“When is Marco coming to get me?”
“Desperate to marry him, are you?”
“Of course not. But it’s better than being locked up here with you.”
His eyes darken but I’m not sure why. “Marco is the reason I kidnapped you. And yet, you’d rather be with him?”
“I’d rather be at home.” Though home means Francesca and I’m not sure that I want to be with her either.
“I get that. Sorry to tell you, Gianna. I’m just doing my job. Marco will tell me when he’s going to come. I’m not sure the details yet but I’ll let you know when I know.”
“You’d really do that?”
“I have no reason not to. Now, eat up. You can’t starve yourself.”
I eat half a pancake and a piece of bacon before calling it good. “I’m just not hungry.” The urge to vomit hits me. “Excuse me. I have to use the restroom.”
“You were just in there.”
“I know. I still have to go again.” I run to the bathroom before Will can stop me and let myself throw up. The release hits me like it always does whenever I do my shameful secret. But after the release, I only feel bad. Anxious. Like I need to throw up again.
I find a new toothbrush in one of the drawers and brush my teeth before leaving the bathroom… only to run into Will in the hallway. He startles me so much I can’t stop myself from crying out.
“You threw up,” he states.
“Can you blame me? I’m not feeling well.”
“You’re not pregnant, are you?”
I frown. “Why would I be pregnant?”
“You have a fiancée. You’re getting married to someone.”
“No,” I say with another blush. “I’m not pregnant. My fiancée and I… it’s an arranged marriage. We haven’t…” I don’t know why I feel the need to tell Will this.
“So then why did you throw up?”
“Because I’m nervous,” I snap.
“Fair enough. But you can’t keep throwing up everything you eat. Marco won’t want you to starve.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“I got that.” With a sigh, he runs his hand over his face. “Just go back to your room.”
“Why can’t I stay out here?” The last thing I want is to be trapped inside that small room again.
“Because I can’t trust that you won’t run away. So, go back to your room.”
With a sigh, I do as Will instructs. The second he shuts the door on me, I know I can’t stay in this room. Marco will come for me eventually and I can’t marry him. I have to return home. I may not like my life with Francesca but it’s better than being a prisoner here. I have to find a way out of this room.
I look at my wedding dress more closely. There’s a couple of pins in it that helped make the dress fit me better. I can pick the lock.
I’ve never done it before but surely I can learn.
I press my ear to the door to listen for Will. If he hears what I’m doing, he’ll come for me again. But I don’t think he’ll hurt me if he catches me. He’ll just put me back in this room.
With that in mind, I get to work on picking the lock. It takes a lot of finagling and messing around with the pins until finally I hear the lock click.