Page 6 of Merciless Proposal

I’ve never been a daughter to him, not really. I’ve been a pawn, just like everyone else in his orbit—a tool to be used, nothing more.

How do I tell Jace? I want to believe he’d be kind, that he’d listen and maybe even understand. But there’s always the chance he wouldn’t. Turning me in would mean less trouble for him and his crew.

“They think we took her?” Jace’s voice cuts through the silence, closer than I expected. My body tenses as I hear him pacing on the other side of the door, his tone sharp with frustration. “They have to know we’re not stupid, Red. We don’t need a bargaining chip. We won. We shut down that trafficking ring.”

I realize I’ve been holding my breath and suck in air so fast it feels like my lungs might burst. My heart pounds like adrumbeat in my ears, but it doesn’t drown out his next words—the ones that make my stomach lurch.

“Well, if we find her, we’ll give her back,” he sighs heavily, his tone clipped. “God, this is so stupid. I’m glad we saved those girls, but maybe we shouldn’t have jumped into this mission so quickly. Seems like it’s way more trouble than it’s worth.”

The world tilts. My legs feel unsteady as the weight of his words settles over me, suffocating and cold. I take an unsteady step backward, my hands trembling. Gripping the hem of the sweatshirt he gave me, I try to still them, but it’s no use.

I feel like I’m going to collapse. I need to sit down before the floor gives way beneath me.

Before I can make it back to the bed, Jace ends his call abruptly. I freeze, my mind racing as I stare at the door, wide-eyed. Fight, flight, or fawn—that’s how it works, right? I need a plan, and fast.

The door swings open, and Jace’s eyes immediately land on me. He looks surprised, the hint of a question flickering across his face. He doesn’t ask it, but I know what he’s wondering: How much did she hear?

I quickly school my expression and let my body sag slightly, deciding to play tired.

“You weren’t in bed,” I murmur, rubbing my eye for effect and pitching my voice low and groggy. “I woke up and came to find you.”

His shoulders relax, and the tension drains from his stance. Whatever suspicions he had vanish.

“Oh, I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he says, his tone soft. “It was just some business stuff. Nothing for you to worry about.”

“Are you sure?” I tilt my head, letting my lips form a small pout, my hand brushing my hair sleepily.

“I’m sure,” he says with conviction, stepping forward to pull me into a hug. He kisses my forehead, his voice dropping to a reassuring murmur. “You’ve been so brave, Natalia. You don’t have to worry about anything anymore. I’ll take care of you. I promise.”

I melt into his arms, letting his warmth envelop me even as my mind spins with doubts.

Would he keep that promise if he knew the truth? If he knew who I was—and what I’d done—would he still hold me like this? Still care about keeping me safe? Or would he just hand me over to my father without a second thought?

I want to believe in him, to think that he’d protect me no matter what. But after overhearing his conversation, I know better than to trust blindly.

“Can we go back to bed?” I ask, tilting my face up to his and letting my voice go soft and pleading. Maybe if I stay close, I can ignore the fact that my life hangs in such a fragile balance. “I’m still tired.”

“Of course we can,” he says without hesitation, scooping me up effortlessly. His hands press against me as he adjusts his grip, holding me tightly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you woke up.”

“It’s okay,” I whisper, resting my head against his shoulder. For now, it is okay. This closeness will give me time—time to think, to plan, to figure out how I’ll survive. If I can’t convince him to let me stay, I’ll have to find a way to explain myself to my father.

“You’re here now,” I say softly, closing my eyes against the fear still gnawing at the edges of my thoughts.

“I’ll always be here for you, Natalia,” Jace says as he lies us both in the plush sheets. “I promise.”

God, I hope that he’s telling the truth. Otherwise, I’ll be completely on my own.

Chapter Five

JACE

When I climb into bed, Natalia shifts closer to me, crawling over until her head rests on my chest. I wrap my arms around her and hold her tightly. She’s trembling, just enough for me to notice. My gut twists—I don’t need to guess why. She probably overheard some of the call, even though she tried to play it off.

I can’t blame her. She knows I’m involved in serious shit. She’s likely scared, wondering if she’s tangled in something too dangerous, or worse, that she might be in trouble just for being here.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” I say softly, running soothing circles along her back. My voice drops lower, a quiet promise. “I don’t know what you heard, but I swear it’s nothing you need to worry about. My guys are handling it.”

“Yeah,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper, unsteady. “I know.”

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