EMMA
The silence after Damien’s last words feels like glass pressed against my throat.
He doesn’t rush me. That’s the worst part.
Damien has always known patience is a weapon.
“Come inside,” he says calmly, gesturing toward the small guest lodge near the edge of the estate. The lights are on. Warm. Ordinary. As if nothing monstrous has just been said out loud.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I reply, though my legs feel unsteady.
He sighs, almost indulgent. “Emma. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
“Hard?” I laugh weakly. “You just threatened to sell a man like he’s property.”
“A man?” Damien echoes, amused. “You’re still pretending?”
My chest tightens. “You don’t get to decide what he is.”
“No,” he agrees. “But I do get to decide what I do with the information I hav
