His Marriage Trap

Chapter Two

Gabby stared at him for a full minute before her senses returned and she stiffened her spine and gave him her most autocratic look that made most men quell in their shoes. But Nik was not most men and he merely raised a brow at the fierce look as a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I will not be your wife in any sense of the word," she snapped making Nik laugh at the vehemence in her tone for he had never known his wife had such a temper. She had always been so quiet and obedient that he had thought he shared his house with a shadow but now she was showing her true colours and he had to admit that he liked this side of his wife.

"But Gabriella you are already my wife," he pointed out and she opened her mouth to reply then closed it again before settling on an angry glare in his direction as she pushed him back with a force he hadn't been expecting and strode out of his room without a backward glance. Nik hesitated for a moment but then decided it would be wise to let her go back to her rooms, for now. She needed time to get used to the fact that the rules that had led their marriage were about to change and he needed time to get used to the fact that his quiet wife was not as biddable as she appeared.

"Damn him to hell!" Gabby swore as she threw a crystal vase across the room and watched with satisfaction as it shattered in to a thousand pieces. She only wished it were as easy to be rid of her husband but she suspected that it was next to impossible to get rid of him.

Why was life so unfair? Forced in to marriage with a stranger she had always behaved as the perfect. So why was she being punished now she had decided to walk away? It wasn't as though theirs was a love match so why wouldn't Nik just let her go?

With a groan of frustration Gabby turned and began pacing her small room as she tried to come up with a plan. There was no way that Nik would simply let her walk out on him but she couldn't stay in this loveless marriage.

What she needed was some fresh air, Gabby decided as she turned and strode from the room with the all consuming need to just get away for a few moments and be able to breathe. Maybe a long walk would make her feel better. Except that when she entered the code in to the alarm system it didn't turn off but instead flashed red making her frown. Retyping the code she frowned deeper when for a second time it flashed red. What the hell was going on?

"Going somewhere?"

Gabby jumped and spun round at the sound of the dark male voice behind her and found herself facing her husband who did not look amused if his expression was anything to go by.

"The code's not working," she said with a frown and Nik gave that cat got the cream smile that always made her nervous.

"That's because I changed it," he informed her and Gabby could only stare at him.

"What do you mean you changed it?" she demanded furiously unable to believe that he had changed it without informing her.

"I didn't want to wake up and discover you'd gone. Which apparently was exactly your intention," Nik explained and Gabby glared at him.

"I was going for a walk. Now may I have the code?" Gabby asked, hating that she had to practically beg to be let out of her own home.

"No," Nik replied and her gaze widened at his terse response.

"No?" she repeated as anger swirled inside her. She was tired, she was upset and she was more than a little pissed off.

"It is late Gabriella and it is not safe for you to be out walking at this time of a night," he informed her and her glare intensified as did her anger.

"You have no right to keep me here against my will," she shouted furiously unaware of the way her eyes darkened and flashed with fire.

"I have every right. You are my wife and it is my right to be concerned for your safety," he said ignoring the dirty looks she was giving him.