Page 30 of Arianna

“You could set me free and rid yourself of the burden of taking care of me.” I try to persuade him.

“I could.” He types for a second longer before shoving his phone back into his dressed pants.

“I’ll find a way to free myself then.” He won’t budge. This is clear by his nonchalant attitude. Dammit.

“You should.” He steps closer to me, and all I can focus on is how his eyes laugh at me. Only enraging me further. God, I am an atrocious mess around this man, and I have only just met him. “In fact, I wish to see you try, but we both know that you care a little too much about the people you left back home, and we both also know what will happen to them if daddy dearest were to find out you bailed on this deal, darling.”

The condescending asshole.

The evil, sadistic moth—

His grin widens from ear to ear. “Now, be a good girl and behave.”

I scoff at that. “Never.”

A small smile forms on his face before he reaches forward, takes a chopped strand of my hair and twirls it around his thick finger. “Such anger…”

I choose to ignore the flip of my stomach when he inches closer.

“How would you feel if you were sold like a piece of unwanted cattle to a stranger and your life no longer belonged to you?” I slap his hand away, suddenly angry at his callous way of disregarding this feeling of impotence currently cursing through my body. He does not owe me anything. I know this, but still, it angers me.

He is in deep thought for a long second. “You are free to do what you wish here, but you will keep a low profile if you wish to keep your sisters safe.”

Lifting my chin, I say, “Don’t threaten me.”

He then shrugs. “Take it as you will. I don’t care for theatrics. Just do as you are told, and try not to be a brat, yes? I know that might be difficult for you.”

A brat.

I have to remind myself that this man has my life in his hands, and if I step out of line, I’ll pay the consequences, whether, with my life or my sisters, and as angry as I am with how it all went down, I still wouldn’t do anything that would jeopardize them. “You’re an asshole,” I say, narrowing my eyes up at him.

His eyes gleam as he says, “I am.”

At least he recognizes it. Although I want the insults to make an impact, he does not care. It does nothing.

“You don’t care that you’re ruining my life, do you?”

“From this view, darling, I think we both might agree that I saved you from a more tragic fate. Now, remember what I said.” He steps back from me and buttons his suit.

The sun is almost gone, and the colors in the sky are fading and turning dark.

I refuse to admit it, but he is right. I have no one on my side. I have no one to call for help. I have nothing to my name. I left Detroit with only the clothes on my back.

I cannot act impulsively because that will get me nowhere.

I might have lost a lot in the past couple of hours, but not all is lost. This man could have sold me or used me as my father expected, but he is doing neither.

He is leaving me alone. But… why?

Then his words from earlier hit me full force.

You can stop fighting now, Arianna. The war is over.

“What did you mean when you said I can stop fighting now?” He is walking back to the house, almost reaching the gate that separates the house from the sand. He turns, but not all the way.

“You’re safe here. He will not hurt you anymore. Not as long as you’re under my care, darling.” With that, he steps inside the house and leaves me on my own.

Darling.

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