"Yes." He tugs my hair, tilting my head back, exposing my throat. "I saw it in the bathroom. That flash of darkness when you stopped being afraid and became something else. And I'm going to pull it out of you again. Make you show me what you're really hiding underneath all this terror."
My legs are shaking so hard I can barely stay upright. My pulse is hammering everywhere, throat, wrists, between mythighs. And I'm so turned on I can't think straight, can't process anything except his hand in my hair, his breath on my skin, and the ache building inside me that I don't understand.
Please, Lev, just fuck me and end this damn assault from my own body.
He releases me suddenly, stepping back like nothing happened.
Like he didn't just threaten to break me while making me so aroused I can barely breathe.
"Your room has been moved to the east wing. Third door on the left. You'll start your new duties tomorrow morning." He moves to his desk and picks up a file. Dismissing me like I'm nothing. "Elena will brief you on Mila's full routines. Don't be late."
I stand there trembling, confused, aroused, terrified, unable to process the shift.
"That's all, Valerie. You can go."
I don’t go, I run.
Out of his office, down the corridor, barely making it to my new room before my legs give out completely.
The room is bigger than my old one. Nicer. Windows overlooking the gardens. En suite bathroom. A bed that looks fit for a queen. And it's thirty feet from Lev's bedroom.
I can hear him through the walls even now. Footsteps. Water running. A door closing. Every sound makes my pulse race, makes me hyperaware of his proximity, makes me imagine what he's doing on the other side of that wall.
He's right there. Just through that barrier. Moving around. Existing. Breathing.
The thought shouldn't affect me the way it does.
I pull out the burner phone with shaking hands. Patrick's been waiting. I need to send him something, or he'll escalate the threats.
My fingers tremble as I type, documenting everything I've memorized over the past week:
Guard rotation: 6-hour shifts with a total of 8 men. Change occurs at 2PM and 8PM. The northeast corner has a blind spot between cameras that lasts about 30 seconds during shift change.
Vehicles: Daniel drives the Mercedes for daily errands. Uses the town car for formal events. Black SUV (bulletproof) is for Lev's business meetings. SUV departs Tuesday and Thursday mornings, returns by 6PM.
Layout: Main floor - study (locked, keypad 6-digits), library (unlocked), sitting room (unlocked). Second floor - 4 guest bedrooms (unused), Lev's office (locked, requires fingerprint). East wing - Lev's quarters, Mila's room, staff rooms.
Nothing critical. Nothing that could get anyone killed immediately. Just enough to satisfy Patrick for another week.
But my hands are shaking so badly I almost drop the phone.
Because I'm documenting the home of a little girl who now trusts me. Mapping vulnerabilities in the fortress of a man whothreatened to break me, but also made my body respond in ways I don't understand.
I'm a traitor. A spy. A liar.
Patrick's response comes immediately:
Good. Keep going. One week. Then I want his schedule. Where he goes, when, with how many men.
One week to find information that will definitely get Lev killed.
I delete the messages, my body trembling, and hide the phone.
My real phone buzzes. Tash.
TASH: How'd the meeting go???
ME: He threatened to break every bone in my body if I hurt Mila
