ya'

ything you want," Michael's voice felt sharp

my throat dry. "Y

st without the legal obligation. You will stay here with me, away fr

h to protest, bu

ouldn't have to worry about money, about your future. You'd have

but at what cost? I couldn't believe this was what I was getting for running away from home. At first, I had thought that Matt wou

sight, offering me the world without him in it. All I wante

hoked out the words, my voice tr

u meant by your feelings. Not like I should explain myself to you why I can't

take care of me, to be there for me. And I think you could be that p

y heart pounding in my che

But understand, Amaya, if you re

te, his silence h

ke sense of everything that had happened. Michael's offer was a double-edged sword, a gilded cage that promis

leftovers, instead of the full package. Why couldn't he just love me for who I was, fo

word. And we had just met for the very first time. Wh

rors of the auction, paid a fortune for my freedom. He'd even tried to comfor

ed at me. And I loved him too. It was a love that had sprung up in the most unexpected circumsta

dn't want to be his mistress. I wanted to be

I asking

but I wasn't sure I could do it. It was a choice between my fr

ate of food, a small gesture of care that

Amaya?" he asked, his

stead, I looked at him, his fac

say no?" I asked,

he doorframe. "I'll have to

don't want to go back there. I know I said I

heavy. "Then what

ight of his question crushed me,

y for the rest of my life. I might have found it in him. But what I d

tainty. Would he come back for me? Would he force me t

p blue sea. That's wh

anted me. Ever since my mom died five years ago, it had always been me left alone in that big house. His absence, his indi

o overwhelming, so consuming. It scared me, but it also made me want to

I knew and the deep blue sea tha