I raise an eyebrow at him. “Why?”
He shrugs. “I want you by my side.”
There is more he isn’t telling me. But I won’t get my answers unless I go. “Okay, I’ll go with you. What should I wear?”
“Something that makes you feel powerful and strong.”
His words have me worried I’m going to need all my strength to get through the meeting tonight.
But I do as he says. I change into a scarlet dress with plunging cleavage, while Caspian changes into a tuxedo.
His eyes never leave me as we dress, and mine never leave his. We both give promises of what we are going to do to each other when we return to the hotel room. But we keep our distance, or we will never leave the room in the first place. And as much as I want to stay in and let Caspian fuck me, I also want to leave. I want to enjoy a night with Caspian that isn’t about sex, especially after our fun game in the car. I want a light, care-free night where I get more insight into his work.
“Ready, princess?” Caspian asks, holding out his arm to me as I finish applying red lipstick.
“As ready as I’ll be when I don’t know what we are doing or where we are going.”
He stills, and I know he is considering telling me more, but then he changes his mind.
I grab his arm. “I promise it will be a pleasant surprise.”
This has me even more intrigued, but I don’t ask. I will find out soon enough.
Caspian leads me out of our hotel room, and to my surprise, no guards are sitting outside waiting for us to leave. We head down only one floor to where the hotel restaurant sits below our penthouse.
“Mr. Conti, your guest has already arrived. I’ll show you to your table,” the maître d’ says.
Caspian leads me through the beautiful restaurant. At least I’ll have a nice dinner in a gorgeous place.
Caspian leans down and whispers in my ear as we walk. “You want your freedom. After last night, I think I can give you a tiny piece of freedom. Revenge is freedom.”
I don’t understand what his words mean until we approach the table, arm in arm looking like the king and queen. I recognize the man at the table, and I realize immediately what Caspian is offering when he says I can get revenge.
Because sitting at the table is one of the men I hate most in the world.
Roman.
“Roman,” I say, letting his name hang in the air.
Roman looks up at me. He recognized my voice, but he doesn’t recognize the woman standing in front of him. I’ve been tortured, beaten, and raped. I should be weaker, but Caspian showed me how strong I am. And tonight, Roman is going to understand as well.
Caspian pulls out a chair, and I take a seat. Caspian takes his own seat.
“Gia, what a wonderful surprise to see you,” Roman says, looking from me to Caspian. There is no fear in Roman’s eyes, but there should be.
“I didn’t realize you owned any women, Caspian,” Roman says, using Caspian’s first name instead of his last, like I’ve heard all of Caspian’s other business associates address him.
“I don’t,” Caspian answers.
Caspian’s answer shocks the hell out of me, but I don’t let Roman know. If Caspian doesn’t own me, then what the hell are we doing?
Roman chuckles. “Whatever you say. I’m glad you brought us some eye candy while we discuss our deal.”
“I’m not eye candy,” I say, glaring at Roman, trying to figure out how I’m going to kill him. Right now, cutting out his ton
gue so he can’t speak to me like that is my first step.
“Really? Because that is what you look like to me,” Roman says.