“Do I have to?”
“Yes.”
Slowly, she unfurls from her position, bare feet hitting the floor. Arms crossed over her chest, she pads over to me, seating herself on the very edge of my bed before curling into a fetal pose, still facing the window.
I reach out a hand to brush her hair from her neck; she hisses, “Don’t.”
Something rears inside me at that, at her denying my touch. I want access to touch her whenever I want, I’llhaveaccess to touch her whenever I want, but not yet. First, we need to get things straightened out between us. I’ll deal with that in the morning.
“Stay in this bed,” I grumble.
I readjust my pillow and settle back down onto the soft mattress. Despite the tension humming in the air, it doesn’t take long for me to fall into a deep sleep.
Chapter Eleven
Dorian
When I awaken again, sunlight streams from the curtains, and Mira is once again idling on the windowsill. Yawning, I say, “That’s five, I think.”
“What’s five?” she questions, her tone drowsy and tired.
“Five times you’ve disobeyed me. Five punishments. First was when you took the gun from the briefcase, the rest were littered throughout the night.”
“You going to beat me for my disobedience?” her tone is a blend of resignation and sardonic bemusement.
“Not my style. I’ve already told you whatismy style.” Her breath catches as she throws me a startled glance, then shakes her head. A flush paints her cheeks, though, so I think my little empath might be intrigued by the idea.
“And what, exactly, have I done to earn these fivepunishments?” She releases a laugh, shaking her head. “If you think that orgasms are synonymous with punishments, I’m surprised you don’t have more women chasing you down.”
“There are plenty who have tried to chase me,” I say dismissively. She’s the only one that I would gladly let catch me, though insteadI’mthe one trying to catchher.I suppose it could be worse; I’m finding that she is delightful prey to hunt. “And trust me, pretty girl, pleasure can be much more agonizing than pain. As for yourpunishments…” I hold up a hand, ticking off a finger for each item. “Stealing my gun. Lying to me about your past. Refusing to help me with my bullet—I had to pay fifty grand to that goddamn doctor. Refusing to come up to my room. Getting out of bed when I told you not to.”
Her lips twist. “You know those are total bullshit, right? Seamus’s gun jammed, so of course my reflexes kicked in. I did notlieabout my past, I simply didn’t see the need to take a stroll down memory lane with strangers who get off on threatening to kill me. You should be glad I refused to help with your bullet, otherwise I might’ve…accidentallysliced through an artery. I didn’trefuseto come up to your room, I was resistant to it because you left me to Connor’s tantrum. I got out of bed because you tried to wrap yourself around me like a fucking octopus an hour before dawn, and I wasnothaving that.”
I blink slowly. “I think you just got yourself a number six on that list—refusing to let me touch you. Come to think of it, you did the same during your midnight laze on the window, so wouldn’t that be seven?”
“You’re being ridiculous. All of those things were perfectly reasonable and well within my rights to do. I am a human being with my own thoughts and sentiments, I am not going to automatically bend to your will whenever you feel like exercising it. I got through life long before you came into my world, I will get back to it once this miserable week is through,ifI make it out alive.”
“About that,” I say casually, “timeline’s been extended.”
Mira stiffens, and the flush in her cheeks is replaced by a paleness that I dislike. Is being here reallythathorrible?
I try to consider things from her point of view. I chased her down in a forest when I thought she’d seen something—which she hadn’t—and Connor outright talked about killing her while I pinnedher down. One of her shoulders was dislocated at the time; regardless of her high pain tolerance, that shithurts. Then, she was carted here.
The following night, she tried to do something nice for the residents of this house, and that was interrupted by a shootout, which would be traumatizing for most people. Instead of sitting back, she pulled on her big girl panties andhelped, and her repayment for that was once again being threatened by Connor. I think back to the way her gaze turned toward me, wide-eyed and panicked, and the way I shook my head because the circumstanceswerephenomenally suspicious. Her eyes shuttered after that, and she drew inwards. She’s a lot more measured now; the words that come from her lips carefully selected, replacing the strange but adorable word vomit she’s previously spewed.
The nicest thing I’ve done for her is promise not to let Connor kill her, then sit back while he threatened to do just that.
Woo her, Sergei said.Spoil her.I have no idea where I should start, but I want to try. I think Miracouldbe susceptible to material gifts, though they’d have to be meaningful and carefully selected. Besides, I think doing things for her, some kind of acts of service, would land with greater impact.
“What do you mean, the timeline’s been extended?” she questions in a horrified whisper.
I release a long breath. “You’re going to be our guest for a bit longer. We have to report all dealings to our boss; last night’s clusterfuck report included your surprising skillset. My superior wants me to keep you around longer. I respect and fear my boss enough to obey.”
A swallow works its way down her delicate throat. “For how long?”
“I’m not sure,” I hedge. How long would it take for her to accept my claim? A few weeks? A few months? “Potentially for the rest of the semester.”
“No.” Mira stands from the windowsill, shaking her head. “No, it’s only October. That isunacceptable—”
