Betrayed

Knox POV

The world was swimming before my eyes.

I stared at the woman who looked so much like my girl, but so unlike her.

I almost crumbled.

I could not stop thinking about how right she had felt in my arms; she had almost fooled me.

She dared to look stricken, like she had been wronged, like she was the victim.

What gave her the right to look so fragile?

I was the one who had been betrayed, the one who had been made a fool of.

I stared at her face, wondering what had made her do something this crazy.

I had known that she had a crush on me, and I had noticed her eyes following me every time I was around her.

I had dismissed it as a harmless crush that would fade away with time.

But I would never have guessed that mousey Astrid had the balls to do something so audacious.

She had never been anything but polite towards me, courteous at best.

I would never have guessed that she would try to take her sister's place.

Most importantly, what had she said to send Ingrid away? What had she done?

Ingrid loved me; she would never just leave like that.

I would have to force the truth out of Astrid, but that would come later.

Right now, I feared that if I remained in her presence, I would choke the life out of her.

The entire ride had been an exercise in controlling the fury coursing in my veins.

Her nightmare had just started.

She would remain my wife until Ingrid returned, then I could have my real bride back.

I thought back to her face when I had confronted her about switching places with Ingrid.

I had expected exhilaration, but noticed disappointment instead, fear in her eyes.

I had found myself wanting to ask her what hurt her.

I had to remind myself that Astrid was a manipulative woman who fooled people into thinking she was helpless before a strike.

She would never get a chance to manipulate me again.

The enjoyment I would derive from making her would pay for the humiliation she had put me through, would rival the hurt I had felt.

Since she could dare to convert me, then I would make her life with me one of misery.

She would regret the choices that had led her to arrive at that decision.

"I want you to check everywhere, the docks, the airports." I directed. "Make sure you find Ingrid, I don't care how you do it."

"Right on it," Mark answered from the front seat.

I had filled him in on what Astrid had done, and he had looked even more confused than I was.

He had a lot of questions to ask, but the important thing to do was to find Ingrid as soon as possible.

I wanted to go myself and tear the whole city into pieces until I found her, but that would not be very helpful.

People would question why I, a newly married man, was looking for someone.

So I would do the only thing I could do, give orders and drink.

"Take me to the club," I ordered.

*

"Knox, go home." Mark pulled the bottle out of my hand. "I'll handle the search."

I grumbled and eyed the empty bottle on the table.

"I can't go until I find Ingrid." My words were beginning to slur, but I still knew what was important: finding Ingrid.

"I promise to keep you updated," Mark promised. "You will be the first to know when she is found."

I blinked, then shrugged.

Mark was right, I needed to go home and prepare to intensify efforts to find Ingrid. It was best that I should go home and sleep.

"Fine." I shrugged, then got to my feet.

The world swayed in front of me, and Mark jumped up as if to support me.

But I frowned at him and pulled my arm out of his reach, "I'm not that drunk." I hissed.

I was not a heavy drinker, but today I had drunk a lot.

It did not help that I had drunk champagne earlier and then switched to Whiskey later.

That was a sure recipe for an awful hangover, but it was the only way to numb the worry filling my head.

Mark nodded, and together we left the club and got into the waiting car.

On the drive home, I fell asleep and only woke up when I felt Mark shaking me.

"Will you be alright?" Mark asked.

"I will, as soon as I find Ingrid," I grumbled and got out of the car.

My steps were unsteady, but fortunately, I did not face plant.

When I got into the house, I waved away the butler's anxious expression and walked up the stairs to my room.

I managed to avoid tripping on something on the floor, then stripped off my clothes until I had on only underwear.

Just as I climbed into the bed and prepared to sleep, I was shocked by the feel of warm, soft skin.

With a curse, I threw the blanket off and put on the bedside lamp…

She was beautiful.

More beautiful than I had ever known.

More beautiful than she had ever looked.

With her bare face and tiny silk underwear, she was the sexiest thing I had ever seen.

I had waited for her for so long, I could no longer wait.

My hand caressed her skin, watching with pleasure as she smiled and moved closer to my touch.

"Yes, baby girl," I whispered.

Next, my lips followed, slowly worshiping inch after inch of her flawless ivory skin.

I continued until I felt her fingers in my hair.

"Knox?" Her voice came, soft, hesitant.

I lifted my head and stared into those wonderfully alive green eyes. Then I bent and pressed my lips against hers, sucking on her bottom lip like a man dying of thirst.

While my hand kneaded the soft roundness of her bosom.

"Knox." She moaned.

I answered by pulling her body flush against my hardness.