Like she was born to sit at this table, in this house, by my side.
The thought terrifies me.
Marco stands near the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest.
Sophia’s gaze flicks between us, and I can see her mind working, trying to figure out the dynamics.
“Sophia,” I say, taking my seat at the head of the table. “This is Marco. He’ll be your shadow from now on. If not him, one of his men.”
“My shadow?” She sets down her fork with deliberate care. “You mean my jailer.”
“Call it what you want.” I nod to the staff to begin serving. “Marco goes where you go. He sees what you see. He’s there to ensure you follow the rules.”
Sophia looks at Marco with undisguised contempt. “And if I don’t follow the rules?”
“Then I inform Mr. Artyomov,” Marco says, his voice flat and professional. “And he deals with you accordingly.”
“Deals with me.” She laughs, but it’s a bitter sound. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
I lean back in my chair, studying her.
Even dressed up, even sitting in my dining room eating my food, she radiates defiance.
It’s in the set of her shoulders, the tilt of her chin, the fire in her eyes.
“Eat your breakfast,” I tell her. “You’ll need your strength.”
“For what? More of your twisted games?”
“For surviving.” I take a sip of my coffee. “This is your life now, Sophia. The sooner you accept that, the easier it will be.”
She stands abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. Marco tenses, ready to intervene, but I hold up a hand to stop him. I want to see what she’ll do.
Sophia walks around the table until she’s standing directly in front of me.
Her chest heaves with emotion, and I can see the pulse hammering in her throat.
For a moment, I think she might hit me. Part of me almost hopes she will.
Instead, she leans down, her face inches from mine.
I can smell her breath, feel the heat radiating from her body.
My hands grip the arms of my chair to keep from reaching for her.
“I’ll never be your obedient little wife,” she says, her voice low and fierce. “You can chain my body, but you’ll never break my spirit.”
Then she spits in my face.
5
SOPHIA
The lights flicker once, twice, then die completely.
I freeze in the hallway, my heart leaping into my throat as darkness swallows the mansion whole.
For a moment, there’s nothing but silence and the sound of my own ragged breathing.
