"Carmen," Simon greeted her with his usual charm, tilting his head to the side. "We need to talk."
Carmen knew she couldn't avoid it, but she had more pressing matters at hand.
"Sure, just give me a minute," she said, realizing that she had lost sight of the little hand in hers.
It was strange. Alice had been there just a moment ago.
Carmen's heart was racing as she scanned the vast area, hoping to catch a glimpse of the little girl's bright clothes or hear her laughter. But there was no sign of her anywhere.
Simon noticed the frown on Carmen's face, and couldn't help but look around too. "What are you looking for?"
Simon's question brought her back to the present, and she tried to shake off the feeling of panic that was starting to set in. "Oh, it's nothing," she replied with a forced smile. "Just lost track of something for a second."
Simon's expression seemed to suggest that he didn't quite believe her, but he didn't press the matter. Instead, he gestured for her to follow him, and they started making their way through the throngs of people. Carmen couldn't shake off the feeling that she was missing something important, but for now, she had no choice but to follow Simon and hope that Alice was safe and sound with her parents.
Once they were safely inside Simon's office, he surprised Carmen with his strength, effortlessly lifting her up and placing her on his elegant desk. Carmen couldn't help but marvel at the opulence of the room, but her attention was quickly drawn back to Simon as he leaned in so close that his breath tickled her skin. Despite her nerves, Carmen couldn't help but feel a spark of attraction between them.
With a shaky breath, Carmen tried to compose herself. "Did you bring me here just to toss me around?" she asked, a hint of playful sarcasm in her voice.
He chuckled at her comment. "No, I brought you here so we can talk."
Carmen raised an eyebrow. "Is this how you always talk to people? By trapping them between your arms?"
"Only the ones I really want to listen to me."
Carmen rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. Despite everything, there was still something about Simon that made her heart skip a beat.
"Okay, fine," she relented. "Let's talk. What do you want to discuss?"
Simon's handsome face grew serious once again, and he let out a heavy sigh. "Can't we just forget about all this and go back to the way things were? I miss you."
Carmen felt a strange pang in her chest, but she knew she couldn't just let things go. "Not before you tell me what's going on," she said firmly. "We can't move past this until you tell me why you helped Jenna. I had to know. And no, don't even tell me that it's not my business, because it is. It changed my life, Simon, and someone must take responsibility for it."
Simon's hand ran through his hair as he paced the elegant office, his silence stretching out for what felt like an eternity. Carmen couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at putting him in such a difficult spot, but she knew deep down that she needed to stay strong and get the answers she deserved. After all, her life had been turned upside down by his actions, and she needed to know why he did what he did.
Simon faced Carmen, his shoulders tense as he loosened his tie. "I helped Jenna because she asked for my help," he said, as if that explanation should suffice.
However, it only left Carmen with more questions. "What does that even mean? Why would she come to you for help out of all people?" she asked, feeling frustrated with his vague response.
Simon's tone had shifted towards irritation as he spoke. "I don't know, Carmen," he said, his voice terse. "She just came to me and asked for help. She didn't want to marry her fiancé and I respected her decision. I didn't need to ask for specifics because it wasn't my place to do so. She had a problem, and I was in a position to help her."
Carmen's mind was racing, trying to make sense of it all. "But why would she choose you? There are so many people she could have gone to for help."
"I can't tell you that," Simon replied, his voice strained.
Carmen was growing more frustrated by the second. "You're not telling everything. You're still hiding."
"Of course I am," Simon admitted, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "But not because I want to keep you in the dark, but because the less you know, the safer you'll be."
Carmen's frowned. "Safer? From what? What could possibly be so dangerous about this situation that I need protection?"
"I can't tell you that."
"Are you serious—" she was saying, when Simon once again moved closer and trapped her with his arms on the table on either side of her.
"Make no mistake, Carmen," Simon said, his voice low and chilling, "I am deadly serious. And if you choose to ignore my warnings and push for more information, be prepared to pay the price. Once you enter my world, there is no turning back. I will reveal everything, but it will come at the cost of your freedom. Are you willing to make that sacrifice for answers that may not even be worth it?"
He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing. "And if that's not terrifying enough, let me make something abundantly clear. Once you know my truth, you will be mine, body and soul. There will be no escape, no running away. I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth if necessary, and when I catch you, you will be mine forever."
The intensity of his words hung heavy in the air, and Carmen couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her spine. The man she thought she knew was gone, replaced by this cold, ruthless stranger who seemed to have no regard for anything but his own desires. She knew she should turn and run, but some dark, twisted part of her wanted to know more, to see just how far this rabbit hole went.
But should she?