“Many times.”
I stare at him in disbelief, heat creeping up my neck. The thought of being in the same bed with his lips all over…
“And what if it’s a girl?”
Why am I even entertaining this?
Benedikt’s mouth lifts, just a little. “Then we try again.”
“No.”
Benedikt stares at me, and I can’t read him.
“Then we’re done here.” He pushes off the edge of his desk to stand at his full height. “Have a good rest of your day, Miss Graves.”
The formality of my name sounds like he’s shut down. And that sounds dangerous.
“What about my dad?”
He doesn’t hesitate. “You already know the answer.”
I clench my fists at my sides. “You can’t make me do this.”
“I’m not. This was a deal. You asked me what I wanted, and I spared your father in return. The debt will be null and void. I didn’t even get to the rest, princess.”
Tears burn the back of my eyes, but I forge on. My pride can’t get in the way of this. “What else is there?”
“I take care of your grandmother. I pay all your bills and debts. Anything you need or want, it’s yours.”
“How about your death?” I snarl.
He has the audacity to smirk. “Then use your allowance to hire a hitman, princess.” Benedikt takes one step forward, towering over me in all his alpha male bravado. “But I’ll warn you… if I find a man trying to kill me, you’ll be the one I fuck until oblivion for wasting my time.”
My cheeks burn again, and a violent shiver takes over my body. “You’re disgusting.”
“And rich. And powerful. And not in the habit of being told no.”
“I’m not a whore for your empire.”
“No,” he murmurs, “you’re the closest thing to leverage I’ve ever felt like keeping.”
I want to scream, throw something, or claw at the smugness etched into every angle of his face. But deep somewhere beneath the rage and disbelief is the same realization I had the second he picked up the phone.
Benedikt Volkov has all the power.
And he knows it.
Agreeing to this madness will keep my father alive and my grandmother safe and sound. I don’t care about my issues. My grandmother doesn’t deserve to suffer. And despite it all, I still don’t want Dad to die screaming in a dark basement because of things beyond my control.
“I hate you, ” I grind out. Even though it doesn’t matter, I want to make it known. “And I’m nevergoing to forgive you for this. You think you can walk around and order everyone around? You’re a prick, Benedikt.”
“I’m pragmatic, Sienna,” he says coolly. “You came to me, not the other way around.”
“You left me no choice.”
“There’s always a choice,” he counters. “You just didn’t like the one you were dealt.”
“Because I’m not a psycho who’s going to allow my father to die.”
