THE CONTROL: An Arranged Marriage Romance by Elena Monroe (ebook reader android .txt) 📕

tugged at the corners of my mouth, threatening to grow into a full-blown smile while I leaned into my shoulder.

Every six months, I would create a new ID and passport along with a fabricated dummy debit card that’d be set to expire once the funds are gone. It was proof Bowen had a heart despite all the research I did to prove he, in fact, did not.

Following him into the kitchen, I watched him make a new cup of coffee, brewing into a matte black mug, avoiding the discussion like he always did.

Bowen glared at me while uncapping the bottle of Hennessy on the counter, pouring it into his coffee like it was fucking creamer. The taste invaded my mouth without me even trying to imagine how disgusting that combo was, and my face screwed in response.

“You know what the money is for. Don’t piss me off this early,” he quipped.

Pretending to fake a gag, I held up my finger needing a moment while I shook the taste out of my mouth. “So you want me to spend ten grand on your next birthday party?”

Turning to face me, Bowen’s glare intensified. “I gave you one set of directions five years ago and that was the last time I planned on discussing your role in this. I wire you the money so I don’t ever have to have this conversation.”

Five Years Ago

First Time

 

“Heads or tails? Quick.” I tossed the spare coin I found in my back pocket into the air and waited for him to call it.

Snatching the coin out of the air and tossing it behind him, he leaned down grabbing the ankles of a girl who was passed out wearing nothing but a slip. I was forced to grab her shoulders when he lifted her ankles waiting for me.

“Back seat, I don’t want to scare her if she wakes up in the trunk.”

“Good idea, I still have glaring PTSD from getting out of trunks at Patmos.” I followed his lead and tried to balance her weight on my thigh while I yanked the door open.

“We should have welded that shit shut. I told Vic you’re practically Houdini.”

I felt my chest puff with the compliment that was supposed to be an insult. Scooting next to sleeping beauty, I let her head rest on my lap while Bowen stayed put not closing the door, clearly annoyed by something I did. “What the fuck are you doing? We don’t sit with the girl we just kidnapped.”

“Rescue mission. It’s a rescue mission. Maybe if you started referring to it correctly you wouldn’t feel like a bad guy.”

“Nothing erases bad guy. I’m preeminent.” Closing the door, he climbed in the front of the SUV we normally used for Clave business.

Smoothing her hair down and making sure the satin was pulled down as much as I could, Bowen kept giving me the evil eye in the mirror.

We were breaking the rules.

We were being heroes instead of villains.

We were rescuing this girl because he couldn’t save Eve.

Nothing was lost on me. Bowen wasn’t so secretive if you just got close enough to pay attention. Eve would always be the love of his life and when that love is ripped away prematurely, it’ll never feel like closure.

The girl had tape around her wrists and cuffs around her ankles because we only had one pair. We weren’t prepared to steal Clave property, let alone have the shit we needed to do it.

I got a call from Bowen at three in the morning, mid half-birthday celebration, and I knew whatever it was required my skill set.

Judgment free. No one else provides that.

Grimm wants to judge you until you’re pressure cooked long enough to tell him everything.

Vic comes with strings for his favors, and this one? He’d owe him his whole life.

“Uh, Bo, she’s waking up.” I wasn’t panicking but seriously going through the catalog in my mind making sure that I did in fact give her a sedative and not a starburst.

He was driving with a bottle of Henny between his thighs as he proceeded to twist around to speak. “Handle it. I’m driving. You said that was going to keep her knocked out.”

I didn’t bother saying how I might have fucked up. Instead, I turned my attention to her, soothing her and telling her we were going to help her.

“Who are you?! What do you want from me? Please!? I won’t tell anyone, I swear!” She was begging, and in any other circumstance I would have happily let her touch my dick.

She tried to sit up with a struggle when I helped her upright and squeezed her hands in mine. “We got you out of that place. You’re safe. We’re the good guys… well, tonight anyways.”

 

Everything was good until Bowen’s dumb ass looked at her in the rearview mirror. Her eyes flew open even wider, and it made me debate if I truly gave her a fun drug instead of a sleepy one.

She clutched onto my leg, trying to get my attention while she breathed heavily. “That’s him. That’s the guy. He picked me from all these girls. We were all in a van for hours and he had me take off my clothes.” She spoke in a hushed whisper, but it was no use. Bowen’s hearing was unnatural.

He never spoke, always listened.

“I can hear you. I chose you to save, so congratulations,” his voice was flat, and it made this seem like a game she wouldn’t win let alone survive.

Leaning forward between the seats, I stared at him. “What’s up with the nudity? Anything you wanna share?”

“Checking for things. Wounds, abuse, scars—it’s typical.” Another gulp of Hennessy down the hatch.

“She’s not Eve. I know you miss her, man. Can’t say