"No. You didn't think." I move closer and watch him fight the urge to step back. "You didn't think about what message that sends. You didn't think about boundaries. You didn't think about the fact that she is not a guest. She is a captive. My captive. And you do not get to be friendly with her."
"Pakhan, I meant no disrespect?—"
"But you showed it anyway." My voice drops. "She is off limits. Completely. You don't talk to her. You don't smile at her. You don't respond to her questions beyond what is absolutely necessary for security. Do you understand?"
"Yes,pakhan."
"You're reassigned. Viktor will give you new duties. Someone else will escort her walks."
His face pales, probably imagining what he’s going to be assigned to. Maybe something that gets him killed. "Pakhan, please. I didn't mean?—"
"Dismissed."
He knows better than to argue. Pushing back now would only make things worse. He nods, and leaves quickly.
I stand alone in my office, my hands clenched into fists and my heart pounding like I just ran a mile. The thought of him making her laugh, o of her touching his arm, giving him that warmth that should be?—
Mine.
There it is again. That word. That claim I have no right to make.
There’s a sudden knock at the door, jolting me. "What?" I snap.
It opens, and Liesl stands there—no guard, no escort. Just her.
"You shouldn't be here.”
"I know." She steps inside anyway and closes the door behind her. "But I needed to talk to you."
My jaw is so tight I’m going to crack something if this keeps up. "About what?"
"About whatever just happened out there." She moves closer, cautious but determined. Through the haze of tumultuous emotion, there’s something in me that admires it, like I admired her reactions that first morning, while she was tied to a chair and still managed to be brave. "He didn't do anything wrong. He was just being friendly. If anyone's at fault, it's me. I asked him questions. I engaged him in conversation. I?—"
"Stop."
"But—"
"Stop talking, Liesl."
She stops and just watches me. Waiting.
I should tell her to leave. I should remember that getting close to her is dangerous for both of us. Instead I move toward her. I’m not thinking straight, and the words that come out of my mouth just prove that, but I can’t seem to stop any of this.
"You think this is about fault," I say quietly. "You think I'm angry because someone broke a rule."
Her brow wrinkles. "Aren't you?"
"No." I stop in front of her, close enough to see the pulse beating in her throat, and look down at her. "I'm angry because he made you laugh."
She blinks. "What?"
"I'm angry because you touched his arm. You smiled at him. You gave him something that—" I pause, my teeth gritting together, but I can’t stop what comes out next. "Something that should be mine."
The words hang in the air between us. Her eyes widen. "Andrei?—"
"You're mine, Liesl." My voice sounds scraped raw. I barely recognize it as mine, and somewhere in the back of my head, I know she’s doing something to be that’s going to have consequences far beyond what I can see right now. "While you're here. While you're on my estate, under my protection. You're mine. And I don't share."
Her eyes widen, round and large in her face. "I'm not yours," she says softly. "I'm your captive."
