Page 21 of Ruthless Truths
She takes a calming breath. “I guess not. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me,” I say. “I sent Damon. Your purse is also in the dresser. The only thing you can’t have back is your phone.”
Her eyes close briefly, and when she levels them on me again, she seems to force a smile onto her face. “Great.”
I’m under no illusions that she considers any of this “great,” but I have things to do, so I don’t press for how she’s truly feeling. I also can’t care about that.
She ventures toward the dresser, presumably to get clothes so she can shower, and I’m ready to leave her alone, letting her figure out the rest of the boundaries I’ve put into place the hard way. When I step into the doorway of the bedroom, she calls out, giving me pause.
“What happens next?” she asks.
I turn slowly, bracing my hands against the doorframe. “What do you mean?”
She gestures around the spacious room. “I have a new cell. Am I safe to assume that I’m still a prisoner, or can I earn more freedoms?”
If she wants to “earn” anything, I have no objections in letting her do so. However, her perception of the situation needs correcting.
“First, you’re not a prisoner,” I state firmly. “You’re here for your own protection. I thought I made that clear already.”
“Not a prisoner, huh?” Her brows raise high on her forehead. “You’ve kept me in an actual cell, then brought me here. Just because the drapes are nicer doesn’t change what this is, Luca. Not to say I’m not glad to be out of the freezing cell, but I’m very much still a prisoner, regardless of the reasons you want to tell yourself that I’m here.”
She’s not wrong, but I’m not in the mood to have this conversation. Bringing her here already feels like a mistake and I don’t make those often. Instead, I choose to remind her of what’s most important at the present time.
“You’ll remain here until I’ve leveraged your presence against Titan,” I say sternly. “You’re a witness to something that leaves his hands stained with blood. I intend to demonstrate for him what happens to those who attempt to sabotage my business dealings. All the while, your safety will be ensured within these walls.”
“By using me?” she asks, displaying less fear than I anticipate.
“However I see fit, yes,” I reply without hesitation. “I saved your life. Now you owe me.”
She scoffs, but then covers the noise with a feigned cough. “Right. And once I’ve repaid this…debt, what then?”
Leaving the doorway, I stalk toward her, enjoying how she backs herself against the dresser, her hands bracing themselves on the surface behind her.
My eyes roam over every inch of her form as if I already own her. She’s a mess, but underneath the soiled clothes and two-day-old makeup, I can still discern her beauty. The fire in her eyes remains, despite her attempts at coyness. Her onyx-colored tresses cascade down her back, albeit tangled due to lack of care.
The temptation to touch her again, to feel the heat of her skin beneath mine, courses through me, but I restrain myself. “You want to know what happens once you’ve repaid your debt?” I appraise her once more, drawing out the answer while she nods and swallows hard. “You’ll simply have to wait and see, Little Raven.”
There’s a hitch in her shoulders as her chest expands. My words render her silent, and I turn to leave the room, this time not stopping until the bedroom door is closed behind me. I linger for a moment, listening intently until I hear the open and close of the drawers, followed by the echo of her footsteps heading further from the door, presumably toward the bathroom.
The amount of satisfaction that blooms within me at knowing this woman will be sleeping in my bed tonight isn’t good, but the more I’m around her, the more I seem to enjoy the torture she brings me by knowing I shouldn’t touch her.
She’s just as affected by me, and not just because I frighten her. I see it in her eyes and with every breath she takes when I go near her. Fucking her would be another unexpected event that I shouldn’t enjoy.
But that’s not going to happen. Control isn’t something I’ll let myself lose with this woman. Not when I’m so intrigued by her. I’ll keep her just close enough to use and protect, and when I’m done with her, she’ll sign the world’s most ironclad non-disclosure agreement before being shoved out the door.
That’s the only solution that keeps everything moving the way it should. Olivia Danes doesn’t belong in my world, and I won’t give up everything I’ve worked toward for anyone.
Though, none of that means I can’t enjoy pushing her beyond her comforts over and over again, just to see what it takes to break this woman.
10
OLIVIA
The scalding water cascades over my exhausted body, providing a soothing respite, while allowing me to relish in the sensation of warmth and cleanliness, something I vow to never take for granted again.
After I’ve turned off the water and wrapped a fluffy cotton towel around my body, steam fills the bathroom, continuing to warm me to my core. As I stand in front of the double-sink vanity, I reach for a smaller hand towel and use that to wipe the mirror. Once my reflection appears, I grab one of the provided makeup wipes and remove what I couldn’t get in the shower.
Next, I put very minty toothpaste onto a fancy electric toothbrush. The act of brushing my teeth in front of a sink, rather than over the wretched bucket in the cell, feels remarkably refreshing.