DEVON THORNE
The moment Annabeth Saint passed through the villa's garden gate, Devon swept her into his arms and nearly squeezed the breath out of her.
"What's happening right now?" she asked. He breathed in her scent and tried to get his racing heart to calm the hell down. She was all right.
She awkwardly returned his hug, her purse bumping into his back. "Are you okay?"
"Am I okay?" asked Devon. He pulled back and looked her over, his face a mixture of anger and concern. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she said. "It took forever for them to fix the elevator."
"The ... elevator?"
"I've been stuck at the Northside Mall with Van and Mace. It was the strangest thing. None of our cell phones worked. It took four hours for them to fix the problem."
"You ... you were stuck in a mall elevator with your bodyguards?"
Annabeth met his gaze. "Yes, and when we finally got out, Mr. Ward was there, apologizing for the trouble. He insisted on driving me home. Van and Mace took the car. Have they returned?"
"Let's go inside." Devon kissed her lightly on the lips. "I need to make a call."
She smiled. "Okay."
After Annabeth entered the villa, Devon looked at Gibson. "Release Van and Mace. Compensate them for misunderstanding their roles in Annabeth's disappearance."
"Yes, sir."
"Northside Mall is a Ward property," said Devon. "Kellan Ward kidnapped my fiancee without her ever knowing it."
"It seems so, sir."
"What an asshole."
***|***|***
AURORA MOON
Flashback from First Life...
Kellan held her hand, and she was forced to cling to him because of the blindfold she wore. She stumbled on the path and the next thing she knew, she'd been scooped into his arms and carried to wherever they were going.
All she knew was that they were outside at night. Soft music played as he strode down the walkway. Every so often she could catch a glimpse of colorful flowers in the tiny gap at the blindfold's bottom.
Finally, he put her on her feet. He let go only long enough to remove the blindfold. The world swam back into view as the silk strip fell away.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Butterfly Villa.
The name was wrought in delicate iron on the gate he'd positioned her before, but it was the garden beyond that stole what little air remained in her lungs.
No, not just a garden. Fragments of wishes and dreams he'd excavated from casual conversations.
He had remembered every detail of what she said not to him, but to others. She knew, too, that he read her journals. He'd created in reality what had only been imaginative chaos in her mind, her heart.
"For you, my little butterfly," he murmured, his voice a low thrum against her ear. "If you want anything changed, tell me."
How could she change a single thing? It was perfect. So completely perfect.
Her resentment, a constant, simmering companion, tightened its grip on her softly blooming heart. His obsession created such wonder, and yet destroyed her fragile self. Because he hadn't built her home.
He'd built her a prison.
The air began to glow.
One at first, then another, and then dozens. Gold and green and ethereal blue lifted from the shadows between the leaves.
Butterflies.
Their wings emitted an otherworldly radiance. They drifted through the garden like dancing pixies, some alighting on the flowers, and other making magical patterns against the velvet night.
The cold stone of her fear was still lodged in her chest, but now it was wrapped in a warmer emotion. Her eyes stung with traitorous tears. She didn't want to feel so moved by what he had done, but she was.
As a luminescent blue butterfly fluttered past his face, his lips curved into a gentle smile, she couldn't stop the fragile, aching blossom of gratitude for his devotion.
Kellan leaned down and kissed her temple. For a single, shameful moment, her heart, against her will, thudded in her chest. Desire. Stupid, terrible, undeniable desire fluttered within her with the same dancing light as the butterflies in the garden.
She couldn't bring herself to ruin the moment. With other gifts, she would scream. Hit him. Throw objects.
But now. Just for now. She let his arms settle around her shoulders and she leaned into his chest. Together, they appreciated the beauty around them ... and the quiet warmth of each other.
***|***|***
AURORA MOON
"Kellan." Aurora awoke suddenly, sweat dotting her upper lip. Her mouth and throat were so dry it felt like she'd swallowed cotton.
"I'm here."
As she shook off the grogginess, she felt Kellan's big, warm hand encapsulating hers. She tried to sit up, but he pushed on her shoulder, and said, "Don't move."
"Water," she croaked. "Please."
He put a glass to her lips and she drank the warm water greedily.
"Slow down, little butterfly."
After she'd finish the water, she felt somewhat better. She looked around, and realized she was in her bed.
In the cage.
Her stomach dropped. Panicked, she looked at Kellan. "I didn't leave you," she said. "I didn't escape."
"I know. It's safer down here," he said.
"Then make our bedroom safer. Make other places safer. I don't want to live in a cage."
Kellan wouldn't meet her gaze. He squeezed her hand. "Your brother stole you and kept you away from me."
Memories of meeting Ryder Hamilton flooded her brain. She looked down at her bandaged wrists and then up at Kellan. "I didn't have a choice. He wouldn't let me go. I had to do something to get out of there. And ... and Ryder knew my engagement ring had GPS, and he wanted to take me abroad."
"What?" snapped Kellan. His pupils turned to pinpoints. His blank expression was even scarier than usual, especially with his eyes cold as black ice.
Aurora knew immediately that she'd made a mistake. Telling Kellan her brother planned to abscond with her was the equivalent of locking her in this cage and throwing away the key.
She'd barely convinced him to let her into their bedroom, and now, she was back at square one because of Ryder Hamilton.
"Kellan."
"We'll discuss this later." He picked up each wrist and kissed the wrappings. "For now, you'll have to stay here."
"Kellan!"
He shook his head. Then rose to his feet and walked away. She squeezed her eyes shut, her wrists aching as she clutched the covers.
The door clanged shut.
The key turned in the lock.
And Kellan, her jailer, her husband, left her there, abandoned.