Chapter 3

"You paid him."

The roar of the helicopter blades drowned out my voice.

I stared across the small cabin.

Sebastian sat opposite me. He looked out the dark window at the glittering Manhattan skyline. He did not answer me.

We landed on the roof of his building. The rain had stopped. The wind whipped my hair across my face.

Sebastian guided me down a flight of metal stairs. We entered his penthouse.

"You paid that man to pull a gun on us," I said again. My voice echoed in the quiet room.

Sebastian walked over to a glass table.

"I did," he answered simply.

"You could have gotten someone killed. You orchestrated that entire nightmare just to force me to leave with you."

"I orchestrated a situation," Sebastian corrected. He turned to face me fully. "Ethan created the nightmare. I simply gave him a choice. He chose to save himself. He shoved a woman into the line of fire to cover his own escape. I wanted you to see exactly who you were willing to die for."

"That does not excuse what you did." I crossed my arms tightly over my chest. "You are insane. I am not marrying you. I do not care what my father promised you. He cannot force me to do this. I will walk out of here right now."

"Your father did not arrange this marriage," Sebastian said.

I frowned. My feet stopped moving toward the door. "What?"

Sebastian set his glass down. He opened a drawer in the table. He pulled out a thick folder.

"Open it," he commanded.

The pages were filled with signatures and legal stamps.

"Five years ago, your father ruined your family," Sebastian stated. His voice was completely devoid of emotion. "He stole millions from his own clients. He was going to spend the rest of his life in a federal prison. I stepped in. I paid his debts. I kept him out of a cell."

Five years ago, my father had suddenly sent me away. He claimed it was for my own independence. He had been lying.

"I made a deal with him," Sebastian continued. "I saved his life. The price was you. You are the guarantee. If you walk out that door tonight, this agreement is void. I will hand these documents over to the authorities. Your father will be arrested before sunrise."

"You own me," I whispered. The reality crushed the air from my lungs.

"I am protecting my investment," Sebastian replied.

My phone suddenly rang. The shrill sound made me jump. I pulled it out of my pocket. The caller ID showed Ethan's name.

I stared at the glowing screen. Sebastian watched me.

I answered the call. I pressed the phone to my ear.

"Vanessa!" Ethan sobbed. His voice was loud and frantic. "Please do not hang up. I am downstairs. I am in the lobby of his building. The guards will not let me up."

"Why are you calling me?" I asked coldly.

"I am so sorry," Ethan cried. "Maureen manipulated me. It was her idea. She forced me to do it. But you have to listen to me. You are in danger."

"You left me in a warehouse," I said to Ethan.

"I panicked!" Ethan shouted. "But I came back for you. I swear. Vanessa, you cannot marry him. He is a monster. I found something out. I have proof."

"Proof of what?"

"He does not want you," Ethan said. He was breathing heavily into the receiver. "He wants your family's legacy. He wants everything your father built. He is going to kill your father to take it all. I am sending you an audio file right now. Listen to it."

My phone vibrated against my cheek. A message notification popped up on the screen.

"Vanessa, please come downstairs," Ethan begged. "Let me save you."

I ended the call. The penthouse was completely silent again. Sebastian placed his empty glass on the table.

"Was that your former boyfriend?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes," I answered.

"Is he still crying?"

"Yes."

Sebastian shook his head slightly. "The guest room is the second door on the left. Lock it if it makes you feel safe. We have a long day tomorrow."

He disappeared down the hall. I heard a door click shut.

I stood alone in the massive living room. My hands were trembling. I looked down at my phone. The message from Ethan contained a single audio file.

I walked into the guest room. I closed the door behind me. I tapped the screen and pressed play.

There was a brief moment of static. Then, a voice spoke. It was Sebastian's voice.

"The wedding will proceed as planned," Sebastian's recorded voice said.

Another man spoke. His voice was muffled. "And after the ceremony? What about the father?"

"Forget the father," Sebastian replied on the recording. The audio was crystal clear. The coldness in his tone made my blood run to ice. "Make sure Vanessa Kensington does not survive the wedding night."

The recording ended.