As expected, the rest of the drive was quiet. It felt good to be back home in New York. But the realization that I was coming back to a cage did not help the feeling one bit. It saddened me that I was back to being in the prison Jace had specifically curated for me.
It was a long drive to his mansion but we got there eventually. My mind was going in the different directions but I came back to the present when we arrived.
I didn't wait for anyone to open the door for me, I just got out and entered the house. I muttered answers to the the staff that welcomed me as I made my way upstairs and to the bedroom we shared.
Tired and feeling dirty from the trip, I quickly took my clothes off and entered the shower, locking the door behind me so he wouldn't think about joining me in here.
I didn't realize how exhausted I felt until the hot water touched my skin. I sighed in relief as the warmth enveloped me. It felt like therapy, like an escape. A very much needed escape.
When I was done, I came out of the shower, picked up the hand dryer and blow dried my hair.
By the time I came out of the bathroom, there was no sight of him. I half expected him to show up out of the blue like he was always doing but he was nowhere to be found.
I wondered if he ever got tired and just rested. But then realizing he had a lot on his plate made me rethink. Maybe that was why he was so rigid. But I shook the thoughts off, I wasn't supposed to express any form of sympathy towards him. He was who he was because he chose to be.
I picked up my phone after dressing up in some lounge wear so I could lay in bed and watch some TV.
The first thing that popped on my news feed was a news article.
"Billionaire Business Mogul, Jace Romano makes a sudden appearance with new bride."
I read the headline with wide eyes. As I scrolled down the article, I saw pictures from us getting off the plane few hours earlier.
The article stated something about us getting married in Rome.
I sat up. Was that why he made me wear a white dress?
It was scary how everything was always so thought out by him. But then I wondered what his aim was for putting us out into the public now especially after we'd been married for like two months. Strangely enough, none of the photos from that rushed wedding had leaked to the internet.
I continued reading. The article stated that I was an unknown woman but put my name as the new Mrs Romano. Quite condescending if you ask me but I decided that ignoring the news was the only thing I could do. Hopefully the people that knew me would be unable to tell it's me because I looked very different. The sunglasses and my loose waves covered most of my face. I was dressed differently from what they'd been used to so I believed it would be difficult for them to be sure it was me. And because I would be indoors more often than not, no one would be able to see me outside again.
I heaved a sigh of relief. But I concluded too soon.
Jace came in just then and took a quick look at me.
"I need you to be more active on your socials from now on," he said.
"I'm not a social media person." I muttered in response to him.
"You'd have to learn then."
"Are you trying to use me as a cover up? Won't putting a personal part of your life out there make you more vulnerable to your enemies?" I asked him.
I didn't know too much about these things but if there was anything I knew from watching movies, people like him could easily be taken down through their loved ones.
I paused.
Unless he didn't mind me being put in harm's way as they try to get to him. I was basically going to be a pawn on his chessboard.
I made sure let him know what I thought.
"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked looking genuinely perplexed.
"I'm right. Isn't that it?" I got up and faced him.
The frustration on his face was obvious but I was totally unmoved by it.
"You want your enemies to use me to get to you. And even if they hurt me you wouldn't care!"
He walked over and held me by my arms. "Mira, I would rather take a bullet through my chest than let someone touch a strand of your hair."
My breath hitched as soon as he said that. I looked straight into his eyes as his bore into mine.
"Do you mean that?" I asked like an innocent child.
"I swear on my life." He stated firmly, enunciating every word.
I blushed besides myself. What is wrong with me!
Was I overthinking it or was this the soft side of Jace Romano manifesting in front of me? It felt surreal.
"I just need the police to be off my back for a bit and afterwards you can be a ghost."
"Okay." I said softly.
"Limit comment interactions, do everything to protect your peace. But I just need them to think everything I do is clean."
I never thought the day would come when he would actually explain things to me. I was used to him telling me to not ask questions and just do as I was told.
This was new and I liked it.
The only problem was that he acted bipolar and could switch from hot to cold at any moment. It irked me but this was who he was. I had to learn to prepared for anything.
He pressed a kiss to my forehead and walked away once again. I sat down on the bed, rethinking everything that just happened.
"This is a lot." I sighed.
Just when I thought I would adjust to the peace and quiet of being hidden, I was being thrown into the public a girl.
I could never catch a break.