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Raul told me the sedative would dehydrate her, but my captive eyes the glass of lemon water in my hand like I’m holding out a hissing cobra. I suppose that’s fair. I have drugged her once already in the last twelve hours.
“Watch,” I command, then take a small mouthful from her glass, swallowing it down. There’s less water now, but at least she accepts the glass, sipping cautiously and peering up at me with wide eyes. Unexpected warmth spreads through my chest at the sight, chased swiftly by irritation.
Does this girl always look so guileless? Innocent and freckled and fuckingsweet?Have I kidnapped a milkmaid? Good grief.
“Your father has made an error in judgment, Miss Edwards.” The armchair creaks as I sink back into it, my own glass in hand. I don’t need to explain myself, of course, but I’d prefer that she stopped trembling. “Several errors, in fact, and I’ve taken you as insurance that he won’t make any more.”
“Me?” She sways, her eyebrows pinching together.
I roll my eyes. Did she hit her head on that car trunk? “Yes. Obviously you.”
“But he won’t…” Erin trails off, biting her bottom lip, and I stare at the small gap between her front teeth for a moment before shaking my head.
Focus.
It has been a very long night.
“Won’t care?” That’s what she stopped herself from saying. From admitting out loud—either to herself or to me. “Not privately, perhaps, but your father cares greatly about his public image and you are part of that, Erin. There are plenty of ways to pressure him with you, believe me.”
“Oh.”
I wait, knuckles working against each other, but the Governor’s daughter doesn’t say any more. Just that one dejected syllable, then her chin drops and she stares at her wrist again. Tugs feebly on her tie.
“Stop pulling on it,” I snap. “I told you, you’ll hurt yourself.”
She mutters something under her breath, and it’s probably better that I didn’t hear it. There’s a headache brewing behind my left eye.
“You won’t be here long.” Who exactly am I trying to reassure now? I push the rest of my water into her hand, swapping it out for her empty glass, then stride across the guest suite. “You are a tool for me to use against your father, and once you are no longer useful, I will return you home. You have my word.”
“Your word,” Erin murmurs. She’s still staring around the room, dazed by last night’s sedative, and I have the bizarre urge to bundle her up in a blanket. Maybe check her temperature one last time before I go.
Will she remember any of this? Is the girl even lucid?
Fuck. I need to catch up on sleep.
“Don’t try to escape,” I warn, my grip tight on the door knob. “And don’t irritate me. If you cooperate, I assure you the time will fly.”
“Fly,” she repeats again numbly, and her hand is shaky as she sips from the water glass.
There’s a burning sensation behind my ribs. I wrench the door open and get the hell out of there.
* * *
