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“Only for tonight,” she drawled and straightened the comforter on the bed. When she finished, she turned to me. “You’re getting married to the boss.”
My stomach somersaulted. I didn’t need a reminder that I would soon be caged like an animal for the rest of my life unless I found a way to escape. And I was certain I would. “I know, but it’s not like we’re getting married tomorrow or anything.” I laughed. “Right?”
The blank expression on her face was all the answer I needed. She walked to the closet, opened it, removed a short maroon dress, and threw it at me. “Wear that.”
“No.”
“Boss wants to see you.”
“No.”
She shook her head and sighed. “You should do as you’re told, child. Nikolai is not the kind of man you want to mess with.”
My hands quivered as I pulled off my clothes and tossed them to the ground mindlessly. Goosebumps rose on my skin when the cold air from the air conditioner hit my bare skin. I changed into the precariously short dress even if I didn’t want to.
On one hand, I wanted to play along until I could fool Nikolai and escape. On the other hand, I was too angry and afraid just to do as I was told. “Tell your boss to meet me here if he wants to see me.”
“I don’t take orders from you.”
“Not yet.” I hoped she didn’t catch the tremble in my voice. I couldn’t let her see how scared I actually was. “But I’ll be married to him soon. Doesn’t that make me your boss too?”
Silence followed my question. I didn’t realize I’d sucked in my breath until she turned around and left the room.
I sank on the bed, drawing in deep breaths. Panic crept up my chest, and my throat was bitter with nausea. I really couldn’t tell if it was because of my panic or pregnancy.
The door flew open seconds later. Nikolai walked in, his dark gaze meeting mine. The harsh scent of his masculine cologne wafted into my nose, simmering deep until it met the pounding in my stomach and heightened my nausea.
“You don’t give me orders, Giselle,” he said in a rough tone. His broad shoulders and tall height covered most of the door, making it impossible for me to escape him unless I wanted to fly down the window. “In case you haven’t noticed, I give the orders around here.”
Raw fear coursed through my veins, but I found the right words. “But you can give me orders? Isn’t that a little unfair?”
He moved closer until he was towering above me. I got up from the bed. I was only tall enough to reach his shoulder, but sitting down made me even smaller. Even less confident.
“You will do as I say,” he replied coldly. Right now, the man in front of me wasn’t the same man I met a month ago. He was darker, crueler, and hard for me to read.
My heart shuddered as I realized everything from that night had been fake. Everything. “I will not marry you.”
His jaw twitched, yet he remained expressionless. “We’re done talking about it.”
“Well, I am not.”
He took another step closer. “I don’t like to repeat myself, Giselle.”
I paced back, my eyes glued to his. “You know what I don’t like? I don’t like being held hostage. I utterly despise you and hate that I’ll have to marry you against my own will.”
A hint of remorse flashed in his almost-black eyes, and I grasped onto it as if holding on for my life. If I played my cards right, I could talk him out of this madness, and he would allow me to go back home.
“Nikolai,” I said softly. My legs were wobbly as I found the courage to match up to him. “Let’s not do this, okay? We can be friends. Get to know each other and maybe fall in love. Just let me go.”
He looked at me as if he was considering letting me go, but then he laughed, mocking my desperate pleas. “You really think I’d let you go if you put on a little show?” He closed the gap between us, then leaned forward.
I gasped when his fingers made contact with my earlobe as he tucked my hair behind my ear. “I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way, Giselle.”
I opened my mouth for a comeback, but it was impossible to muster any with the way my stomach was fluttering. It was strange, I hated this man, but my heart wouldn’t stop churning when I was around him for some reason.
I licked my lips, willing myself not to lose my composure. “How does this work?”
“I give the orders.” He stepped back and his eyes fell to the cleavage spilling through my dress. “And you obey them.”
