Testing her, I released my grip on her dress, my eyes searching her face waiting for her to move away or attempt to run. She did neither.
I didn’t know whether to feel sorry for her or to respect her for that bravery.
Tucking my finger beneath her chin, I tilted her face up to me.
“Your pride is a dangerous thing. Any intelligent person would have tried to move away.”
She swallowed, the motion of her throat drawing my gaze.
“You would have chased me. And with the way my feet are cut up and raw, I’d have no hope of outrunning you.”
My eyes met hers again.
“You wouldn’t be able to outrun me even if your feet weren’t injured. But you’re right that I wouldn’t let you leave. Still, that doesn’t excuse the show of pride.”
“It’s all I have left. I’ll be damned to give it up so easily.”
I laughed, a single bark of sound bursting from my lips before I could stop it.
“That only makes it more fun.”
Pulling my phone from my pocket, I hit speed dial and held it to my ear. My eyes never left Lisbeth’s as it rang on the other end, a clipped voice answering within seconds.
“Mr. Rose. Is everything okay? Has Lisbeth not arrived?”
I ran my fingers up the side of her face to palm her cheek, my thumb brushing the fullness of her bottom lip. She didn’t flinch or attempt to pull away.
It only made her as foolish as she was beautiful.
“Lisbeth is here now, but I’d like to give her another promotion.”
Her eyes widened while Edward made that odd choked sound again. I wondered what was caught in the asshole’s throat.
“A promotion? Why? She hasn’t completed her training.”
“She’s being given a new position.”
Curling my thumb, I pulled her bottom lip down, sweeping the pad along the inside. Her teeth were clenched shut, her jaw so tight, I could feel the knot of muscle against my hand.
“And what position is that? Cleaning the family suites is as high as it gets. Not that she deserves it.”
Tapping the tip of my fingernail against her teeth, I smiled.
“She’ll be my personal servant. No training necessary. I’m sure after having one herself for so long, Lisbeth knows exactly what’s required of her.”
Edward was spluttering as Lisbeth’s eyes narrowed just a fraction.
“There are no personal servants in this house pursuant to your rules.”
“I’ve changed my mind. Have Lisbeth’s room cleaned out and her stuff brought to my suite. She’ll be staying here with me at night.”
“Mr. Rose-“
“Are you planning on questioning me again, Edward?”
The line went silent for a second.
“No, sir. I’ll have her room cleaned out immediately.”
“Thank you.”
Hitting the button, I tossed the phone on the couch cushion beside me.
Lisbeth remained quiet, but her eyes screamed every thought racing through her pretty head.
“We’ll see how much of that pride you have left when I’m done with you.”
I tapped her cheek and stood to my feet, her body falling back against the coffee table as I stepped away.
“Raping me won’t strip me of anything,” she said. “It’ll only make you more of a monster.”
Chuckling at her assumption, I twisted around to look down at her. “Who said anything about raping you?”
Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits, the skin of her cheeks a heated pink. “I saw those women when you took me to the lower floors. I saw what you did to that woman in the gym.”
“You’re welcome for that,” I answered.
“For what?”
“Making you enjoy it. Don’t think I missed how you swallowed when I came down her throat.”
Visibly startled, Lisbeth shook her head and recovered the pissed off expression.
“I was just trying to keep from throwing up.”
My lips curled.
“Sure you were. And nobody’s raping you. I don’t want you in my bed.”
Surprise softened her face. “You’re giving me a guest room?”
“No.”
“Then where will I sleep?”
“We’ll get to that when the time comes. For now,” my foot caught the candlestick and kicked it toward her, “finish cleaning up. Franklin will have a shit fit if he returns to see you threw a temper tantrum and broke all his precious things.”
Her mouth opened to argue, but I spun on her and leaned down to slap my hand over her mouth.
“Don’t bother claiming it was me. It’s my word against yours. Not that it matters. I’ll be breaking more as the days roll on. Let’s just hope you’re not one of them.”
With that, I walked off to leave her to the mess, a sense of calm settling my