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I couldn’t believe the son of a bitch thought I’d sit and have dinner with him. He was insane. “Fuck you.”
He took long strides, lifting his arm and fisting his hand. He wanted me to flinch. I refused to do so, finding it within me to offer a smile.
“You won’t like my other methods of punishment, Willow. I suggest you learn your manners. I can be kind, or I can be cruel. The choice as to which one I’ll be rests entirely with you. You’re very important to me, but you will never disrespect me. Do you understand?”
“What do you want from me?”
He took a deep breath, allowing his gaze to fall. I had to fight to keep from visibly shivering. I was sick to my stomach, disgusted with what he must be thinking.
“What I want is your obedience and respect, at least at first. The rest will come.”
The rest. I knew then he planned on keeping me for himself. Repulsed, I managed to stand my ground, but I would rather die than be touched by the horrible creature.
Another person walking into the room grabbed my attention. In her hand was a dress. A fucking long dress. He wanted me to play dress up while Santiago remained a prisoner. At least it would allow me the opportunity to grab and use a knife. I would enjoy slitting his throat.
“Twenty minutes, Willow. If you’re a good girl tonight, you may be allowed certain privileges. If not…” He allowed the statement to linger before offering another smile. “I’m certain you’ll enjoy the time we spend together.”
After he walked out, I almost crumbled to the floor, but I refused. I would find Santiago. No matter what I had to do.
* * *
The twenty minutes were agonizing. As I was brought into the dining room, I sucked in my breath. Candles were lit, the table set with crystal and china. There were fresh bouquets of flowers in cut crystal vases and music was playing, providing a romantic atmosphere. My stomach churned, my head pounding. This just couldn’t be happening.
Castillo stood at the massive floor-to-ceiling window, a glass of wine in his hand. I scanned the room, absorbing various details. The night I’d been forced to sit in silence as he ate dinner, I hadn’t noticed there were pictures on the bookshelves lined again the wall. There were hundreds of books, two leather sofas in front of a roaring fire, a damn bearskin rug on the floor.
When I didn’t move, I was pushed forward toward the table.
“That will be enough. I can take it from here,” Castillo said. He turned around, scanning me as he’d done before, giving me a nod of approval. Then he walked toward the table, putting down his glass then grabbing an empty goblet, filling it with wine. As he brought it toward me, it took everything I had not to bolt from the room.
I accepted the gesture, only to allow me time to determine if I could secure a weapon. There were knives on the table, which surprised me, but nothing sharp.
He seemed to notice my line of sight and laughed. “I suspect you’ll try and kill me, Willow, but you’ll only do so once. Then you’ll think twice about daring to be so bold. Trust me.”
“You’re a fucking monster.”
“As I mentioned, watch your language. A woman of your upbringing and education should know better.”
I laughed, backing away from him. “You know nothing about me.”
“We don’t need to go through the same conversations we had before. We’re past whether or not I know what your life was like before. The only thing that matters is the life you’re about to embark on.”
“You’re crazy if you think I’ll stay here.”
“Oh, I think you’ll learn to love your new home. In fact, I think you’ll thank me one day for providing you with everything your heart desires.”
The man was delusional. I took a deep breath, pulling the rim of the glass to my lips. I had to pretend in order to try to find out where Santiago had been taken. As I moved around the table, he followed me with his eyes, but allowed me the leeway to walk away from him. “What am I supposed to be to you? Your concubine? Your mistress? What do they call it here in this godforsaken country?”
His laugh would always irritate me. “We’ll get into specifics later. Tonight is about our discussion and a proper celebration for you being home.”
Home.
The man wasn’t just delusional. He was bat shit crazy.Keep your mouth shut. Learn. Listen.In trying to follow the inner voice praying for answers, I had to concentrate on the glass of wine in my shaking hand. I could feel Santiago’s presence like a rush of wildfire threatening to consume my system. A sense of warmth pulsed through my veins, images of his face finding a way to slide through the cracks in my mental armor. I had to stay strong for him if nothing else.
Castillo continued studying me like I was a specimen for his amusement. “Come and sit, Willow. I’m certain you’re hungry after your ordeal.” He pointed to the chair nearest him, lifting an eyebrow when I didn’t immediately comply.
I was forced to accept I had no other choice, moving closer while I held my breath. He pulled out the chair for me, which created another wave of ice drifting through my veins. Every step he took was deliberate as he walked toward his chair. As soon as he sat down, he yanked the linen napkin into his lap, waiting until I’d followed his lead. As if on cue, two people entered the room. I watched with curiosity as the two women came closer, placing appetizers on the already positioned dinner plates. They never once looked him in the eye but waited until he spoke two words in Spanish before retreating.
As I glanced down at the plate, the first wave of sadness nearly overwhelmed me. Huge prawns and succulent scallops adorned a gentle mound of pasta, herbs positioned in a delicate pattern. I was supposed to eat like a queen when the man I loved was suffering in whatever prison the monster had placed him in.
