Page 59 of Take the Sub and Run

Agent Baas’s eye twitched at the pet name. She’d asked for a briefing on Andrei’s relationship to Sofie, and he’d been a coward and said it was classified as it related to the Alibi initiative. That was also why they were on the ground floor of the building, in what had probably once been the security office but now served as a cozy meeting space. He and Landon had hauled down chairs, the decadent things looking entirely out of place with the industrial carpeting and beige walls.

Sofie studied him for a moment, then turned back to the woman who’d driven out to conduct the interview.

“I want him here.”

The question was why. Why did she want him here. If it was just a matter of someone familiar, it would make much more sense for Colette to be here.

Maybe it was because he'd shown up right after she was attacked, which slotted him into “rescuer” in her head. Except he’d then arrested her.

And maybe it was because of the connection they forged that first night. He'd been the first person to ever touch her intimately. Had he known that, he would have done every damn thing differently, but he hadn't. He'd put her through intense situations, then given her emotional whiplash. It made sense that she would feel some kind of attachment to him, given everything that had happened.

What made less sense was his attachment to her. Because he did feel something for this woman.

He felt protective even before seeing that message from her father.

The rage and fear that he had gripped him when he saw those men standing over her in her bedroom was unlike anything Andrei had ever experienced before. The acuity of the emotion was terrifying.

And beyond any of that, he just wanted to spend time with her. He loved the seeming contradiction of her. She was both blunt and shy. She blushed easily, and yet spoke her mind. She was funny, smart…

And deeply sexually submissive.

Andrei’s teeth ached as he clenched his jaw, fighting to push away that thought.

“I’m going to start the recording.” Agent Baas leaned over and clicked on the small video camera she’d set up on the counter still mounted to one wall.

The agent went through the standard start of interview protocols, getting all the necessary consents on the record.

Sofie answered each question while showing no visible emotion.

“Do you understand why we’re conducting this interview, Ms. Vermeer?”

“You think my father is forcing me to work, and that’s illegal.”

“Forcing anyone to work is illegal. But tell me about your father. What’s his name?”

Sofie shook her head, her expression flickering. “No. I won’t talk about him.”

“That’s fine. You mentioned to Agent Leonard that you were adopted. Do you remember your birth family?”

“No. I was adopted when I was young.”

“How young?”

“Maybe six or seven.”

“And you have no memories before that?” Agent Baas asked gently.

Sofie shook her head and Andrei winced. Lack of memories was rarely a sign of a happy childhood.

“Do you remember where you were born?”

Sofie shook her head.

“After you were adopted, where did you live?”

“My house.”

“The house you were at earlier?”

---