Page 129 of Unmasked

“So…” I let the words leave me as the thoughts raced. “King Lawrence wants to watch you kill someone, because he takes pleasure in that?”

Penelope shrugged. “Maybe? I don’t know.” She reached into her purse, turning on her phone. Alert after alert had her eyes going big as they came to me.

“Put it on speaker. Let’s see what he has to say.”

A slight shake took over her hands as Penelope obeyed.

“You will come to the palace tomorrow. I don’t care what time. You will come, and you will meet with me.” Anger thickened his tone. “Don’t make me find you.”

I jolted to a stop and the second message started.

“You can’t just hang up on me.” He paused. “I was wrong to sound threatening. I didn’t mean it. You just… you confuse me. I can’t describe it. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. And you… you’re perfect, really.”

Heat blistered my insides as the third message began.

“I can’t sleep. Do you usually keep your phone off at night? That’s not very safe. Listen, I read the email you sent with Jarrod. I’ve been looking at the narrowed list of stud managers you’ve chosen. I’m down between two. I think we need to look into those deeper. Also, the jumper, dressage issue. We’re going to have a lot to go over. Let me know when Rosemoor works for you. I know I mentioned the palace tomorrow, but that’s not going to work. I have other obligations as well. I shouldn’t postpone them. Goodnight, Penelope.

At the fourth message, I couldn’t stop the heaviness of my breaths.

“He’s not good for you, you know. You think he is because he’s forced himself so deep, you can’t see anything else. I think you have Stockholm Syndrome. Truly, Penelope. I think you have it. It’s the only thing that makes sense. I think you’re blinded by everything but what he wants you to see.

“Just… do me a favor. Think about this for a moment. Vaughn killed your parents. He isolated you for months. He hurt you. Forced you to do things you didn’t want.” Penelope’s stare lifted to mine. “Look at the scars you carry. You were raped under his care. Think about how you felt during that time. When you were trying to leave. You lived in fear. Terror. But then he comforted you. He manipulated you to make you into what he needed. He was good to you. He said he loved you. He made you feel safe when really it was him you should have feared. And you didn’t know better. He didn’t leave you a choice. He forced that life on you. That isn’t love, Penelope, that’s conditioning.

My blood ran cold, and Redmond’s words returned practically mirroring the king’s warning. I felt sick. Exposed. The way fear and guilt made a home inside me didn’t feel real. It brought back the one question that haunted me. I loved Penelope… but did she truly love me? Or was she a product of my making?

Rage, defensiveness, it increased through my fears as I watched Penelope’s eyes lower. She shifted, adjusting her shoulders as he kept going.

“I gave you Rosemoor in hopes this would prove me wrong. The fact that you’re not gaining any independence worries me. Did you at least give it thought? What do you think he would say if you told him you were moving there and you wanted to take things slow?” He paused. “I bet you he wouldn’t let you leave. I could bet… he’d find some way to keep you right where you are… monitored. Brainwashed. And his. I’m truly afraid for you. And maybe after this, you won’t call me back. But at least then, I’ll know. And if he’s listening to this and you don’t call, I guess we’ll all know.”

CHAPTER 41

Penelope

I had been wanting to mess with King Lawrence’s mind, but now he was the one inside of mine. I had never questioned my love for Vaughn. Not once. It was unbreakable. It was real because I had been the one to choose this life. But had I chosen it out of my own free will, or was my will now altered… gone to be replaced with… his?

Vaughn stirred from sleep, reaching to pull me against him. He’d been fitful all night, tossing and turning. But so had I. I wasn’t sure I’d slept for more than an hour or two at a time. I couldn’t with these questions. But how did I answer them? How did I know?

Breath brushed my cheek as Vaughn buried his face next to mine. After a few seconds, his head lifted. He stared down at me, half asleep, half confused.

“You’re awake. Why are you so stiff?”

I swallowed back the queries as my eyes scanned over his handsome face. I couldn’t speak, but I didn’t have to for Vaughn to know. He let his head drop back to the pillow as he turned me to face him.

“You love me.”

My lips separated to respond but still the words didn’t come.

“Penelope, you love me. What you feel is real. I didn’t force it into your head. I didn’t have to. Before we even met, back when we were talking all those months on the phone, there was something… wasn’t there? There was for me. You connected with me. And then you fell in love with me.”

Vaughn’s brow drew in, and his eyes flickered as he seemed to suddenly battle something.

“I know what he says sounds bad. And what you went through, what I did, it doesn’t look good, but your parents were not good people. They hurt you. Your father could have killed you. I did what had to be done. He deserved so much worse. I… I love you. I love you more than… the fucking air. I don’t say that because it sounds cute or romantic. Penelope, I love you more than the air I breathe. More than addictions or pretty fucking sceneries. I’d die the most agonizing death for you. I’d kill without a thought⁠—”

“But you won’t let me leave. Not if I really wanted to.”

A mix of emotions had Vaughn searching my face. His head lifted again as he propped himself up, and his breaths had his chest rising faster as he turned to stare ahead into nothingness.

“It is because I love you that I can’t. I… can’t… let you leave. What if something were to happen? What if someone hurt you again? I can’t. I… can’t. I—” His face spun to me. “I won’t. You love me. King Lawrence, he did this. He’s making me into the bad guy when all I want is to be with you. To love you and have you love me.” He pulled me underneath him. “Do not let him succeed in tearing us apart. That is what he wants. You know me. You know this life. I never hid any of it from you.”