“Interesting.You seemed perfectly happy to perform for your comatose father.All that righteous anger, all those pretty accusations.‘You never taught me any of this.You never let me learn.’”He quoted my exact words back to me, his tone mocking.“Very touching.”
My stomach turned over.“How did you?—”
“I told you.I hear everything.”A pause, weighted with something dark.“Now.Let’s discuss what I actually called about.You left the manor without permission this morning.”
“The note said you requested I stay.It didn’t say I was a prisoner.”
“You’re not a prisoner, Lena.You’re mine.There’s a difference.”His voice dropped lower, silkier.“Prisoners can refuse to cooperate.You cannot.”
“I had plans with Clara.Plans that were made before any of this started.”
“And you prioritized those plans over my explicit request that you remain on the premises.”
“Your request was delivered via your housekeeper’s handwriting on a notecard.Forgive me for not treating it as a royal decree.”
Silence stretched between us.When he spoke again, his voice had gone cold.
“You’re going to apologize.”
“No, I’m not.”
“You’re going to say, ‘I’m sorry I left without your permission, Raphael.It won’t happen again.’”
A laugh escaped me, sharp and incredulous.“I’m not going to say that.”
“Then let’s talk about Michael.”
The name landed like a slap.I stopped walking, my heels frozen on the hospital sidewalk.“What about Michael?”
“Your assistant manager.The one who’s been handling the crisis at the hotel while you’ve been dealing with your family drama.The one who looked at you too long when you left yesterday.The one who kept touching your arm during your conversation in the lobby.”
“He’s been working at the hotel for three years.He’s a colleague.A friend.”
“He’s a man who wants you.”Raphael’s voice was flat, factual.“And he’s a man whose employment depends entirely on whether you stay in my good graces.”
The threat hung in the air, poisonous.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”Something shifted in his tone, something almost amused.“I own your hotel’s debt.I could call in favors, make his life very difficult.References that never get written.Future employers who suddenly aren’t hiring.It would be such a shame for someone with his potential.”
“This is insane.He hasn’t done anything wrong.”
“Neither have you.Not yet.So let’s keep it that way.”His voice softened, turning intimate in a way that made my skin prickle.“Say the words, Lena.‘I’m sorry I left without your permission.’”
I closed my eyes.Saw Michael’s earnest face, his dedication to the hotel that was the only thing keeping us functioning during this nightmare.
“I’m sorry I left without your permission.”
“Good girl.”The praise slid through me, warm and awful.“Now add ‘I understand that where I go and who I see is your business now.’”
“That’s not?—”
“Lena.”Just my name, but it carried the weight of all the leverage he held.Twenty million dollars.My family’s legacy.Michael’s career.
“I understand that where I go and who I see is your business now.”The words tasted like ash.
“And finally: ‘I belong to you.’”
