Chapter 6 - The Trap is SetBy 8:00 PM, I was back inside the Gold Coast penthouse.
The apartment was dark and silent, save for the soft amber glow of the city lights reflecting off the floor-to-ceiling glass windows. I had placed the manila envelope from Vance inside a locked security deposit box at a bank downtown, keeping only digital copies secured on my encrypted flash drive.
The front door unlocked with a soft chime, and Axton stepped into the foyer.
He looked tired—the kind of exhaustion that comes from running a high-stakes corporate con while trying to manage two lives simultaneously. He shed his trench coat, loosened his tie, and walked into the living room where I was sitting quietly on the velvet sofa, sipping a glass of red wine.
“Hey, beautiful,” Axton said, his voice carrying that familiar, practiced warmth as he walked over and placed a soft kiss on top of my head. “Sorry I was so late at the office. The Henderson litigation is an absolute nightmare right now.”
I looked up at him, marveling at the sheer theatrical brilliance of his performance. He could lie to my face with the exact same smile he had used at the altar twenty-four hours ago.
“It’s fine, Axton,” I said softly, swirling the wine in my glass. “Work is work. Are you hungry? I can order something from the Italian place downtown.”
Axton let out a relieved breath, running a hand through his dark hair. He sat down beside me, wrapping a casual arm around my shoulders, pulling me close against his chest.
“You’re too good to me, Callie,” he murmured, pressing his cheek against my hair. “Seriously. I don't know what I’d do without you.”
You’re about to find out, I thought, staring at the blank wall across the room.
“By the way,” Axton continued casually, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my shoulder, “I need you to sign a couple of routine administrative documents for the family trust tomorrow morning before we head to the airport for our rescheduled flight. Just standard corporate restructuring stuff your father asked me to handle on his behalf.”
My heart hammered against my ribs, but my voice remained like glass—smooth, cool, and unbreakable.
May you like
“Of course, Axton,” I whispered. “Whatever you need.”
“Great,” he smiled, pressing a final kiss to my temple, entirely oblivious to the fact that the noose around his neck had just been pulled tight. “Get some sleep, sweetheart. Tomorrow’s going to be a big day.”
