“Just driving by?” That didn’t seem like enough to make him so alert.

Another shrug was all he offered me. He did move away from the window, though. Eyeing me with an unreadable expression, he sighed and seemed to hesitate before speaking again.

“Just driving by?” I asked again, refusing to be kept from any details that I felt I needed to know.

“It seems like that.”

“But you’re suspicious.”

He nodded, smirking. “Hard not to be.”

I arched a brow, leaning up to sit while keeping the sheets over me. “What… kind of men?”

He stared down at me, roving his gaze up the length of my body hidden from his sight. “What do you mean?”

“Just because you fucked my brains out doesn’t mean you can act like I’m suddenly dumb now. Avilov. Did they look like anyone Mr. Avilov would employ?”

He rubbed a hand over his face and sighed. “No. Not yet, at least.”

“What would you do if it was someone who worked for Mr. Avilov?” I asked. I didn’t want to know the answer. My gut told me that despite his having sex with me last night, he’d hand me over. He was duty-bound. I didn’t know everything about him, but I felt confident that I was correct in that assessment.

“I was tasked with bringing you home. For Lev Avilov to collect you from your father.”

“But if they showed up here?—”

“If Lev showed up here, in the jungle?” He tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “Then he’d take you.”

My stomach tensed. “You’d hand me over?” I snapped my fingers. “Just like that?”

He snapped. “Just like that. It’s the result I’m collaborating for.”

“You would just give me up.” I kneeled on the bed, letting the sheet fall so he could see all of me. All that he’d desired last night. Still, he walked around the bed, ignoring me.

“You’re notmine, Nadia.”

But I felt like it after last night.

“You’re notmineto give up. You belong to him. Not me.”

I stood, rushing to grab the clothes he must have found for me. They were folded, waiting at the foot of the bed. Now that he could be so cruel as to dismiss me—with words—I wanted the safety of clothing to hide me from his eyes again.

“No. You slept with me.” I scowled at him as I pulled shorts on. “We had sex.”

“I was there. I do remember that part.”

I growled, hating his cocky, taunting tone. “You took my virginity.”

He nodded. “I did.”

“So I can’t go to Lev now.” I’d use whatever excuse I could.

“Bullshit. Your virginity wasn’t a requirement for your marriage. Arranged marriages happen every day in our world. And virgins aren’t always a necessity.”

Dammit.I wrestled to get the shirt on, annoyed at how tight this bra was.

As he rolled his eyes, amused with my struggle, he came closer. “Want help?”

I scowled and stepped away.