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The flames from the candles flicker, stirred by a gentle breeze, and the shadows dance on Hayden’s features. I could hate him for being so beautiful. So irresistible.
He serves us both, heaping our plates with pasta, shrimp, scallops, and lobster, all covered in a white wine sauce. I grab my fork, trying to refrain from digging into the food like a seagull that’s found a bagel.
“Eat, Callie. I know you’re starving.”
I twirl some linguine with my fork and take a bite. The delicious flavors have my eyes fluttering shut. He was right; this is definitely a meal I love. A little moan escapes me. My eyes fly open, and I bite my lip to keep from making any other noises.
But the damage has been done.
Hayden stares at me with his fork suspended in the air and his eyes focused solely on my mouth, as if he’s about to lunge for me. And fuck me on this table.
I drop my gaze. A flush works its way onto my cheeks that has nothing to do with the warm temperature. “This is really good. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you like it.” His voice is guttural but strained, as if he’s being strangled. “You can relax. I’m not going to touch you.”
Despite his promise, I can’t bring myself to believe him. He openly stares at me with a look of hunger, and I don’t have the courage to call him out on it. The last time I did, it was useless. If anything, he made me all the more flustered.
We eat in silence for several minutes. In that time, I eat enough pasta to fall into a carb coma and enough wine to feel invincible. I glare at Hayden, wondering if this was his plan all along.
“Why are you looking at me like I just kicked a puppy?” he asks.
“Because I feel good right now.”
His brows gather. “And that’s a bad thing?”
“Yes.”
“This ought to be good,” he mutters. Then at a normal volume he says, “Would you care to explain yourself?”
I take a deep breath to steady my nerves. The wine has loosened my tongue—not that it needed much help to begin with—and I need to be careful.
“Feeling good isn’t the issue. It’s the source.” I give him a pointed look. “The lovely dinner, the wine, hell, even the ambiance… it’s all from you.”
He picks up his wineglass and takes a sip, as if mulling over my words. “And that’s a problem?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because of the power dynamic here.” I gesture between us. “You have all of the control… what I eat, where I go, everything. My happiness completely depends on what you provide. So even when I feel good, I owe it to you.”
I pause, taking a big gulp of wine to bolster my courage. “I can’t deny that I appreciate all of this, but real happiness requires freedom and choice. Right now, I don’t have either.”
Hayden’s expression hardens. He slowly takes another drink from his wineglass, regarding me with a detachment that I find unnerving. “I understand what you’re saying, but I’m not going to change my mind.”
Frustration snakes its way through me and leaks into my words, making them tremble. “You’re no better than a dictator.”
He scoffs. “Don’t be so dramatic. I’m not imprisoning you. I’m protecting you. When this is all over, you can be as free as a bird.Mylittle bird.”
The way he says it reminds me of the night I gave myself to him. Before I knew he was a stalker, before I knew he’d take over my life.
Before I fell in love with him.
I rise to my feet. “You should trust me enough to know that I’d never knowingly put myself at risk.”
Hayden sets his glass down with a thud, his eyes flashing. “None of this will matter if you die!”
He slams his palms on the table as he rises to his feet, making me jump. He leans forward, his nostrils flaring with his anger, his voice a low growl. “I’ve said this more than once, and tonight it’ll be for the last time. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, even if you fucking hate me for it.”
