Chapter 4

 Liz POV

“What?” My voice trembles.

All my imaginary plans formed from the few TV shows I watched break into pieces at his first words to me. How did he even?! What do I do now? Is he going to kill me? Where do I go from here?

 “You are Nico’s spying whore,” Deimos says through gritted teeth.  “Get.  Out.”

“There must be a misunderstanding–”

“You are a cute one,” Deimos snorts coldly, “Cutely stupid. You are not the first spy he tried to plant on me, and you won’t be the last. A wedding is a new way, though. I’ll give him that.”

I stand with my jaw on the ground.

I came here to play chess with him. Sure, I might lose in the end, but not without a fight. Yet this man threw the chessboard at me before I could make my first move.

“Get out, or I throw you out–”

“You throw me out. He will know you are onto him,” I blurt. Never have I thought so fast in my life, “If you are so sure I’m a spy, the worst one no less, then won’t it be better for you if you keep me instead of someone better than me?”

The scary man narrows his eyes, looking at me seriously for the first time. Looking me up and down for a long time, he hobbles away from the door.  “You are sleeping on the floor.” 

I look from the floor to the couch sitting in the corner of the room.  I open my mouth to speak, but Deimos raises his hand to stop me.  

“The floor,” he repeats himself.  

I don’t dare make a sound as I curl up on the hard floor, still in my wedding dress.  I lie awake for hours before I drift off into an uncomfortable sleep.

I wake up the next morning, and my body is sore and freezing.  I lie quietly on the ground, sure of what to do.

"You are finally awake," a cold voice comes from the bed.  I look toward the bed and see Deimos sitting on the edge, watching me silently. 

I sit up on the floor and try to smooth my blonde hair.  I am sure it is sticking up in all directions from sleeping on the floor.  Deimos watches me curiously as I run my fingers through my hair. 

"Get ready for breakfast," Deimos demands. 

I hang my head and shake it back and forth.  "I need a shower." 

“Fine,” Deimos says as he gets to his feet, leaning on the cane at his side, and limps toward the door.

"Where are you going?" I call after him. 

"None of your business," he growls.  "Clean yourself up." 

Once Deimos shuts the door behind him, I scramble to my feet and run to the bathroom that adjoins the bedroom.  I slam the door behind me and look for a lock, but I don't see one.  I must hurry because I don't know when Deimos will return. 

I slink out of my wedding dress, and it pools to the ground at my feet.  The shower's water is cold as I step inside, but I refuse to wait for it to warm.  Grabbing the soap, I realize I didn't grab a washcloth or even know where they are.  Lathering the soap in my hands, I begin to clean myself. 

Just when I think I have beaten the clock and will be done with my quick shower before Deimos returns, I hear the door of the bathroom creak open.  The shower door is fogged up, and I cannot see who is standing in the doorway.  But the smell of apple wood fills the room. It’s Deimos. Meeting him only once, I know I will never forget his scent.

I don’t know if I should finish rinsing out my hair or pull something to cover my body, only to realize whatever I do, it won’t matter if he does what he wants with me.

Delaying, I finish before peeking out.

Deimos is leaning against the bathroom door with a smirk on his face.  If I wasn't so mortified by his intrusion, I may have noticed the dimple in his cheek or how his eyes glittered with mischief.  But I couldn't see anything but the towel dangling from his hands. 

I had forgotten to secure a towel in my hurry to get in and out of the shower.  I shut the shower door and lean against the wall while panic rises in my chest. 

"Did you forget something?" Deimos asks humorously. 

"I did." My voice cracks as I call out through the shower door.  "If you will just leave it by the door, I will continue to get ready." 

"I don't think so," Deimos laughs.  "I would like to see what this alliance has given me." 

"I am a person, not an acquisition," I hiss through the door. 

"Keep telling yourself that, Princess," Deimos laughs.  "Now, come out here and get your towel." 

"No," I try to sound as firm as I can. 

"No?" Deimos repeats.  "Have you forgotten who you are talking to?"

"Please," I beg of him.  "Don't make me do this." 

"Are you afraid?" Deimos taunts me. 

"Yes," I freely admit. 

I hear the sound of Deimos shuffling across the floor and the thump of his cane getting closer and closer to the shower.  He pauses outside the shower door, and I hold my breath.  All he has to do is to open the shower door, and I will be fully exposed in front of him.

"Are you afraid that I will take advantage of you?" Deimos asks with a low growl in his voice. 

"Yes," I whisper in response. 

"Don't flatter yourself," Deimos laughs.  "You aren't my type."

His hand rests on the door of the shower, and he waits.  It is as if he is weighing his options.  I cross my legs and wrap my arms around my breasts.  I am doing my best to cover my vulnerable parts, and I wait.  The door to the shower slides open, and I squeeze my eyes shut.  The cool air of the bathroom rushes into the shower, and goosebumps rise all over my skin. 

"Open your eyes," Deimos commands me. 

I slowly open my eyes, and tears rush out as my lids rise.  Deimos is blocking the door of the shower with his massive body.  His eyes are trailing up and down my naked form.  He reaches out and brushes a tear from my cheek, and I shudder at his touch.  His hand falls from my face to my shoulder and runs down the length of my arm. 

I hold my breath as he touches me and try not to think about how easily he could rip my arms away from my body. 

Deimos holds my towel in my direction and waits for me to grab it from his hands.  I reach forward to grab the towel, and he drops it on the ground before me.  I scramble to grab the towel and cover myself as Deimos’s dark orbs watch me carefully.  I let out a sigh of relief once I wrap the towel around myself.  I raise my eyes and watch Deimos leave the bathroom, not bothering to shut the door behind him. 

Once I collect myself, I rush across the bathroom to shut the door.  Tears are still streaming down my face.  I feel so violated. 

I peek out of the door and hear Deimos talking on the phone.  I listen quietly. 

“We have plans to move the convoy tomorrow at noon,” Deimos says before he hangs up the phone. 

He glances toward the bathroom door, and I duck behind it before he can see me.  I hear Deimos leave the room, knowing my time is limited. 

I don’t bother drying my hair or applying makeup.  I throw on the first suitable outfit I can find and rush down to Nico’s office. 

I dance from foot to foot as I knock on his office door.  Nico gruffly yells for me to come in.  I am panting with adrenaline by the time I enter his office, and panic is coursing through my veins. 

“The convoy is set to move tomorrow at noon,” I spit out before Nico can say anything. 

Nico looks up from his paperwork and smiles.  “You have done a good thing,” he says.  “That convoy was to attack your family.  Now I can stop it.”