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We watched the show in companionable silence, laughing and gasping together at the appropriate moments.

I kept glancing over at William, wondering what it would be like if I slid over closer to him on the couch. What his hand would feel like holding mine. How he would react if I kissed him.

But that was crazy. Sure, he was hot, but he worked for the mob. And I had been sold as a sex slave to his boss and gifted to him. And now I was a prisoner in his apartment. This situation was absolutely insane and I should’ve loathed William.

But none of this was his fault. And he’d been nothing but polite, respectful, and accommodating. Was it really so crazy that I felt myself becoming attracted to him?

Oh, God, was I completely losing my mind?

Chapter Six

William

I couldn’t stop thinking about Cara.

I mean, it was hard not to, with her in my apartment 24/7. At night, I lay in bed, thinking about her sleeping just a few yards away from me in the other room. I wondered what she would do if I got up, crossed the few steps to her room, and climbed into bed with her, pressing my warm body against hers, the way I’d been fantasizing more and more lately…

But of course, I wouldn’t do that.

It wouldn’t be right. I’d promised not to touch her, and I couldn’t take advantage of her. She was suffering enough as it was, being cooped up in the apartment all day with James’ goonies waiting right outside to do who-knows-what to her if she tried to leave.

I still couldn’t figure out how to set her free safely without James knowing. If I simply dropped her off at her dorm or her house, James would surely find out, kidnap her again, and punish her. Not to mention anyone he encountered along the way, like her friends or mother, wouldn’t have a chance, either.

Plus, James would be offended that I rejected his “gift,” and I could lose my position with the Cohen family. Or, even more likely, much, much worse. You couldn’t trust a guy like James, and you couldn’t dare cross him, either.

Cara and I discussed several options. If she wanted to be free immediately, I could have set her up with some money and a flight out of the country, somewhere James and his men would never find her. But she didn’t want that—she missed her old life, and why should she have to give up everything and start over alone in a strange country? I couldn’t blame her for not wanting it.

But the more time we spent together, the more I realized I was falling for her.

I knew she was young—only nineteen, actually, I discovered—and at thirty-eight, I had way more life experience than she had.

But Cara was very mature for her age, and she was a bright, sunny spot in my days filled with defending and making deals for the mob.

She represented everything good, everything unsullied by evil and darkness. According to James, she was even avirgin, for God’s sake.

As we spent more and more time getting to know each other, I think she came to trust me. We were something like friends or roommates, and we already had our own little inside jokes and routines.

I would either work from home in my office or go into work, then come home with takeout, and we would watch TV or play games or whatever until it was time to sleep.

It was the first time I’d ever really shared my life with another person, especially a woman. Was this what it was like to be in a relationship, but minus the sex and affection? Was this what I’d been missing out on all these years by avoiding relationships?

In a perfect world, James would forget all about Cara, she would reciprocate my feelings for her, and she could go back to school and her old life while still seeing me.

But I knew that would never happen.

There was no way she could see me that way. To her, I must have just been a shady guy with mob connections who was holding her hostage in his house.

It really didn’t feel like it, though. She was warm and friendly with me now, and maybe I was imagining it, but perhaps even a little flirtatious.

When we watched TV on the couch, she started moving closer to me, sometimes pressing her arm or thigh up against mine. I could feel the heat from her radiating through my skin and into my bones. I wanted so badly to reach over and ravish her, but I couldn’t.

And it wasn’t like I could blow off some steam with another woman while Cara was here. I didn’t like leaving her alone, and I wouldn’t disrespect her by bringing a woman home with her staying there.

So I thought about Cara… fantasized, really. Dirty things. Nasty things. But more often, sweet and romantic things.

I was obsessed with her.

Oh, God, I was in way over my head.

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