a P

ared back, a stranger with haunted eyes. This body, this face, had been his to mold, his to use. The thought made my skin crawl. Exhaustion, a bone-de

s. Dawson. He was back. I tensed, my eyes clamped shut, feigning sleep. His hand, warm and possessive, slid onto

his voice thick with drink. "Di

I resisted subtly, instinctively. My body, w

slight edge I hadn't heard before, or perhaps had chosen t

n. My head aches." It wasn't a complete lie. My head was

shifted, propping himself up on an elbow, his shadow falling over me. "Are you getting tired of me, little bird?" There

" the 10,000 encounters. The vulnerability was a

ounding hollow even to my own ears. "

one. You know I love it when you play coy." He leaned in, his heav

"Dawson, please," I pleaded, my

n't? What do you mean you can't? You've never said 'can't'

bled, apologetically given in. But that Dora was gone, shat

ercing. I could feel his anger brewing, simmer

uttered, almost to himself, but loud enough for me t

dangerously soft. "Is that what this is about,

y composed himself, a cold mask replacing the surprise. "What are y

on. You love the easy target. You love the woman who won't 'taint your reputation.' Don't you?" My voice r

re confused. You have amnesia, remember? You don't know anything. I found you, I saved you, I gave you a life. How could you ever think I don't

whisper. "I am not a tool for your therapy. And I am

cup my face. "Sweetheart, you're overreacting. You're upset. We can talk about this in the morning

stand. The screen lit up, displaying a n

t it was there. The hierarchy was clear. He snatched the phone, his practiced smile instant

er, not once, shown to me. He sat up fully, his back to me, completely engrossed in t

en a fleeting apology for leaving. Arleen's distress, whatever it was, completely eclipsed my pain, my tears, my shatte

silvery light through the window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. The faint, ancient whisper of my past called to me, louder now, a desperate plea for escape. He might hav

would.

pulling back the curtains, letting the harsh sunlight flood the room. "Arleen had a little mishap last night, clumsy as ever. Needed me to play knight in shining

void of emotion. He didn't

t you, after my mother mentioned your little 'funk' in the last few days." He smiled, a perfectly sculpted, e

ho was the reason for my three-year-long emotional torture? "I... I don't

h. Besides, you know how important it is for you to make a good impression on her. She's famil

ight have obeyed, but this broken, newly awakened Dora felt a su

ly strong. "Enough of this nonsense, Dora. You're coming. You owe me th

no escaping him. Not yet. I would play along, for now.

able in a cream-colored silk suit, her silver hair perfectly coiffed. She exuded an aura of ref

glint I hadn't noticed before. "Dawson told me you've been feeling under the w

ace, a look I had once believed was meant for me. It was a stark, brutal contrast to the cold, distant gaze he'd given me earlier. The reali