London

I couldn’t go down there.

My legs refused to move. I couldn’t hold my own weight. I hadn’t left the bed since Crewe walked out. The tears came and went. Just when they stopped, they’d start back up again. My chest carried a permanent ache that wouldn’t go away.

I considered jumping out the window and trying to break my neck. But from the second story, it just wasn’t high enough. Crewe seemed like a man with guns in the house, but I hadn’t found any.

How did my life come to this?

The day before I was dragged out of my bed in the middle of the night, I had just finished my rotation on the surgical floor. I was fascinated by my patients, genuinely concerned for their recovery and their lives. I felt a high, a rush from doing something meaningful.

Now I was here—about to become a slave.

Crewe walked into the bedroom, his brown eyes nearly black in anger. He called up to me twice, but I still didn’t obey. I wasn’t scared of his wrath, just in shock over what was about to happen.

“You’ll have to drag me out…” I tightened my arms around my waist and waited for his attack. “But I’ll fight you the whole way, kicking and screaming. And when Bones has me, I’ll do the same to him.”

Crewe slowly approached me, still looking down at me with a slight sneer. “New plan.”

I stared at him, my breathing all over the place. “What?”

“I sent Bones away because I’ve come up with a better idea, a better punishment.”

What punishment could possibly be worse than being that madman’s prisoner?

“You’re mine—forever.” He stared at me like he hated me, like I’d done something terrible to him within the past hour. “You’re my prisoner, my slave. You’ll do as I ask without me having to ask more than once. I’ll wear you on my arm everywhere I go, so everyone will know what I’ve done to Joseph Ingram.”

My arms dug into my waist as I gripped myself tightly. It seemed like I was missing a piece of the puzzle because this wasn’t adding up. I voluntarily slept with Crewe, obviously with an ulterior motive, but that was something I couldn’t have done with Bones no matter how hard I tried. Bile wouldn’t stop rising up my throat. From what I could see, being forced to do whatever he wanted was far better than going home with that asshole who gave me a black eye.

“You’ll never go home. You’ll never escape. This is your life until you die or I kill you myself.” His hand moved to my neck, squeezing me tightly. “Do you understand me?” When I didn’t answer fast enough, he gripped my chin and forced me to look at him. “Do you?”

All I could feel was relief. I never thought being Crewe’s prisoner would be a blessing, but in comparison to my previous fate, it was welcomed. Crewe was complicated and sinister, but he wasn’t evil like that other man. It actually seemed like I had a second chance at life, something to live for. “Yes.”

He released my chin.

“But I’ll never stop trying to escape. I’ll never obey your commands. I’ll never act like a dog. The only thing I accept is being your prisoner, but that doesn’t mean I’m a willing prisoner.”

That must have been enough because Crewe walked out.

When the door was shut, I cried again. But this time, they were tears of relief. I was so grateful that my heart was about to explode. It was the first surge of joy I’d had since I arrived here, and even though it was pathetic to be grateful for something so miserable, it didn’t change anything.

The tears fell.

I slept well for the first time in three days.

Nightmares didn’t haunt me. Bones didn’t assault me, grabbing my tits while he threw his head back and laughed. He didn’t break my bones or chase me with a baseball bat. All I dreamt of were the seals that swam along the coastline, sleeping on rocks until they accidentally rolled over and plummeted into the water.

The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed—and grateful.

I walked into the kitchen, my stomach rumbling. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten. I didn’t have much of an appetite for the past three days. My stomach was tied up in tense knots.

When I rounded the corner, I saw Crewe standing there. He was in a black t-shirt with matching running shorts. A line of sweat stained the fabric of his shirt around the neck, suggesting he’d just gone for a run. He sipped his coffee and looked out the window, seeming to be lost in his thoughts.

When I slept with him, I wasn’t to admit I enjoyed it. He was a very attractive man, dark and mysterious. While my mind was repulsed by him, my body didn’t feel the same way. As stupid as it was, I held a soft spot for him. He could have done whatever he wanted to me that one night. I had every intention of killing him, and even though he knew that, he still let me go.

I didn’t think he was as evil as he claimed to be.

