“I know,” he rasps. “I can live with that.”

I shake my head. “You shouldn’t have to, Captain, that’s my point. You’re worth way more than what you’re getting in me. A thousand times more.”

“I lost nothing today, Raven. I’ve loved someone before, or I think I have. She fucked me over. You won’t. I can make you happy. I know who you are, and I know I can love you like you deserve. It won’t be the same for you, but you will feel it. You will smile and laugh, and sometimes you’ll even feel guilty for it just like I will. All that’s okay and expected. I didn’t stand there and ask for your life for sport. It might be a slow start, but it will be a strong finish.”

The weak in me comes back in the form of moisture stricken eyes and his hand slides into mine.

He squeezes. “Trust me.”

That’s the thing. My world is fucked, I was more or less pushed into this when I thought the day would end much differently. He was sneaky and knew, in the end, only one answer would do. Still... I trust him with my life, and it seems that’s the entire point. It’s his now.

I nod. “I do.”

The rest of the drive goes by in silence.

“You can stop pretending to be asleep now,” Cap says quietly as the car rolls to a stop. “We’re here.”

I open my eyes and step from the car when the door is pulled open for me. I glare at the smirky bastard and move up the steps, Captain falling in line beside me.

A man meets us at the desk, handing us a room key without a word, and the two of us head for the private elevator.

Of course, it’s an over the top suite with gold shit everywhere.

Captain picks up the note from the entrance table. He shakes his head, tossing it to the floor. “Food will be up in fifteen minutes, and they had clothes and shit put in the drawers and closet.”

I nod, moving to grab something so I can shower.

Escape a minute.

I tug open the drawer, an instant frown taking over.

For fuck’s sake.

Lace after lace. I pull open the closet. Dresses, glittery, long ones.

“Are they shitting me?” I tug them from their hangers, dropping them to the floor.

Captain steps up behind me and I let my hand fall, shaking my head.

He reaches over, pulling a shirt meant for him down and holds it out for me to take. “Ignore them, they’re all a part of the mind game he’s trying to play.”

I spin around, looking up at him. “He can’t really think I’ll be a voiceless statue of perfection.”

Cap’s eyes shift between mine. “If he does, we’ll set him straight quickly.”

I keep my eyes on his for a long moment before he steps back and holds a hand out toward the bathroom.

“I’ll let you know if the food gets here and you’re still in.” He turns around, moving for the balcony doors.

“Cap.”

He looks over his shoulder.

“Thank you. I know you don’t agree, but you didn’t have to do this.”

He gives a sad smile. “You’re right, I don’t agree.”

A light laugh leaves me, and I move for the bathroom, pause at the door. When I glance over my shoulder, my mouth clamps shut when I find he’s already staring at me, shaking his phone in the air.

“I’m calling him now,” he says softly. “Take a shower, I’ll fill you in when you’re done.”

I don’t respond but head straight for the bathroom. I close and lock the door, setting my knife and iPod on the counter, then turn on the water and step in with my clothes on, cold water and all.

This is fucking insane.

Arranged marriages and decades-old moves of alliance. It’s bullshit. All because a dead man made a promise he couldn’t keep.

I strip my soaked clothes off and toss them over the glass. I’m not sure how long I stand under the spray before there’s a light knock on the door.

I ignore it at first, but then it gets louder and louder and I freeze.

And then they knock again, but it’s not a hand against wood – it’s metal.

I don’t shut off the spray, but slowly step out and wrap a towel around me.

The knock gets louder, harder, to the point that the wood shakes against the frame.

I flip open my knife and slowly wrap my fingers around the knob.

Knife still in hand, I gradually turn the lock.

The banging starts again, and I get ready to push it open.

“Get away from that door!” Captain’s sudden voice shouts. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!”

“I need—” another voice answers but is cut off.

“You need to back the fuck up,” Cap demands.

“Tell her to open the door.”

“Stay inside, Raven.”

My lip twitches.

“I need to confirm she’s in there... alone.”

My mouth drops open and Captain laughs mockingly.

I quickly dry off and slip on my underwear and the shirt Captain gave me.

“You think, after all the shit today, she’d already be locked in there with him?” Cap draws out slowly.

“I’m—”

“Leaving. You’re fucking leaving.”

I yank the door open and glare at the goon in front of me.

His eyes find me a moment before he quickly moves them over my shoulder.

So no respect from Graven security. Good to know.

“Ms. Brayshaw.”

“Fuck off, do your little inspection and get the fuck out.” I push past him, snag a throw blanket from the little chair, and walk out onto the balcony.

“He’s not here,” Cap tells him. “Now go back to your boss and report it. Be sure to let him know you’ll be the first to be fired.”

A few moments pass and then a door slams.

Captain steps onto the balcony only seconds later, a pair of boxer briefs in his hand for me.

I take them, slipping them on quickly, and tossing the stupid blanket to the ground. “I guess this is what we have to look forward to, right?”

“Wrong,” he says. “I’ll fix this.”

I nod, looking away. I know he will.

There’s a light knock on the door, and Cap looks over his shoulder briefly before glancing back at me. “You know what, I’m not hungry.”

“Me either.”

I follow him inside, standing to the side while he opens the door and tells the staff to take the food back to the kitchen.

When he closes the door and turns to me, my eyes slide to the sofa sleeper he apparently prepared for himself while I was in the shower.

I frown. “You don’t have to sleep there.”

“I do.”

“You wouldn’t have before today.”

He nods, looking from his makeshift bed to me. “You’re right. Lots happened today though, Raven. I think you need at least a night in bed alone with your thoughts.”

“Yeah, and what do you need, Cap?” I ask him.

He licks his lips, knowing it’s a fair question. “I need to convince myself I didn’t betray my brother in the worst way, and I can’t do that lying next to you on night one.”

A deep ache forms beneath my ribs and I look away, moving for the bed and climbing under the covers. “If he feels betrayed, he hates himself for it.”