I blink again and I’m pregnant. A huge swollen belly below my tits. I’m standing at the altar, a veil my only item of clothing. I slide my hands over my stomach. Leo is beside me, fully dressed in a gorgeous sharp gray suit. He’s putting a ring on my finger. I turn and we’re in a full church, all the aisles stuffed with people, all staring at my body.
I gasp in shock. “I thought we were alone,” I say, trying to cover my body with my hands.
“They all want you,” he replies. “Because you’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“I’m not,” I say. “Get me some clothes, quickly.”
Anger flashes in his face. “Do not argue with me. You are beautiful. Obey me or die.”
“Obey him or die,” the crowd chats. “He is God to you. Always has been.”
Leo’s hand swats down on my ass and the instant it hits, I wake up.
I sit up in bed in the dark, breathing heavily. The dream is vivid and real for only a couple of seconds before it starts to fade.
“What the fuck was that all about?” I ask myself, lying back down and closing my eyes once more. It’s some time before I can sleep again and when I do, I don’t dream at all.
I wake up in the light of early morning. The curtains are open.
I closed them. That means someone has been in here while I was asleep. I don’t like that feeling.
I sit up and notice my cellphone has been placed on my bedside table. There’s a note attached to it. I peel it off and read.
Tweaked it. You can call Fleur but no one else. L.
I pick up the phone. Fully charged. Switched on. I go to my phonebook. All the numbers are there but none of them even try to connect. I call Fleur and it rings straight away.
She answers after a couple of rings. “Anna,” she says down the line. “Are you all right? I’ve been so worried about you. Did he take your phone?”
“He did but I’ve got it back now.”
“He said you’re married to him. What the fuck? Is that true?”
“It is.”
“Holy shit. Where are you? I told the cops about Shell Island but they said they had no jurisdiction there which is just bullshit. I didn’t know what else to do. I told George and asked him if he could do anything but apparently not. Are you okay?”
“I’m all right, honestly. How’s the dig going?”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?”
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. Gorgo got stolen while I was off talking to George. Your man had a security team here so I was sure it was safe but when I got back, it was gone, and so were they. It’s like it was never here.”
“Holy shit. Seriously?”
“I asked around and George did too. He’s heard where it’s hidden so I’m meeting him there. We’re going to get it back.”
“Don’t, Fleur. If it’s Leo that’s taken it, he’ll have it well guarded. You might get hurt.”
“Fuck that. You don’t steal something like that and get away with it. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.”
“Please, Fleur. Don’t do this. Let the cops look into it.”
“Like they looked into your kidnapping? Yeah, right. George said he knows people who can help. I’m only a couple of miles from the spot. Apparently they buried it out in the desert. Oh, shit…”
“Fleur? Fleur?”