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Besides, Cat had the potential to be my way out of that house, depending on how she took the news. It was worth the risk.
"I'm from a fairly prominent family here in the city, and your brother captured me while I was in a lecture. He did it for his boss, but now he's insisting we get married to 'keep me safe.' I don't know if he's doing it to get back at me and my family, or if he's really that deluded, but he won't understand why I'm resisting him," I explained, feeling as my anger melted into genuine sadness again. "He's making me feel like I'm crazy for not wanting to be forced into any marriage, but I've been stuck in this room for days, so maybe I am losing my mind."
Empathy flooded Catherine's eyes as she approached me and sat beside me on the bed. "I don't think you're crazy, Anastasia. I think this is a reasonable response to being locked away."
"Nik doesn't seem to think so," I murmured, at the breaking point with everything. Tears burned in the corner of my eyes. "My family has no idea where I am, and I miss them. He won't let me see them."
"I'm sorry this is happening," she said, seemingly to calm me down. "Everything will be alright. I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding. I don't know why my brother would ever do this, but I do know he wouldn't go through all this trouble for just anyone."
"What do you mean?"
Catherine shrugged. "I've never seen him so set on anything else before, let alone feel the need to marry anyone. I can only imagine he feels so strongly about this for a reason."
I didn't expect the blush that crept up my neck at that, but my mind immediately went back to the night we met.
He had been so tender and passionate with me, which made everything else sting even more. It was hard to believe that he was capable of kidnapping anyone, and it gave Cat's claim some weight.
As much as I didn't want to give in to him, I was at least moved that he would even consider my safety.
Still, it didn't take away the harm caused.
"I don't see how keeping me locked in here would keep me safe," I said, hit by another wave of exhaustion.
Regardless of having unlimited access to naps, I hadn't slept soundly since I was shoved in the bedroom and left to try and understand it all.
Between fighting with Nik and going through mental obstacles, I didn't know how much more I could take of it.
Cat's face softened. "If it helps, I'll try to talk with Nik about not locking you up anymore. Hopefully, you two can come to some sort of agreement, at least."
That flicker of hope within my chest felt like something worth holding on to, and Cat suddenly became my light at the end of the tunnel.
It didn't sound like complete freedom, but being let out of that bedroom would be a considerable upgrade.
"That would mean a lot, Catherine. Thank you for being a voice of reason."
A small smile appeared on her face. "Of course. I do have one question, though. Did you two meet in Europe?"
Even hearing her mention it was enough to make my heart squeeze at the memories that had once been positive in my mind.
So much had changed since then, and it was impossible to know if we could ever return to that time of connection and tenderness.
Sighing, I nodded.
As if the pieces connected in her mind, Cat lit up slightly. "Nik seemed withdrawn ever since the trip, and I suspected that something happened. Of course, he wouldn't tell me, but I guess that was where his anger came from."
"Things weren't this bad between us then," I explained, losing myself in those thoughts. "We got along, but he was the one who rejected me. If anyone should be mad about how things worked out, it should be me."
"I think you're right," Cat murmured, offering me a look of support. "Now that I know you exist, I'm sure I'll finally be able to get some information out of him. Fingers crossed, anyway."
"When you understand what's going through his head, will you let me know? I've been trying to figure that out myself."
She let out a small laugh, surely amused by how right I was. With a nod, she returned, "I will. Even if I don't understand the nuances here, I hope you two can work it out. I wouldn't mind having a fun sister-in-law."
As much as I wanted to take it as a compliment, the implications still brought a tinge of sadness over me.
If Nik did force the marriage, then I'd belong to a family I didn't even know. My entire world would be different, and the thought of not being in control of that was terrifying.
Regardless, I pulled a weak smile for her.
