I nod and walk toward him. There’s no point in delaying the inevitable; one way or another, we’re getting married today. Julian offers me his arm, and I loop my hand through the crook of his elbow, letting him lead me back into the beautiful room with the pulpit.

The priest is already waiting for us, as is Lucas. There is also a sizable camera sitting on top of a tall tripod.

“Is that for wedding pictures?” I ask in surprise, stopping in the entryway.

“Of course.” Julian’s eyes gleam at me. “Memories and all that good stuff.”

Uh-huh. I can’t fathom why Julian wants this—the dress, the tux, the church. The entire thing is confusing to me. We’re not entering into a loving union; he’s simply binding me to him tighter, formalizing his ownership. All these accoutrements are meaningless, especially since Lucas is the only one who’ll witness the event.

The thought makes my chest ache again. “Julian,” I say quietly, looking up at him, “can I call my parents now? I want to tell them about this. I want to let them know I’m getting married.” I’m almost certain he will refuse my request, but I feel compelled to ask regardless.

To my surprise, he smiles at me. “If you wish, my pet. In fact, after you talk to them, they can watch our ceremony on a live video feed. Lucas can set that up for us.”

I gape at him in shock. He wants my parents to watch the wedding? To see him—the man who kidnapped their daughter? For a moment, I feel like I entered an alternate universe, but then the sheer genius of his plan dawns on me.

“You want me to introduce you to them, don’t you?” I whisper, staring at him. “You want me to tell them that I came with you of my own free will, to show them how happy we are together. Then you won’t have to worry about the authorities or anyone else coming after you. I’ll be just another girl who fell for a handsome, wealthy man and ran off with him. These pictures… that video… it’s all about staging a show…”

His smile widens. “How you act and what you say to them is entirely up to you, my pet,” he says silkily. “They can witness a joyous occasion, or you can tell them you were abducted again. It’s your choice, Nora. You can do whatever you wish.”

5

Julian

Her dark eyes are wide and unblinking as she stares at me, and I know exactly what her choice will be. As far as her parents are concerned, she’ll be the happiest bride in the world.

She’ll put on the best act of her life.

Anger and something else—something I don’t care to examine closely—churns in my gut at the thought. Rationally I understand her hesitation. I know what I am, what I have done to her. A smart woman would run as fast as she could—and Nora has always been smarter, more perceptive than most.