Dollars (Dollar #2)(15)

That wasn’t the case today. Not only had he returned for me. Stolen me. Healed me. Protected me. He now gave me rooms of my own, nourishing food, and most of all, the courtesy of letting me rest with no undertones of evil or malicious expectation.

Is it right I accept another gift when he’s already given so much?

The faint whispering of folding linen paper hushed my questions as his fingers flew. Sitting elegantly, he didn’t look up from his creation, but his lips twitched. “You eat. I’ll fold.” His voice flirted with a sensual bargain. “Do we have a deal?”

My tongue ached in upcoming agony even as my mouth watered.

His fingers stopped folding when I didn’t move.

“Well?” He raised an eyebrow, looking from me to the food.

Never glancing away, I carefully pulled the bowl of soup closer and picked up a spoon. It didn’t go unnoticed that there were no dog bowls or forbidden use of utensils. Here I was human…a girl. Here, I was someone not something.

I just hoped it was the beginning of how my future would unfurl and not a cruel game he was playing while waiting for me to heal enough for his requirements.

Dipping the silver spoon into the creamy potato soup, I raised my own eyebrow.

Keep being a gentleman and you’ve got yourself a deal.

He licked his lips as I inserted the spoon into my mouth and struggled with the lack of robust taste or warning if the liquid was too hot. The doctor was right when he said he didn’t know if he’d been able to save those senses. It took a second to remind my body how to swallow and winced as the food slid down my throat.

Elder paused his folding. “Hurt?”

I wanted to shake my head. To give him some sign that I was willing to work with him while he was being so kind, but once again, the safety mechanism of my past forbid me.

Tilting my chin, I focused on gathering more soup and swallowing another spoonful.

He didn’t ask again, taking my willingness to keep eating as answer enough. Silence fell as he crimped and creased, and I ate slowly, trying to blow on the hot liquid but unable to position my swollen tongue enough to purse my lips.

After a few minutes, Elder spoke calmly but with a cold undertone. “You know why I came back for you, don’t you?”

I didn’t look up, keeping my gaze resolutely on the soup. He wanted to talk? I wouldn’t stop him. But if he was looking for conversation, he hadn’t earned that yet.

Taking another sip, I kept my head down but my body relaxed, hoping he understood that I was willing to listen if not participate.

Sighing heavily, he continued in his cool timbre. “I returned because no one should have to live in such a f*cking hellhole. I hope you know you’ll never be subjected to those conditions again.”

My muscles tensed.

But what will you do to me?

Do you intend to keep me, free me…sell me?

My current position didn’t petrify me, but the unknown future did. How long would he tolerate his boat being a convalescent home? How soon would he expect me to pay him back?

And how?

How will I be made to pay you back?

Because everything in this world had a price tag.

“Just because I’ve taken you for my own doesn’t mean I’m like him. I do expect things—the main one being your past and present. I want to know who you are. I want to know your real name, where you’re from, and what you would do if you were free. I need to master you, Pim…but in a different way to what you expect.”

I jolted.

I ignored the mastering part, entirely focused on the word free.

If I was free.

Not when I was free.

I didn’t realise how much I was holding onto hope that his intentions were honourable and wherever we were sailing to might’ve ended with a journey home.

Stupid Pim.

I’d been given safety and sanctuary. I should know by now not to expect anything more—especially my freedom.

That had been stolen, and it would remain stolen. I doubted it would ever be returned. I would be forever lost and go from master to master until I was too old, ugly, and broken to be of value.

Elder didn’t notice the way I huddled over my soup, doing my best to ignore the crushing disappointment and focus on how lucky I was. I refused to lament over things I didn’t have when I’d been given so much.

Biting his lip as he curled an intricate fold, Elder finished the origami then looked up. “All of that can wait. For now, all I expect is for you to heal quickly. I want you to eat when required, sleep when your body tells you, and forget what he did to you.”

Those commandments were doable.

I took another sip before my stomach decided it’d had enough and tiredness settled like a cloak instead.

Elder stood in silent reproach.

I sat taller in my chair, trying to seem stronger than I was.

“Don’t fear me, silent one, but don’t push me either. When I know what I want from you—other than who you are—I’ll let you know. And I’ll expect you to do what I want. But until then…” His fingers uncurled, depositing an impeccable sailboat origami by my broken hand. “I won’t touch you. You have my word.”

Striding to the door, he added, almost too low to hear as if it was purely for him. “I won’t touch you for my sake rather than yours.”

I spun in the chair as quickly as my bruised ribs would allow.