I froze. “You’re saying you’d hurt yourself?”
He smiled and it wrenched my heart because it wasn’t morbid or callous or cruel. It was achingly lost and exhausted. “I bet you’re thinking why I don’t just lie down and let one of those trespassers kill me if I’m so suicidal.”
“No, I—”
“I have no intention of dying, just yet.” His eyes flashed. “Even if Icouldkill myself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
Awkwardness settled and I struggled with something to say. I settled on a generic: “Okay, that’s good—”
“Why is it good?” he cut me off. “Your little performance of caring whether I live or die is starting to piss me off.”
“It’s not an act.” I scowled.
“Liar.”
My temper prickled but I shoved it back. I stayed as calm as I could, smiling brightly. “I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s glad you want to stay alive. You’d think, if your blood is so precious, that they’d give you the ability to look after yourself—minus your oversized cat.Especiallywhen trapping crazy women in here with you.”
His eyes narrowed. “Careful. You almost sound like them.”
“Because I mentioned your blood?”
“Because you’ve learned what it can do and now you’re curious.”
“I haven’t learned a damn thing.” I clutched the back of the couch. “All I know is it didsomethingto me last night and I’m grateful for your help.”
“Don’t you want to know exactlywhatit did?”
Bracing my spine, I nodded. “Of course I do. But I’m unsure if you’ll tell me.”
My eyes never left his. I was highly aware that by talking, it wasn’t just him who could reveal secrets. If he knew I was the sole heiress to Snowflake Corp...would he kill me? He’d spared me this long because I’d convinced him I was here by mistake but...what if I wasn’t? What if they’d somehow known?
Don’t be ridiculous.
Even if theyhadknown who I was, what were they gaining by bringing me here? A stupid lamb to the slaughter?
It would mean Snowflake Corp loses their leader.
On paper, that would seem disastrous, but in reality, they’d lost their leader seven years ago and were still going strong. They didn’t need me in the slightest.
“You’re thinking something.” He dug his fingers into the chair arms, his knuckles going white. “What?”
“Nothing.” I cleared my throat. “Just trying to figure you out, that’s all.”
He narrowed his eyes, studying me just like his panther did. “Aren’t you afraid of what you’ll find?”
“Should I be?”
He smirked. “Absolutely.”
“In that case...can I return to my pavilion and continue being anonymous?” I glanced at Whisper snoozing on the couch. “I’m not lying when I say I’m far too hopeless to help you. I buckle under stress and would much rather nap, snack, and daydream...preferably in that order.” I backed toward the door. “So if you don’t mind—”
“Step out of this place without my permission, and I’ll kill you before you can beg for forgiveness.”
I stiffened.
