

Was this a test? Was he waiting on the other side to see if I would try to leave? I opened it slowly.

Empty hallway, no Alessandro, no guards.

Okay.

I closed the door and went back into the room. I needed to think. I needed to figure out what the hell I was going to do.

First step: ‘get dressed in something that wasn't lingerie.’ I went to the closet. I opened it.

Holy shit.

One entire side was full of women's clothes. My size. All of them in blacks, greys, whites. Expensive brands. Tags are still on some of them. He had stocked an entire wardrobe for me. How long had he been planning this?

I grabbed black leggings and an oversized grey sweater. Put them on quickly. Found socks. Put those on too. I felt a little more human when I wasn't half naked.

Then I saw it, my phone on the nightstand. I grabbed it and hit the power button. It turned on, Full battery, but no service. The bars were greyed out.

I tried WiFi. There was a network called "Romano_Secure" but it was password-protected, Of course it was. I tried calling 911 anyway.

Nothing, no signal, no connection, it was just me and a useless piece of glass and metal. I threw it on the bed.

My wedding dress was gone. The corner where I had thrown it last night was empty. He had had it burned like he said he would.

Evidence destroyed.

I walked to the window. I looked out at the ocean. It was grey and choppy today. It matched my mood. There were guards walking the perimeter below. I counted four just in my line of sight.

This wasn't a house. This was a compound.

I needed to find Alessandro. I needed to figure out what the rules were. I needed to know if I was a wife or a prisoner or both.

I opened the bedroom door and walked out.

The house was huge and quiet and empty. I walked down the hallway. Peeked into rooms. Most of them were empty, no furniture, no personality. Just space.

One room was an office. Big desk. Lots of screens. Locked.

Another was a gym. Like a full gym with weights and machines and punching bags. I found the stairs and went down.

The living room was just as cold as I remembered. Black leather furniture, no pictures, no plants, nothing that said humans lived here.

I followed the smell of coffee.

The kitchen was massive. All stainless steel and black marble. And standing at the counter making breakfast was Martha. She turned when I walked in.

"Good morning, Mrs. Romano." Her voice was pleasant but totally emotionless. Like a robot programmed to be polite.

"Don't call me that," I said automatically.

She didn't react. Just give a sign to the table. "I have prepared breakfast. Eggs, toast, fruit. Coffee is fresh."

The food was already laid out. Like she'd known exactly when I'd wake up. Creepy. But I was also starving. So I sat down.

Martha poured me coffee. Black, two sugars. I didn't tell her how I took it. She just knew.

"Where's Alessandro?" I asked.

"The Boss left for the city at six this morning. He has business to attend to. He will return this evening."

Boss. She called him Boss.

"I need to use a phone," I said.

"All calls must be approved by Mr. Romano."

"I need to contact my family. Let them know I am okay."

"Your family is aware of your location."

"My brother, Marcus. I need to talk to him."

"Mr. Romano will relay any messages you wish to send."

I put down my fork. "So I am not allowed to make phone calls?"

"Not at this time, Mrs. Romano."

"And I am just supposed to sit here? In this house? Forever?"

"You're welcome to enjoy the property. The library, the gym, the terrace…."

"What about outside? Can I leave?"

Martha's pleasant smile didn't change. "The Boss has requested you remain on the property for your safety."

"Requested. Or ordered?"

"Would you like more coffee?" I stared at her. She wasn't a housekeeper. She was a handler.

"What happens if I try to leave?" I asked.

"I am afraid I can't allow that, Mrs. Romano."

"And if I do it anyway?" Martha set down the coffee pot. Her smile finally dropped.

"Then the guards will stop you. And I will have to inform the Boss. And I don't think either of us wants that." There it was. The truth. I wasn't a guest. I was a prisoner.

"Right," I said. "Thanks for breakfast."

I ate quickly. Not because the food was good but because I needed fuel. If I was going to figure out a way out of here, I needed energy.

Martha watched me the entire time. When I finished, I stood up. "I'm going to get some air."

"The terrace is lovely this time of day."

I walked out to the terrace. Big stone patio overlooking the ocean. Expensive outdoor furniture. Beautiful view. And guards. So many fucking guards.

One by the cliff. Two walking the tree line. Another one standing by the door I'd just come through. I smiled at him. He didn't smile back.

I walked to the edge of the terrace. I looked out at the water. Took deep breaths like I was just enjoying the morning. But really I was scanning. Looking for weaknesses. Looking for gaps.

The trees on the east side looked less patrolled. Thicker coverage. If I could get there, I could maybe get to the main road.

I had no phone. No money. No ID.

But I could flag down a car. Get to a police station. Figure it out from there. Anything was better than staying here. I waited. Watch the guards. They had a pattern. They rotated every ten minutes.

When the guard by the door turned to walk the other direction, I moved. I jumped off the terrace. It was only like four feet. I landed hard but kept moving.

