Page 11 of Taken By Him

Does she trust her surroundings enough to fall so deeply asleep? Or has she always slept like the dead? I know nothing about this woman, other than what I’ve been able to dig up—which wasn’t much. I know her father has magically kept her separated from his business dealings. She attended a private high school, then went to the University of Chicago where she received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.

Everything else about her though is a mystery. It won’t matter. There’s time to find out, if I have the need.

“Kasia,” I say her name roughly, shaking her shoulder gently at first, then harder when she remains lost to sleep.

She jumps away, whipping her hand up from her knees to ward off an attack. Sitting upright, she scrambles across the bed to the other side, blinking as she tries to bring the room into focus.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” I say, holding out my hands. “You were sleeping hard.”

She rubs the heels of her hands into her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” When she drops her hands, her mascara is smeared beneath her eyes. It’s not much, a shadow at best. She’d been up all night, of course she fell asleep.

“I hadn’t intended to be so long coming up.” I straighten and slide my hands into my pockets. I’ve changed out of my suit and am wearing a pair of loose-fitting slacks and a black button-down long-sleeved shirt. Her gaze wanders over me, like she’s looking for something.

“Why am I here?” she asks, folding her legs behind her and crawling backward off the bed. Now that the queen-sized bed is between us, she’s found some bravery.

“I think your father made that pretty clear,” I say, keeping my eyes locked on her.

“Marriage, yeah, I know. But why am I here now? Why couldn’t I stay home until the wedding?” she pushes.

“It’s safer here.” My actions will come with consequences. But as much as I don’t want her to have to pay for them, I also don’t want my enemies to use her against me.

Her shoulders drop and for a second, I think she’s going to let it go. She should let it go. Too many questions can be dangerous.

“Why is it safer here?” She emphasizes the first word. I don’t miss how her hands fist at her sides, gathering the material of her shirt.

There’s a little pink starting to tint her high cheekbones. There’s fire there, beneath the surface.

“It’s enough that it is.” I dismiss her question without answering it. “It’s important that you understand a few things.”

“It’s not enough that you say it is.” She cuts me off. Her eyes widen. Does her outburst surprise even her?

“Kasia—”

“No. I deserve to know. I may not get a say in where my father sends me, or who he sells me to, but I deserve to at least know why it’s dangerous for me to be at my own home.” Her heart must be hammering in her chest; I can see the pulsation in her neck.

She’s not wrong. But I can’t tolerate her tone.

“Kasia, I understand this is all confusing and new and a little scary. But don’t raise your voice to me,” I say, putting my finger up when she looks ready to launch again. “It’s better that you’re here now. This is your home now,” I say.

“Why?” she asks me, but she’s not asking about where she’ll be living now. She wants to know why she’s engaged to me. Why I wanted her.

“It serves my purpose.” I won’t lie to her. I won’t always tell her everything she wants to know, but I won’t lie.

“And what purpose could I possibly serve?” she asks, her voice dropping. Her irritation is building again. “The agreement between your father and mine was for my sister. It’s way past the time you were supposed to take her.” She pauses, a flicker of pain flashes but disappears. “Were you not able to buy another bride? You had to circle back to my family?”

“Kasia, I’m trying to be patient today because I’m sure this is all overwhelming. But if you keep this up, raising your voice, I’m not going to be able to let it go for long.” I stalk around the bed, keeping my gaze locked with hers while I make way to where she’s standing. I’m a little surprised, and even a bit impressed, when the heat in her stare doesn’t die as I approach. I expected her to cower, but instead, she looks ready to battle.

“Patient? Do you have any idea how messed up this is?” She raises her chin. “I’m not a thing to be bought.” I think she’s told herself that over and over again, but this is the first time she’s allowed herself to give voice to it.

“One.” I raise a finger in the air, pressing it to her chin. “I didn’t buy you. Maybe that’s something your father does, buys and sells women, but not me. So, I don’t want to hear you say that again,” I say.

She steels her expression too quickly for me to get a real sense of her reaction.

“How did you get my father to agree to this, then?” She doesn’t know details, but I think she knows more about the world her feather lives in than he told me. She’s smart.

“You don’t need to know about that.” I move my finger from her chin, up along her cheek, gathering her thick hair and tucking it behind her ear. There are pearl teardrops dangling delicately from her earlobes. These aren’t costume jewelry. They’re real. Expensive, too, with the diamond studs.

“Of course not.” She pulls away from my touch. Her tone sours. Maybe the nap wasn’t good for her. She’s woken up with a vengeance.

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