“What?” I struggled to peel my eyes open, a considerably difficult feat when his tender attentions were lulling me into relaxation.
“I’m leaving you free to access the whole penthouse while I’m out today,” he informed me. “The kitchen is stocked for your breakfast, and I’ll try to come back and have lunch with you if I have time. But if you need anything else, I want you to have a way to get in touch with me.”
My mind was far too slow and sleepy to follow these unbelievable statements.
Before I could come up with a reply, he continued on. “This phone is programmed with my number. I’ve blocked all other calls from the device, so you will only be able to contact me.” He tapped a burner phone that he’d set on the nightstand. “There should be plenty of food for you in the fridge, and I don’t anticipate that you will need anything, but I want you to know that you can call me.”
One very basic question took up most of the space in my brain: What the fuck is happening right now?
I pushed past my sheer bewilderment and searched for a more pointed query that might help me ascertain Stefano’s game. “Aren’t you worried about giving me access to the entire penthouse?”
I gauged his level of trust in me. Surely, he couldn’t possibly believe that I’d been broken by a single orgasm.
He smiled and ruffled my hair. “Don’t worry. I’ve kitten-proofed everything. No TV or electronics that might connect to the internet, and no sharp knives. I don’t think you want to kill me anymore, but I’ll spare you the temptation. I even bought a new book for you to pass the time today, in order to keep your mind occupied elsewhere.” He gestured at the thick, hardcover volume beneath the burner phone.
“You’re being awfully trusting.” I delicately prodded for more information. I didn’t believe for one second that an orgasm had made Stefano foolish enough to leave me in a scenario where I could gain the upper hand in his absence.
“And you’re being awfully suspicious. I told you that you don’t have to be miserable with me, and I mean it. I think you’re starting to understand that now, so I’m nudging you toward acceptance. There’s no reason for me to chain you up if you have no reason to fight me. This is a show of good faith on my part.”
His smile softened, and his fingertips traced the furrow in my brow. “You don’t have to be scared anymore, kitten. I know it’s hard, but you’ll believe it eventually.”
My heart twisted in my chest, a painful reminder of the secrets he’d plucked from my soul last night. Stefano had stripped me down to nothing, ruthlessly tearing through my pride and my anger to find the fear that festered at my core. It was deeply rooted in my psyche, essential to my survival. My fear told me to trust no one, and that kept me alive.
Stefano’s watch buzzed, and he shot an irritated glance at his wrist.
“I have to go,” he announced. “We’ll talk more later.”
He brushed a kiss over my cheek and walked out of the bedroom. My brain stalled as I watched him leave. Was he really not going to chain me up?
I waited in bed for a full minute before I got to my feet, barely registering a twinge of pain against my healing cuts.
I can run if I need to. That thought comforted me, lessening some of the sickening unease that knotted my stomach.
Moving cautiously, I made my way into the lounge. Everything was in its usual place, and I appeared to be alone.
I checked every room, walking around the perimeter of each in order to thoroughly assess my cage. It seemed larger than before, but I was still Stefano’s captive.
I’d thought I was successfully manipulating him, protecting my mind by offering limited access to my body. He’d seen right through me, but he’d allowed me to believe I was deceiving him for days, providing himself ample time to discover all of my physical vulnerabilities.
He’d used those weaknesses to crack me open, leaving my soul raw and exposed. Without my anger and defiance, I was more vulnerable than I’d ever been. Even in childhood, I’d quickly learned that an icy demeanor kept me isolated, protected.
Now, I was a captive for the second time in my life. I’d survived the hell of my first prison through sheer stubbornness.
Stefano was trying to convince me that I didn’t need my stubbornness to protect me. He lured me with promises that he would protect me, tempting me to drop all of the defenses that would safeguard me from him.
Leaving myself defenseless was a good way to end up dead. Or worse.
My stomach lurched, and I swallowed against the sudden urge to vomit. Until this moment, I hadn’t fully accepted that I was already in the or worse scenario.