Ran toward the trees. My heart was pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears. Fifty yards. Forty yards. Thirty yards. I was going to make it.

I was actually going to—"Mrs. Romano!"

Fuck.

A guard stepped out from behind a tree. Where the fuck did he come from? I changed direction.

Ran left.

Another guard appeared. This one had his hand on his radio.

"Ma'am, please stop."

I kept running. Pushed through branches. My sweater caught on something. Ripped. I didn't care.I could see the fence now. Chain link. Tall.

But maybe I could…Tires on gravel.

I turned. A black SUV screeched to a stop right in front of me. The door opened.

Alessandro stepped out.

He was in a full suit. Tie loosened. Hair slightly messy like he'd been running his hands through it. He looked at me. Then at the guards. Then back at me.

"Going somewhere?" His voice was calm, too calm.

"I was taking a walk," I said. My voice was shaking.

"In the woods. Fifty yards from the house. Running."

"I needed air."

"Bullshit." He walked toward me. Slowly. Like he had all the time in the world. I backed up. Hit the fence. He stopped a foot away.

"You've been awake for less than an hour and you're already trying to escape. That's impressive. Stupid. But impressive."

"Let me go, Alessandro."

"No."

"I'm not staying here."

"Yes, you are." He grabbed my wrist. Not hard enough to hurt but firm enough that I couldn't pull away.

"Let go of me!"

He pulled me toward the SUV. I fought. Dug my heels in. It didn't matter. He was too strong. He opened the back door.

"Get in."

"No."

"Giselle. Get in the car. Or I will put you in."

I looked at his face. He meant it. I got in. He slid in next to me. Slammed the door. The car started moving back toward the house.

Silence. I was shaking, from adrenaline, from fear, and from rage.

"That was stupid," he said.

"Fuck you."

"How far did you think you'd get?"

"I don't know. But I had to try."

"Try again and I will tie you to the bed."

I looked at him. "You can't keep me prisoner."

"I can. And I will. Until you stop being an idiot."

"I'm not an idiot. I'm trapped. There's a difference."

He pulled out his phone. Tapped something. Turn the screen to me. It was a map. With a blinking red dot. "What is that?" I asked.

"You."

My stomach dropped. "What?"

"You think I would let you out of my sight without tracking you? You made it fifty-three yards before I got the alert."

"I'm not wearing any…" Then I remembered. The ring. I looked down at my left hand. The diamond wedding ring from yesterday.

"GPS tracker," he said. "Waterproof. Encrypted. Can't be removed without a specialized tool that only I have."

I stared at the ring. At the beautiful diamond that was actually a fucking leash. "You tagged me," I whispered. "Like a dog."

"I protected you."

"You collared me."

"Same thing."

I tried to pull the ring off. It was stuck. It fit perfectly when he'd put it on yesterday but now it wouldn't budge.

"It swells slightly after twelve hours," he said. "Body heat. You can't remove it." I yanked harder. It hurt. The ring didn't move.

"Stop," Alessandro grabbed my hand. "You will break your finger."

"Good! Then maybe you can't track me!"

"The tracker is in the band. Breaking your finger won't help."

I stopped fighting. Just sat there breathing hard. Staring at the ring that had just become a prison. The car pulled up to the house.

Alessandro got out. Came around to my side. Opened the door.

"Come on."

I didn't move. He sighed. Then he reached in and picked me up. Again. Just scooped me up like I was nothing.

"Put me down!"

"No."

He carried me into the house. Past Martha who looked completely unsurprised. Up the stairs. Down the hallway.

Back to the bedroom. He set me on my feet. Closed the door behind us. "You're confined to this room until I can trust you," he said.

"I will never trust you. So I guess I will be here forever."

"Your choice." He turned to leave.

I grabbed his arm. "Alessandro." He stopped and looked back at me.

"Did you do it?" I asked.

"Do what."

My voice shook. "Did your father kill my father? My real father. Eleven years ago." Silence. He stared at me. His face was completely blank. Empty. Then he pulled his arm free.

"Get some rest, Giselle." He walked to the door.

"ANSWER ME!" I screamed.

He opened it. I walked out and locked it.I ran to the door. Pounded on it. "YOU DIDN'T DENY IT! THAT MEANS IT'S TRUE, RIGHT? YOUR FATHER KILLED HIM!" No response.

Just footsteps walking away. I slid down the door. Sat on the floor. Stared at the ring on my finger. He didn't deny it. He didn't deny it because it was true. Lorenzo Romano killed my father.

And now I am married to his son. Wearing his ring. Locked in his house. I pulled my knees to my chest, and I started planning.

Because if he thought a locked door and a GPS tracker were going to keep me here forever, he was wrong.

I would find a way out.

Even if I had to burn this whole fucking house down to do it.