I’dbeeninthepenthouse for over a week. The door hadn’t been unlocked once, and my escape plans were fading. Food was delivered to me. I never saw anyone else. I hadn’t even left the room since I was brought in.
Still, I was desperate to get out the first chance I got. I missed my siblings fiercely, replaying every memory with them in my mind until it hurt.
But for the time being, I was completely dependent on Leo Moretti. And he wasn’t a merciful man.
He never knocked when he came in. The door unlocked, opened, and Leo stepped inside like it was his right to invade my space.
“Get dressed,” he said after giving me a short look. “Nothing casual.”
I stayed where I was on the edge of the bed, watching him carefully. I was wearing one of the outfits I’d found in the dresser - casual leggings and a crop top. It was the least revealing outfit I found.
“For what?” I asked.
“We’re going out,” he said simply.
My stomach tightened at that. “Where?”
“Dinner,” he shrugged, picking up the hairbrush on my vanity. “You want me to help with your hair?”
I touched my flowing locks. Ever since he’d brushed it, I’d kept it down. I told myself it was because I didn’t want a punishment. Anything to close my eyes to the truth. I wanted him to like me. If I pleased him, he’d be more lenient, opening a way for my escape.
“No thanks,” I said firmly. “I’m not a child.”
“You act like one,” he muttered under his breath. “A dress is waiting for you. We’ll see a show after dinner.”
“A show,” I repeated, unable to hide the edge in my voice. “What am I, yourdate?”
His gaze slid over me slowly, taking his time with it in a way that made my skin prickle. “You’re my wife to be. We should be seen together before I force a ring on that finger.”
The words landed heavy, familiar and wrong all at once. I pushed myself up, ignoring the pull in my ankle. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He didn’t react the way a normal person would. No anger, no argument. Just that slight tilt of his head, like I’d said something mildly interesting instead of defiant. “Of course you are.”
“And if I don’t?” I fought back.
Something shifted in his eyes then, something quieter and colder than anger.
“Then I carry you out in front of my entire staff,” he said evenly. “And you learn the hard way not to test me in public.”
My jaw clenched, but I didn’t look away. I was fighting him for show, and I wondered if he knew it. The truth was… I was eager to get out. The date provided an opportunity for me to run. My heart sped up at the thought of getting away from him.
Leo stepped closer, stopping just within reach, close enough that I could feel the heat of him without him touching me.
“I’m giving you the opportunity to walk beside me,” he added, softer this time, like it was a privilege instead of a threat. “An opportunity to be seen as the most powerful woman in the city.”
So he wasn’t offering freedom. He was giving me permission to exit, probably watched more closely than ever.
“I don’t need your opportunities,” I said. “I don’t need any of the things you give me.”
“No,” he agreed. “But you’ll take them anyway. Just like you eat my food, and wear the clothes I picked for you. Just like your hair. I’ve noticed you’re wearing it down. The way I like.”
I let out a slow breath, forcing myself to stay steady. I wasn’t going to acknowledge his words. “You trust me not to run?”
His mouth curved, just slightly. “Of course not.”
“Then why take me?”
“Because if you try,” he said, his voice dropping just enough to pull my attention, “I’ll enjoy catching you.”
