Shades of Amber by Morgan Smith

Lifting the dress, I discovered matching
slippers on my feet.
    “ Did someone make this for
me?” I turned once, twice, and then my breath caught. Sure enough
the flash that caught my eye was right there… hanging around my
throat. I groped for the necklace’s clasp, but there was nothing
there.
    Be calm.
    Pain warred with fear as I
dug my nails into my palm.
    How did he put it on, and
how could I get it off?
    A lock clicked, and sure
enough, he was
there. Troy closed the door and slid a long key into his
pocket.
    “ What’s going
on?”
    He smiled as his gaze
locked on the pendant. “Not much.”
    “ How dare you dress me and
force me to wear this… this.…”
    Troy chuckled and spun me
in front of the mirror. “This.” He stroked the necklace. “Is an
important piece of family history, not a venomous
snake.”
    I smacked his hand and ran
toward the window. It looked as if night had come, but I leaned out
to make sure the sun wasn’t just hiding somewhere.
    “ Don’t lean over too far,
cher, I would hate for you to fall out.” His nearness wasn’t
surprising. I felt him before his arms circled my waist.
    “ I’ll take any means of
escape if it gets me away from you,” I hissed. The moment I spoke,
I wondered if my words were too harsh, but I had to counteract the
warmth trying to seep from my frozen heart.
    I faced him and
immediately regretted my decision. He had pulled his hair back and
looked undeniably handsome in a crisp, white tuxedo with an amber
vest, and bowtie.
    “ Why are you all dressed
up?” I asked, holding my breath.
    “ For the same reason you
are.”
    “ Why am I dressed up?”
    “ We’re going to a ball,”
he whispered as his lips lingered at the base of my
throat.
    “ Why would we do that?” I
shivered as he smiled against my collarbone. My hands lingered on
his chest until I found the strength to push him away. I grabbed
the water glass from the dresser and sipped until I tasted the salt
from my tears.
    It would be so easy to cry
and fall into his arms, but I couldn’t. I had to get angry, so I’d
have the strength to get out.
    “ What’s the matter, Jade?”
His tone was soft, almost compassionate. “We can finally be
together. Isn’t this what you wanted?”
    I turned around, still
gripping the glass. “I want you to take me back to my
house.”
    “ No can do,
cher.”
    My temper was rising. “Why
do you call me cher? I used to think it was some kind of
endearment, but you can’t love me. You only know how to torture
me.”
    “ My experience with
affection may be lacking, but I do love you.”
    “ You don’t!” I threw the
glass at his head. “If you loved me, you’d let me go.”
    It hit the wall, raining
shards on the carpet as he seized my wrists. “Look at
me.”
    “ No.”
    When he lifted my chin, I
focused on his mouth until he bent down so that we were eye to
eye.
    “ Stop fighting it,
Jade.”
    “ Never.” I yelled as his
arms came around me. The tension between us was terrifying. I had
to do something, but the more I wriggled, the tighter he held me
until my body was plastered against his. My chest heaved as he
lowered his head and caught my lips.
    My nails dug into his
shoulders in an attempt to prove that I was unwilling, but my heart
was overpowering my need for self-preservation. All the fight
drained from my body when his tongue touched mine.
    I was losing myself in
him, but how could I trust someone who faked his own
death?
    He squeezed my hand. “It’s
time to go.”
    I nodded. It wouldn’t hurt
to play along for a bit. “Give me a second,” I replied as he dug
the key from his pocket.
    “ Watch the glass. I’ll
have someone clean it up while we’re out.”
    “ Okay.” I studied my
reflection and then looked for his. My breath came quick and
shallow as I clutched the mirror for support. I blinked once,
twice, but there was only my reflection and a door that opened by
itself. I spun around and found Troy with his hand on