I follow him through hallways that feel different, calm in the light of day. They feel less ominous, but when we stop outside a heavy wooden door, my pulse picks up despite it.
The study looks like something out of an old novel. The room is filled with dark wood and leather, books lining the walls, and the furniture arranged for comfort rather than display. It’s smaller than I expected; quietly lavish, understated, and cozy.
Kazimir stands near the desk, his jacket discarded and his sleeves rolled up. A man, I assume is a lawyer, is sitting in front of a stack of papers.
“This is unnecessary,” I say as soon as the door closes behind me.
Kaz looks up, his expression unreadable. “It’s necessary if we’re doing this.”
“I’m not doingthis,” I reply automatically. “This is just—the whole thing is a lie, we don’t need?—”
The lawyer clears his throat and looks between us. He’s clearly accustomed to tension when it comes to Kazimir Baranov and legal matters. “Perhaps we should begin.”
I sit in the chair opposite Kaz, folding my hands in my lap to keep them from shaking.
The plan unfolds efficiently, and hearing them from the mouth of a third party makes me less defensive.
There’s an announcement drafted and ready to circulate to papers and magazines, photos arranged, and appearances scheduled. A narrative crafted so tightly that it leaves no room for interpretation.
I’m his.
That’s what Savannah and the southern coast will understand. No one will dare touch me.
Every word feels like another thread winding around my chest.
“You won’t be leaving the estate without security,” Kaz says, pacing the room casually as we talk about specific details.
“I have school,” I say immediately. “I’m not giving that up.”
His gaze holds mine for a long moment before he nods. “You’ll attend, but you will be tailed.”
I bristle at the word, but swallow my retort.
“And The Foundry,” he continues. “You won’t be going back.”
Even after seeing Jak’s text and feeling relief only an hour ago, something inside me wants to push back. Kazimir is so cool, collected, and in control that I wonder what he would do if I insisted…
I think about all the late nights and the eyes on my half-naked body. The disrespect shown to me by some of the wealthiest men in this city. When I look up, Kazimir is watching, waiting.
“Fine,” I say, swallowing the lump in my throat.
His eyes search mine, and it’s as if we’re the only people in the room. “You’ll miss it?”
I shake my head slowly, unable to find the words to explain this kind of grief. It’s grief for my self-confidence and what I’ve had to give up to make my dreams come true.
The lawyer quietly clears his throat and continues. The engagement will last as long as necessary. Until Hinto breaks or until the threat is neutralized.
“One more thing,” Kaz says, his voice dropping slightly.
I look up.
“No intimacy,” he continues evenly. “No touching. At all.”
The lawyer glances up briefly, then back down to his papers. A frown flickers across his face, and I’m sure we’re both thinking the same thing:Why bother including that?
It seems unspoken. Unless…
Something twists inside me, sharp and disorienting. I realize with a rush of heat and horror that I don’t feel relieved by the boundary.