No other man would have stopped what they were doing. The head of his cock was already inside me. My hands were pinned to my back, and he had a tight grip on my neck. There was nothing I could have done to get out of that hold.

But he let me go.

Crewe was still my enemy, so I couldn’t go soft on him. If I ever had the opportunity to escape, I would take it. If it ever came down to him or me, I knew I would pick myself in a heartbeat.

But I was still a woman.

My plan was to soften him up, to make him want me enough that he wouldn’t hand me over to Bones. If I made myself valuable to him, he would want to keep me. I wasn’t entirely sure if my plan had worked or not. After we slept together, he didn’t seem to have any affection toward me. In fact, it seemed like he hated me even more. His decision to change the punishment may have been coincidental, having something to do with Bones or the circumstance. I would never know because he would never tell me.

He must have seen me in the reflection of the glass because he spoke. “Sleep well?”

“Like a rock.”

He sipped his coffee and continued to stare out the window. He didn’t say anything else, still quiet in his repose.

Finley emerged from the kitchen, wearing a white chef jacket that went over his collared shirt and slacks. “I was just about to make breakfast for Mr. Donoghue. Would you like anything, Lady London?”

My stomach growled in response. Thankfully, I was the only one who heard it. “Please. I’ll eat anything.”

Crewe sipped his coffee again. “I’m glad you’ve finally changed your attitude. Most people would take advantage of having a personal chef.”

Finley ignored his master’s comments. “You’ll need to be more specific, Lady London. Because I can make anything.” He gave me an affectionate smile, warm in contradiction to Crewe’s coldness. He had wrinkles around his eyes, but they somehow made him comforting. He was the only person who was remotely nice to me here.

I should take advantage of that more often. “I’ll have whatever Mr. Donoghue is having.”

Crewe turned around and finally looked at me, the front of his shirt coated in sweat. “Call me Crewe—that’s it.” He stared me down, daring me to defy him in front of his butler. “Nothing else.”

All I did was nod.

“Mr. Donohue likes egg whites with a side of grilled greens,” Finley explained. “Would you like that as well?”

I couldn’t stop myself from cringing. “Yuck, absolutely not. Who the hell eats that for breakfast?”

“A man who looks like this.” He moved his hand across his rock-hard abs, making a point.

I rolled my eyes. “Arrogance isn’t sexy.”

“I’m confident,” he corrected.

“Confidence is quiet,” I argued. “And you aren’t quiet.”

Instead of being angry, the corner of his lip rose in a smile. “You’re cute when you’re a smartass.”

Both of my eyebrows rose. “Are you flirting with me?”

“No. If I were flirting with you, you’d be bent over the kitchen table by now.” The corner of his mouth was still raised in a smile, but his eyes smoldered with intent.

My cheeks flushed since Finley was standing right there, listening to all of this.

Finley spoke as if he didn’t hear a single thing. “Then what would you like, Lady London?”

“You can just call me London.” The title was unnecessary.

“No,” Crewe interrupted. “You’re to call her Lady London.”

Finley didn’t object.

But I did. “If I want to be addressed by my name, that’s how I’ll be addressed.”

“Not in this house,” Crewe threatened. “I own everything under this roof—including you.”

I shot him a disgusted look. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that?”

“Would you say I’m better than Bones?” he countered. “Because I’ll gladly hand you over to him if that’s where you want to be.” He covered up his smile by sipping his coffee.

Now I really hated him.

“What will it be, Lady London?” Finley asked. “I can whip up anything, especially American delicacies.”

The thought of food made me forget Crewe. “Can you make pancakes?”

“The fluffiest pancakes in the world,” Finley said with a smile. “Anything else?”

“Bacon and eggs?” I asked hopefully. “Maybe some toast?”

“Of course. Coming right up.” Finley pulled items out of the fridge and got to work. “Have a seat and drink some coffee.”

I moved to a chair at the table and cupped the mug with my hands, feeling the warmth.

Crewe continued to lean against the counter as he stared at me. “That’s a big appetite for one person.”

“Not when you haven’t eaten in three days.”

