The Duke's Masked Wife

463 Bella’s husband (1)

“You don’t look happy, Kate. Didn’t you sleep last night?” Simon asked, looking up from his book to Kate who sat in a chair opposite him. She sat with folded arms looking out a window. “You continue to surprise me with how calm you are. I almost wish you would get frightened and try to run so I can drag you back here. Go on, I will give you a head start.”

Kate dug her nails into the arm of the chair she sat in. “That is not funny.”

“I wasn’t joking. I’m quite bored these days. I should take someone again,” Simon sighed.

Kate relaxed her hands as she was curious about something. “How… How do you pick who you will take next?” She asked.

“Getting interested in the family business, are we? I simply stand back and watch for a few days. Lockwood is full of so many young ladies like yourself so I don’t have to look for long. It helps that a good handful of you do not pay attention to your surroundings,” Simon replied.

Kate mustered up the courage to ask. “Do you work alone?”

Simon snapped the book shut. “What is with all these questions? Are you gathering information in hopes of one day getting out of here? You are,” he commented after noticing her tense up. She underestimated how good he was at reading other people. “Don’t worry. I am not mad at you.”

Kate didn’t believe he was not angry.

“Don’t look so worked up. I was starting to think you didn’t have a heart. To want to expose me one day means you do. I’m messed up, but you’re another kind of messed up,” said Simon.
.....

Kate wished he would stop comparing the two of them. “I told you we are not alike.”

“When will you realize it, I wonder. I love torturing women, you love torturing your sister. So much so that you are putting up with this to ruin her life. Somehow, you think it is normal. At least I am aware of what I am doing. Doesn’t that make me better than you?” Simon asked, believing it to be true.

“I have not killed anyone-”

“It’s boring to have this conversation with you, Kate. Should I spread what you told me about your sister’s face? When the people of this town hear about what you’ve done, their words would help you understand just how not normal you are. Have you thought more about the man you want for Bella?” Simon asked, standing from his seat to take care of flowers in a vase.

“I told you it’s Randall,” Kate replied, wishing the man bothering her mother would just disappear. She was going to make use of Simon as much as she could.

“Why are you so stuck on him? He’s a criminal, but other than that, there is nothing exciting about him. I don’t want to take someone just to save your mother. Besides, I am a little bit interested in the woman with no background. I hope whoever this Randall is, exposes your mother’s deepest darkest secrets. Honestly,” Simon plucked the beautiful flower and crushed it. “I should bring your mother here with you.”

“No!” Kate yelled. Her mother should not have to face this hell hole too. She would rather die than allow that to happen.

“Why not? Your mother is the only person to match what I have done. Like I have hidden my true nature, your mother has hidden her past for years. No one can prove what she was before meeting your father. It’s wonderful and clear evidence of where you got your skills from. Weren’t you the one who kept telling me to think of her as my own mother? That’s exactly what I am doing and yet-”

“You know this is not what I meant. I had no idea you were some insane bastard who keeps his dead parents around. I will not allow you to bring my mother into your sick twisted games!” Kate declared.


Simon smiled and placed the crumbled-up flower on the table before going toward where Kate now stood. “Kate,” he ran his fingers down her soft cheek. It was clear she was pampered her whole life. His fingers continued to move downward until he snaked them around her neck. “Perhaps I have been too kind to you. How dare you tell me what I can’t do?” He tightened his hold on her neck.

If not for the fact he would soon have to parade her around as his wife, he would consider breaking her neck now.

“I will always do what I want. You are just a puppet who moves when I pull strings. Do not for a second think that you are my equal in this house. I can kill you at any given moment. Do you understand?”

Kate fought to remove his hands from choking her. Tears started to escape her eyes as she tried to give him a response. She knew who she was dealing with, but somehow forgot she had to play it safe. Kate couldn’t help herself from speaking up when he mentioned her mother.

Her saving grace was a knock at the door.

Simon released Kate and looked at the butler who was waiting for an order before going to check the door. “Hurry up and catch your breath, Kate. If our guests notice something odd, I will kill you the moment they leave. Don’t even think about mentioning Bella or anyone else. This is my playing ground. No one who walks through my doors can save you.”

Kate touched her aching neck which had to be turning red by now. Never in her life was she manhandled like this for speaking. Kate took deep breaths to calm herself before Simon could get angry again. Forget about getting Alessandra, she had to get out of there before she ended up the town’s next victim. She could not last another day with Simon.

Simon rolled his eyes, annoyed by Kate taking her sweet time to get over what happened. “Kate-”

“Someone is at the door, Simon. We need to greet our guest,” Kate said, slowly getting to her feet. As long as she did as he wanted by being his perfect wife, she would get out of there, and one day get to see him hang for the crimes he committed. She would be his first victim to get away. ‘I can’t be so loud with him again,’ she thought.

Simon licked his lips. She managed to surprise him with her quick change. Simon almost felt bad for hurting her. Almost.

Kate wouldn’t behave if not for what he did. Now he knew how to get her to act right. Just a little pain to remind her of her position every once in a while. He liked her acting, but her attitude was starting to get under his skin. She needed to be properly taught how to be obedient like Bella.

‘She’s making me miss Bella. Should I switch them once in a while?’ He wondered.

“Simon! What took so long? You became a husband and now you are hesitant to see your friends?”

Kate frowned upon hearing the familiar voice of Kyle who she met at a party hosted by Simon’s friends. What on earth was he doing here? She was hoping for someone with common sense who might be able to sense something was off between her and Simon.