Page 16 of Curiosity

I knew I didn’t.

I just didn’t understand why he had a problem with it.

He made this sound in his throat as he stepped even closer somehow, leaning to speak in my ear. “You’re gonna get somebody’s eyes snatched out.”

“For what?” I whispered back.

“For looking too hard.”

I smirked, tipping my head back to look directly at him. “What’s wrong with looking? Especially considering… I don’t belong to anyone.”

I felt like it had to be said – amid all the other weirdness, I’d caught Irina’s implication that Elias had somehow claimed me.

A discussion I’d had no part of.

Elias snatched me by the neck.

Nothard, just…firm.

“You’re working on another punishment – and this time, I’m gonna do it in front of everybody, to make it absolutely clear who youbelongto.”

“I didn’t agree to be part of whatever this game is,” I replied. “I don’t even know you, remember?” I asked. “Your family is wealthy, and influential — great. I’m happy for you. But you can’t just do whatever you want and expect me to play along.”

“Why not?”

I frowned and grabbed his hand, trying to pull it away from me. “Because it’s not how the world works.”

“It’sexactlyhow the world works – you just don’t see it.”

“Oh yeah, you’ve got money – it probablyishow it works for you,” I agreed. “But I don’t know if being some rich asshole’s plaything for a few nights is for me.”

“Not just a few nights.”

I laughed. “That’s the only part that raises an objection, huh?”

“I am rich. I am an asshole. And wewillplay,” he said.

“Just becauseyousay so?”

He stared at me for a long moment, then tightened the grip on my neck. “Beyondyour desire to simply be rebellious, look me in the face and tell me you don’t want everything I have planned for you?”

I… couldn’t.

Not because of his hold on me, not because I was afraid, I just…couldn’t.

Couldn’t make the lie cross my lips.

He smirked, then let go of my neck. “That’s what I thought.”

I wanted to give back a smart remark, but he’d already started moving – with a hand gripped around my wrist. To avoid being dragged, I moved too, following him back to where Irina had shown me the kitchen and the elevator.

He pressed a finger to the panel on the wall to get it to open.

“Where are we going?” I asked, hesitating.

“The elevator.”

I rolled my eyes.

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