The Marriage (Darkest Lies Trilogy Book 3) by Bethany-Kris (bill gates books recommendations txt) 📗

pressing her red lipstick-painted mouth to the shell of his ear while her hands wandered over his muscular thighs, asking. “What Roman? What will you do to me if I tell the world about your secret musical talents?”

He’d taken his eyes off the road to stare at her, a sinfully dark promise at the ready to make her shiver.

“If you want it to hurt—I can do that. And you’ll like it. Test me.”

She bit down on her lip at that, and he had turned away with a smile. The urge to do just that—test him—teased her self-control, but she had to quell it. They’d arrived at that point.

Roman parked right at the front door’s steps, under the large carport. A valet appeared, offering to take the car to a designated parking spot as Karine stared through the wall-to-wall glass that looked into a modernly designed black, white and navy-blue lobby. A uniformed man helped Karine out of the car with a smile and a hello—he also used her first name, but she didn’t think much of it. This felt like exactly the kind of place that would want those details ahead of time for guests to be welcomed.

The sprawling grounds featured white pebble walkways, and water features with designated sitting areas at each, and left its guests soothed by the quiet, calm atmosphere.

The place was as impressive—and likely as expensive—as their hotel suite back in the city.

Roman offered her his arm, and she took it as they walked to greet the others who had come to the doors in their basic black dresses that seemed strangely uniform.

The one said her name was Mel—she did seem sweet—and that she was one of the managers. Roman introduced the others to her, only giving her their first names.

Mel brought them into the lounge area that was innately serene while soft piano played somewhere from up above. There was something crisp in the air—something that had Karine breathing deeper the second time—that added to the space.

While Mel spoke—giving them a guided tour of the various rooms on the ground floor, Karine leaned towards Roman.

“This was a good call. I definitely need a massage. You’re a work out.”

The smile on his face was weak and almost half-hearted. That sinking pit in her stomach returned fast. Like he was keeping something from her.

“Don’t you like the place—you booked it,” she said, too quiet for their guide to hear.

Roman forced a happier expression on his face, shaking his head. “No. Of course, I don’t want to leave. This is good. It’s great, babe. We both need to relax a little, right?”

“Only if you want to.”

“I do,” he assured.

So, why didn’t it feel like it?

*

One of the final rooms on the ground floor that Mel brought them to was one she said could be used for meditation, and immediately Karine’s mood brightened.

She hadn’t meditated since she’d left the lodge in Vermont, opting to spend her mornings on top or underneath Roman. Not a bad trade, all in all. Even so, she still missed it.

“Maybe we can do it together. I can show you,” she said, turning to Roman. He looked apprehensive as she knew he would be, his feet stuck like cement to the ground even as she tugged on his hand. “Come on, it’ll be fun. There’s no wrong or right way of doing it. Either way, you’ll feel better after, I promise.”

Roman looked away from her, and Mel interjected their conversation.

“We have instructors and other residents who would be happy to join you in your meditation sessions,” she suggested.

Karine smiled politely but shook her head. “I didn’t come here to be around other people. Thanks, but it’s okay. We’re not staying long enough for that. And why do you call your guests residents?”

“We find people respond better to that than patien—”

“Karine, I don’t want to meditate,” Roman said abruptly, the firmness in his words startling her attention back to him.

Mel cleared her throat when she heard Karine say, “Okay, you don’t have to do it. Relax. We can just go to the spa. You booked something, right?”

When he didn’t answer right away, she looked over her shoulder to the only other person in the room for one. At first Mel’s confused gaze darted from Karine to Roman, but then she smiled and nodded. “Of course.”

When she thought Karine wasn’t still staring, the woman turned her glare back on Roman. It was like they had some secret between themselves that they were trying to communicate without words.

That’s when Karine got a feeling ...

One she didn’t like at all.

Putting a hand on Roman’s arm, she pulled him slightly toward the corner of the room for some semblance of privacy. Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“Roman—”

“Babe, calm down,” he murmured.

Calm down?

That didn’t actually make her want to calm down.

“What is this place?” she demanded. “You said a spa. I figured massages, or saunas ... except I don’t think you—”

Over Roman’s shoulder she could see Mel staring at them. She could likely hear some of their conversation, but Karine didn’t really care.

He reached for her, putting his hands on her shoulders. She always delighted at his touch—it reminded her of who she was now; his wife—and this time was no different.

“Yeah, I got us a spot, which was what I said, and I didn’t lie about what this place looks like and basically is,” he said quickly. “And no, I haven’t changed my mind about this. We’re not going back to the hotel.”

Somehow, Karine had gotten this all wrong.

She felt it in her bones as he stared at her, being very careful to choose his words and not lie, but cutting her deep all the same.

“Karine,” he said softly.

Roman had been studying her every move with his eagle eye, and maybe he’d seen the lightbulb switch on inside her head, too.

God knew it was bright.

Blindingly so.

“Roman, what is going on?” she snapped.

FIVE

Roman wished for nothing more than the ability to be completely honest with Karine. She was his