Page 5 of Stolen Empire
"Does it matter?"
"It does to me."
He moves back to the door, but he doesn't open it.
Instead, he leans against the frame again, his arms crossed.
"You're not leaving until I figure out what to do with you."
"You can't keep me here," I protest, standing up abruptly.
"I can do whatever I want."
His tone is matter-of-fact, as if he is stating a simple truth.
"This is my property, and you're a criminal who broke in. Nobody's coming to look for you. Nobody even knows you're here."
The words settle over me, and I feel my blood go cold.
He's right.
I have no one waiting for me, no one who will notice if I disappear.
I built my life that way on purpose, and now it's working against me.
"What do you want from me?" I ask, and I hate how small my voice sounds.
"Answers."
He tilts his head, watching me.
"And if you can't give me those, then I'll find another use for you."
I do not move.
"And if I refuse?"
He looks at me with those flat, dark eyes, and I see a flicker of amusement cross his face.
"You don't have a choice."
My throat knots up and I blink back a few tears.
I've had a lot of jobs go wrong, but never like this.
I know the men who run this track, and I've heard their reputation.
This is the worst thing that could happen.
I may not get out of this alive.
2
DIMITRI
The bolt slides into place with a metal clunk that reverberates across the stable hallway.
I test the door once to confirm it's secured, then step back and roll my shoulders.
