Page 74 of About the Green

"Nina, I know you're upset, but I'm asking you to trust me."

She stomps a foot, now more upset than before. “I know you want to be in control, but I'm telling you that I am perfectly fine without your help."

I shake my head. “Do you realize that if you hadn't told them the answer they were lookin’ for, that your life could have been forfeited today?”

"And so what? It's just a life."

“Just a—” I grab her chin now, forcing her to look me in the eyes and answer for her petulant words. “Then what about me? What was I supposed to do if you were gone?”

Her digression from answering what I’m truly asking is impressive though frustrating. “Continue living. It's what you wanted, right? To be rid of me. You have someone to live for."

"And you don't, apparently,” I say more than question. She’s unwilling to see me, the man in front of her telling her that she’s not allowed to forfeit so easily.

"Not."

"What does that mean?"

"You think I don't know about you? About how you have all the patience in the world for a little brat like me until it's time for you to go back to your family? What I was fighting for ruined your plans and it was easier to do away with the problem. Well, I don't have one of those. I don't have anything to get back to. These women are the best that I have, and after today, seeing how easy it would be for them to dispose of me, I would say I don't even have that."

"That's not true. You saw that this was up for discussion. They just wanted you to do what was in the best interest for the family—which is not about just you or about just them. It's about everyone involved. If somethin’ happens to us, it happens to everyone. The same thing that we've been fightin’ to get control of is exactly what you are puttin’ into harm's way by tryin’ to do all of this by yourself. I'm tellin’ you right now that it doesn't have to be just you, and though you think that you can outsmart me and do all these things on your own, it was gonna catch up to you. I can help you, so that you aren't in that position. What is so bad about bein’ with me?"

Her eyes go glassy as she tries to hold my gaze, the anger in them simmering hot enough for me to feel, though the sadness of being defeated is much stronger in her expression.

She shakes her head. "It doesn't fucking matter. Just go back to the life you knew and leave me alone."

"Doll," I call after her, but she's already leaving, and I don't know what to do. I can't follow her because I have to be at this meeting, and I've already taken too much time aside here to have this conversation with her.

I have no choice but to watch her walk away, but what she doesn't know about me is I'm unwilling to let go of something I've claimed for myself.

That's my doll.

She's not Raquel's best asset anymore.

She's mine.

When she got on her knees and told me that she would be following my rule and my command, she didn't get an option to step out of it.

We're bound, and even while she is unwilling to understand what that means, I will never forget.

Before I leave, I see that Liezel has already come out to come after our girl, and hopefully she's able to get through to her in the meantime, when I can't.

Chapter 29

I'd fucked up.

I know it.

But her life was spared and she has more resources. It'll take her a bit to understand how this was a win for her. I'm aware.

I'm patient enough to wait that out, but I'm leaving soon and I've got to do something about the terrifying woman who is rightfully pissed with me.

I may not know every single detail about this woman, but something I do know is that she will never turn down an opportunity to get on her knees for me, and though I mean that in as sexual a way as possible, I don't mean it in any way that diminishes the fierceness that she holds in her heart and in her perception. Everyone who knows her knows that she is something special, but only I am someone who she feels safe enough to submit to fully.

I don't want her to feel that I'm using it to control her decisions, but I have to make sure that I can keep her, and I want to keep her not on a shelf, not on a leash, but within reach, close enough to me that I can make sure that everything she wants she can have.

And so I do the only thing that I can at this point.

I take Nina.