He chuckled under his breath and took a seat across from me at the table. I preferred this table to the one in the other room, where I sat naked and Bones grabbed my tits like he already owned my body without paying for it. Crewe sipped his coffee and stared at me head-on, his gaze dark and intimidating. I felt like I was being stripped naked with just his expression.

I refused to be intimidated by this man. I didn’t believe he was as dangerous as he claimed. He never hurt me unless I gave him a reason to, and he did listen to me if I begged enough. I was actually grateful to be sitting across from him right now—and not that other man.

Finley placed the dishes on the table. “Enjoy.” He left the room and gave us privacy. Crewe’s small plate was unremarkable, just eggs and vegetables.

That wasn’t breakfast.

I dumped syrup on my pancakes then took a bite of bacon, feeling the crunch between my teeth. Without thinking, I moaned at the taste, my stomach on the verge of ecstasy.

Crewe watched me, partially smiling. “I’ve never seen a woman eat like that.”

“Like what?” I asked. “Like a real person who eats food? Do you only spend time with supermodels?”

He grinned. “There it is again.”

“What?” I grabbed my fork and cut into my eggs.

“The tone of jealousy.” He set his coffee down and grabbed his fork.

“What?” I asked incredulously. “I’m not jealous.”

“You obviously picture the kind of women I sleep with and assume they must be supermodels. And you’re right. I’ve never slept with a woman who wasn’t absolutely stunning.” He took a bite of his food and stared me down while chewing, his jaw working silently.

I knew he purposely complimenting me, but I refused to be flattered. “The only woman I’m jealous of is Ariel—because she gets to go home every day.”

“But she’s never truly off the clock. She works from home a lot.”

“Doing what?” I didn’t totally understand what Crewe did for a living. He said he sold intelligence, but what did that mean, exactly? He didn’t seem to be a government official to any particular country.

“A lot of things. She’s the biggest cog in my machine.” He took another bite, nearly finishing his food because his meal was so small. “Wouldn’t know what to do without her.”

“Now I am a little jealous.”

He smiled. “I figured. You’re the jealous type.”

“I’m jealous that you respect her so much, but you don’t show me any respect.” This man obviously wasn’t as much of a pig as he claimed to be. Ariel wasn’t a slave under his orders. She was free to do whatever she wanted, and he obviously trusted her.

“Why would I show you any respect if you haven’t earned it?”

“Excuse me?” Both of my eyebrows rose. “I’ve been locked up here for weeks, and I haven’t had a break down or killed myself. You bet your ass I deserve some respect.”

He sipped his coffee, not seeming to care about what I just said. “It takes a lot more than that to impress me, Lovely.”

I wanted to ask him to stop calling me that, but it was pointless. “So, what now? You’re just going to keep me here forever?”

“Among other things,” he said vaguely.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“How about you don’t worry your pretty little head over it?” He cut into his greens and took a few bites.

“I’m not some airhead. You must have some idea of what you’re going to do with me. I deserve to know.”

“Your sense of entitlement confuses me.” He chewed slowly, drawing out the seconds between speaking. “I told you that you’re my property now—indefinitely. You do as I ask when I ask you to do it. Your life is no longer your own. So you don’t deserve anything.”

I wanted to strangle him. Just that morning, I was grateful he didn’t let Bones take me away. But now I wanted to kill him all over again.

“Once you accept that, you’ll come to appreciate the opportunity you’ve been given.”

“Opportunity?” I practically gagged the word out. “You consider slavery to be an opportunity?”

He swallowed, his throat shifting in the process. His chin was covered with thick stubble, and it reached down his throat. “I’m one of the most powerful men in the world. I’m richer than most countries. You’re never more safe or more wealthy than you are when you’re with me. You can have anything you could possibly dream of.”

“That’s useless if the one thing I want is freedom.”

“Freedom is overrated,” he said coldly. “You think paying a massive amount in student loans just to get an education is freedom? You think being taxed a ridiculous amount every year while you save lives is freedom? You think living in a country where you’ll always be deemed less qualified than a man is freedom?” He shook his head slightly. “There’s a lot more to life than that, Lovely. I can show you the world. I can show you things you can’t even conceive of in that smart brain of yours. Instead of bitching and complaining all the time, shut up and appreciate what’s right in front of you.”