Adam sat up in bed. Ryan! He had completely forgotten about him. He stood up and began to straighten his crumpled clothes. Anna watched him with a smile. She was almost nineteen, which she would be in two months' time, and it was Adam who seemed worried about his parents' reaction to his lateness.
"Put something on..." He said, going over to the cardboard box where she kept her clothes and throwing everything on the floor, he started looking for something.
Anna watched him curiously.
"What are you looking for in there? I don't think I have anything that will fit you..."
He threw her a bra and panties.
"Wear these. When you don't put these on, men get very distracted..."
"I didn't know that! I never realized!"
"Don't play dumb. Everyone was looking at the center of your legs, trying to see beyond what you encouraged them to look at, in the room where the will was opened."
"I didn't. I didn't think they'd notice..."
"Then what was the reason for not using it?" His eyes and voice were as cold as steel.
Anna felt her face burn with shame.
"It took you so long to find those pieces... I didn't even know there were any in that damn box."
He hurried out of the room without saying another word.
Anna began to put on her clothes, puzzled and sleepy. She wanted to stay in bed and sleep, but she couldn't do that while Adam was there. He came back with his hair still messy, although it was short, but his clothes fitted him well.
"Shall we?" He asked and Anna frowned.
"Where are we going?"
"I can't leave you here. This house doesn't... It doesn't suit... it wasn't made for... Women like you."
Anna stared at him forlornly.
"I don't know if I'm flattered or offended..."
"You decide that later."
Anna left after Adam, but as soon as he opened the door, he took her hand firmly and led her to the gate. The men opened the gate without asking any questions, and a jeep was waiting to take them to the mansion.
It was early, and there were only sounds coming from the kitchen. Adam guided her upstairs and Anna realized that there were rooms behind, about seven rooms, if all the doors were bedrooms, because she suspected, correctly, that every room there was en-suite. But Adam didn't take her to any of them. He took her to the front room, which had a huge window that also served as the front wall. But the room was dark, as the curtains were still closed. It was a nice place, with a huge bed, work desk, single armchairs, drinks cabinets and bookcases. Everything was very well laid out. Very harmonious. There was also a bathroom. Anna looked even more intrigued at Adam.
Adam made a broad gesture with his hand, showing the whole room.
"This is my room. I designed this whole place. You're staying here. But you can walk around the house and the property, you just can't leave."
"Why am I staying here?"
Adam approached her and touched her waist, while looking at her seriously and with his usual coldness. He wouldn't tell her that he couldn't leave her in a place where all he wanted to do was kill her or... have sex with her.
"I need to satisfy myself. When I've unraveled your mystery, when you're no longer interesting to me, I'll let you go."
"But... What about Ryan?"
"He won't mind visiting you here. You'll carry on with what we agreed. You'll tell him that you love me."
"We didn't agree on that."
His eyes flashed dangerously.
"You don't remember anything about that day when you were drunk, do you?"
Anna looked away. She didn't remember. On that occasion, all she had wanted was for him to take her to bed, but that was something she couldn't admit to anyone. She pulled away to end the contact, she couldn't think straight when she smelled him, and crossed her arms.
"I don't remember."
Adam laughed.
"Then maybe I should give you more to drink. I liked seeing you bold. I distinctly remember you wanting to do something, when... We were interrupted."
"I don't want to be one more in your life, 'boss'."
"You give me the impression that you do want to be one more in my bed."
"I think you already have too many lovers to explain yourself to."
Adam was reflective before turning his gaze back to her.
"I'll divide my time between them all."
Anna felt a pang in her chest at those words and one word danced through her mind, making her feel uneasy: jealousy.
"I don't want to be harassed by your mistresses, Adam. I'd rather stay where I was."
"You're my favorite now. And that means you'll be calling the shots. So... I don't think we'll have any problems."
Once again Anna couldn't tell if it was a compliment and frowned.
"What do I do now?"
"Keep lying... You're lying to Ryan, right?"
"Only with the expressions on my face."
"Keep lying until he asks you to marry him."
Anna felt like getting closer and kissing him. She wanted to feel that burning kiss again, but she was afraid of rejection. It was almost like a dream what had happened that night.
"Am I going to eat here?"
"You choose where you eat. I'm going to another room, I need to rest, and that's going to be impossible around you." He spoke abruptly and hurried away.
Anna wanted to shout that she wasn't his lover yet, because he had been such a coward last night, but she held back.
Anna watched him disappear through one of the corridor doors, then went to the door and closed it. Now, all she had to worry about was something worse than death, which she couldn't avoid, because she felt that the seed had been planted and was growing inside her heart. She was falling in love with Adam.