"Once you are in their world, I can't get you out. Everywhere I go, you will accompany me as my property. At times, it will appear you are a free woman, at my side, like any normal couple would be. At others, you will have to submit, like my slave, and do whatever I say, no matter who is there or where we are."
Her lip trembles, but more determination fills her eyes. "After two weeks is up and we pass the test, will I return to you? Will I be in your bed when I rest my head?"
"Yes."
"Every night?"
"Yes."
"There will be no other excuses about why I can't be with you?"
"No, but I'm not trying to make any excuse not to be with you. This is dangerous."
"No more dangerous than the President buying me."
My breathing becomes shallow with rage. "Bernadette told you?"
"Yes. And you will not hide anything from me from now on. If I'm your property, you shall give me full disclosure about everything."
I cup her cheeks tightly. "I don't want you to be my property."
"I want to be yours."
"You are mine. I am yours."
"Then I choose to be your property. You will allow Gustave to train you. Whatever he and Bernadette need us to do, we will do. When we are in the room, you will protect me from the other men. No one will touch me, except you. We will play our roles and do what needs to be done."
"Ma belle—"
"Be the man I need you to be right now. There is no other option for me. I want to be with you. Whatever it looks like is better than before I had you. And no other man can get to me. If you don't do this, they will..." She looks away, and tears drip down her cheeks.
I pull her into me.
"I don't want to go to the whorehouse or be bought by the President or anyone else. You can't let them do that to me." Her face crumples, slashing my heart.
"Shhh. I won't. I promise."
She shakes in my arms.
"I don't want to hurt you, ma belle."
"I know. You won't. If I can't have you, I will die. Don't let me die, Malin," she cries into my chest.
"Shh." I hold her, not believing that this is what is necessary to survive.
"Landing in five minutes," the pilot says over the loudspeaker.
"I don't want to fight about this anymore. It's decided. We do this so we have a future," she says.
I stroke her cheek.
"Kiss me until we land, Malin. I don't know how I'm going to make it two weeks without you," she whispers.
I need to talk to Gustave. I'm not going to last two weeks, either. I need her as much as she needs me. But I don't tell her my thoughts. "I know."
The rest of the flight we're lip-locked. It ends too soon, and when the wheels touch the ground, I hold her tight to my chest. In French, I say, "You are my heart and soul, ma belle. When this is over, we will start a real life."
She looks up and puts her hand on my cheek. "My life began the moment you rescued me and took my hand. It's wherever you are, no matter what the circumstances."
"You understood?"
She smiles. "Yes. You taught me a lot in the last few days."
"You are smart, ma belle. Don't ever forget it."
She kisses me until Gustave comes into the room. "We must leave now. Carry Emilia off the plane. Lie limp in his arms."
Ma belle and I lock eyes.
"Go on. From now on, you don't question the process, Malin. Do what Gustave or Bernadette says. Promise me," she orders.
She's so brave. For decades I've been in the middle of danger and never struggled to find courage as much as in this moment.
"Promise me," she repeats.
I cave. "I promise." I kiss her once more and pick her up. I cradle her head so it doesn't hit anything, and she closes her eyes.
We get off the plane and into the car waiting on the runway.
"You can open your eyes now," I say once the doors shut.
"How did I do?" she nervously asks.
"Very good. Convincing," Bernadette replies with a smile.
Emilia beams.
I kiss Emilia's head. "You did good." I ask Gustave, "How far is the embassy?"
"Less than ten minutes."
I groan inside. There isn't enough time. I'm not ready to let her go for two weeks. And she's going to be under my nose, in the same apartment.