I braced myself for a hit, knowing I’d failed Esmeralda too. She’d told me to live my life to the fullest, for both of us, and here I’d be dead before she would.
There was no way he’d let me live. No chance he’d look at me and want to spare my life.
“Fucking—” He cut himself off as he strode toward the door.
Without a look back at me, he rushed out and slammed the wood panel after him.
I jumped at the hard sound.
Then as silence filled the room, I struggled to keep my panic at bay.
He’d be back.
That wasn’t the end of it.
He would return and shoot me. Or order a guard to. Maybe I’d be hung? Tortured.
I stood and pressed my hands over my stomach. Unafraid for myself but worried about failing my baby and being unable to spare him or her, I sought a way to escape.
The windows were too high. No other doors would give me a shortcut anywhere else.
I was trapped in here, waiting with dreaded suspense for the dangerous man to come back with that murderous glint in his eye to finish dealing with the mistake he’d made in wanting me.
I’m sorry.
I’m so sorry.
I can’t believe this is how it’ll go.
I’m sorry, little one.
I love you so much.
And I will until my last?—
The door opened, and I spun around so quickly, I staggered a step to the side and blinked.
It wasn’t Andre back to shoot my brains out.
Renee.
She stood there scowling at me just like she had on my first day here. Disapproval lined her old face. We’d become more of friends, but based on whatever orders she was given to unlock and open this door now, she showed how she’d reverted to her previous prejudice of me.
“What a shame. You would’ve made beautiful babies with his blue eyes and your pretty hair.”
I lifted my chin. “My son or daughter will be beautiful no matter what,” I replied back in Russian.
She arched a brow as she scowled. “Is that so?” Tipping her head to the side, she ordered me to go with her. “He doesn’t want you in his room.”
But does he want me… alive?
I didn’t protest, expecting him to want me as far away as possible.
Renee didn’t offer me any further judgment as she led me to the maid’s room I had stayed in when I first came here to work. I’dalready taken my things out of the small space, and I didn’t take the chance to bring any clothes or essentials with me.
I doubted I’d be in here long. I doubted I’d live long enough to care where I was sent to stay. Defeat coursed through me, waging war with my stubborn determination to save my baby, with whatever eleventh-hour miracle that I could find.
She opened the door and jerked her thumb for me to enter. Behind her, a guard waited.
