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Olga exchanges a look with me but doesn’t utter a single word. With nimble movements, she pulls the food trolley further into the room.
“Wait,” I call after her before she can close the door. “I want to see Nikolai.”
She looks me in the eyes. “You’ll behave, yes?”
“I’ll be good,” I say, putting as much enthusiasm as I can into my words.
“I’ll let him know when he returns,” she says, and leaves.
Now all that’s left is to have dinner on my bed. Taking the plate in my hand, I set my current read onto the mattress. I plan on skimming through my favorite parts while I eat.
By the time my belly is full, all my doubts are gone. I can’t wait to see the surprise in Nikolai’s cold gray eyes when I decide to return his challenge. It will be a game of power, and I’ll make sure I win.
After a couple of hours, I hear footsteps approaching. It must be Olga, coming to collect the food trolley.
“Hey, Olga,” I greet the housekeeper once the door opens.
But it’s not her who enters. Nikolai is wearing a beige suit, brown leather shoes, and a white shirt.
“Hello, Katarina,” he says with a smile.
His casual greeting makes my heart palpitate. His face shows no emotion, and I can’t decide whether that’s a good or bad sign.
I stand up from the bed and drop the book next to me. Ignoring the desire to hide it, I stride toward him until he blocks the door. This is the closest I’ve gotten to a human being since he locked me in. I wonder how hard it would be to push him off balance so I can make a dash for the door.
My eyes narrow as I glare at him. A soft glint in his eyes gets my attention, a hint of possessiveness causing a shiver. To cover up the excitement, I force a polite smile on my face, hoping it will smooth my glare. If he feels the need to toy with me, I will be his equal.
“I heard you’re ready to play nice.” His voice is calm, as if he has all the time in the world.
“I want to, yes,” I reply in the most non-committal way I can manage.
“I appreciate it,” Nikolai adds, sounding like I just gave him permission to execute me.
“How will this work?” I ask.
“I will come by to have dinner with you every day,” he says. “If you behave, I will give you a reward by bringing you little things such as books. If you manage to truly impress me, I might consider even bringing you a TV.”
It’s all an act. I doubt that he’ll treat me with kindness. But with everything that’s happened, I just need to entertain the idea.
“What then?” I push, needing to know his plans for me.
“Once we gain each other’s trust, I’ll let you out,” he answers, and his gray eyes focus on me intensely. “By that time, we’ll already be married. You’ll be eager to find ways to please me.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because I’ll treat you like a queen,” he says, brushing a thumb across my bottom lip and making my stomach flutter. The knowledge that his every word must be a calculated lie helps to lessen my growing need to go limp with lust.
“If that’s what you want.” I smile, trying to give him my best sultry look.
“That’s what you’ll want,” he replies, without missing a beat.
He’s so confident in his statement that I might start to believe him.
He cups my cheeks, the action sending my pulse skyrocketing. As quickly as his hands appear, they disappear. I wince when he releases me.
“You like that, don’t you?” he teases. “How wet are you for me?”
I shrug indifferently, even though my knees buckle. Instead of giving in to the desire for him, I bat my eyelashes and pretend that his words mean nothing. “Why don’t you find out?”
