THE COSTOF HIS DESIRE

Do you know what peo

ead, unable

he kind that made you lean in even if you wanted to ru

"I just... I need help. Please." My voice broke, the word

't a smile. It was sharp, lik

easured, controlled. The sound of his shoes against the marble echoed in the silence

it fit him perfectly, his cologne was subtle bu

think you can offer m

I had nothing. No money, no power, no s

" I whispered, sham

studying me. Then he

decide what y

reezing. His eyes locked on

ed in silk. "But nothing in my world is free. If you

breathe. Belong to him? My chest tightened, m

that glass tower, and never looked back. But my legs woul

" I whispered, my voice so sm

mperature in the room dropped. He leaned closer, lowe

t if I save you... I own you. Every choice. Ev

g, but worse than that, they felt final-like I was standing at the edge of a

ly. "That sounds lik

erous. "No," he said softly. "I

ked down at my shaking hands. Six days. That's all I had befor

eally wal

e," I whispered, more

ords. He leaned back in his chair, powerful and calm, like a

lesson you'll learn in my world is this-choices are illusion

o fists in my lap, trying to stop the trembling, but nothing worked. My throat was so

sharp enough to slice through me. That gaze made

nd you lose everything. Your home. Your job. Your life as you know it. You'll disappear into

, sharp and cold. I felt t

s to keep them still. My mouth was dry, my throat tigh

happen if

ut on the street. Me wandering with no place to go, no bed to sleep in, begging strangers fo

at really be me in a few days

ld I go when night came and I had no roof over my head? What would happ

like it might burst. I wanted to run, but my legs we

lm, steady, waiting. Like he alre

was his. If I said no, I had nothing. Whic

idn't stop the shaking in my hands. I felt trapped, c

e in place, I realized the truth-whateve

sn't sure there