I stand stock-still, unable to move. Frozen, not in fear but in stubbornness, and an unwillingness to show him just how much he fucking terrifies me. In this room, all alone, with no one the wiser—aside from Dr. Pillard, who obviously works for him—he could do it all over again.
“You have the wrong impression of me, Juliet.” His scent is one of an expensive cologne. It’s thick and cloying, invading my senses. I choke on it as I stare at him. “All I want to do is give you the life you deserve. Our relationship is one built on mutual love.”
“Idon’tlove you.” The words are out of my mouth before I can think better of pushing this man and once they’re out there, I can’t seem to help myself. “I don’t even trust you.”
He dips his head. “I’m sorry to hear that and truly sorry you feel that way.” His hand drifts up and I can’t stay still any longer. I don’t care what he thinks of me, but I won’t let him touch me again. Not willingly. Taking a step back and removing the possibility of his fingers grazing my cheek, I glare at him.
“Tell me the truth,” I say. “Did you hurt Eliza Pierce to get me here?”
Morpheus’ hand hovers in the air right where I’d been moments before. He stares at the space I’ve put between us and his expression shifts from one of sympathetic acceptance to stone-cold resolution. “Fight it all you would like, Juliet,” he murmurs. “But I will do what I have to in order to get you back where you belong.”
“Where I belong is wherever I want to be,” I snap.
He ignores my words as he continues. “You were never meant to struggle to survive,” he says. “You were born into a life of a higher class and that is where you should be. Soon, you’ll see that I can give you everything you need.”
“Not out of the goodness of your heart, I’m sure,” I sneer back at him, glowering as his hand slowly lowers back to his side. He remains where he is, watching me.
“You are my heart, Juliet.”
I shake my head. “Why? Why do you think that? What did I do to make you think that I—” When my voice cracks, I stop myself and take another breath. Calm. I need to remain calm. My eyes lower to the floor. How many other women get this chance to face their assaulters? How many of them can face them and ask all of the things that I want to? Even if it felt like a trap at first, maybe it’s an opportunity.
All thoughts of Nolan and the others fade into the back of my mind. “What you did to me… wasn’t right.” The truth echoes between us in the quiet, cold room. The scent of bleach is heavy and the only smell thicker ishim. Both make me feel ill. “Why did you do it? Why can’t you just let me go? I didn’t tell anyone. I stayed silent.”
Furious and frustrated tears gather in the back of my eyes. Why? Why me? Why did it have to be me? What did I do? Was it my dress? Was I just convenient? Was it the place? The time? The alcohol?
I have to believe there was a reason I was the one he chose because without that, I have nothing. Without a reason, then I have to face the fact that there was nothing I could have done to change the outcome. That I have no control and there’s nothing I can do to stop it from happening again.
Those tears well and I shove them back, forcing the bubble of emotions to sink beneath the waves of anger versus fear and sorrow and pain and betrayal. Down, down, down deep until they’re covered up again. Anger, I can handle. Everything else… is too much.
Lifting my head, I meet his gaze again. “Why did you do that to me?”
Morpheus’ expression softens and he looks like he wants to come for me. His arms rise and then pause before lowering back to his sides. “Because I love you, Juliet. I’ve always loved you.”
“I’m your best friend’s daughter,” I remind him.
“I know.” He clenches his hands into fists. “I know, and I knew he wouldn’t accept it, but now… he’s not here for you. I am. Why can’t you understand that all I want to do is save you?”
“I don’t want to be saved,” I say. “I don’t need saving from anything but you!”
That’s the wrong thing to say, apparently. My outburst doesn’t do anything but strengthen the hard look in his eyes. He frowns and reaches up, straightening his suit coat before lifting his chin.
“You’re wrong.” Two words. A statement of fact to him. “Soon you’ll see it too. No one else can help you, Juliet. Not your girlfriends. Not the rest of this town. They hate you because of your father. It’s wrong, but it’s the truth. No one is on your side except for me.”
“Nolan and—” Denial is the first thing on my tongue, but he cuts me off.
“Ha.” Morpheus’ bark of laughter is dry and unamused. “Nolan Pierce? The man who’s back there with his mother? Do you really think that a trio of poor gangsters from the wrong side of town can give you everything you need? Everything you deserve?” He shakes his head before I can get anything else out. “No. Those boys are just using you. You’ll realize it soon enough, but even if you don’t, I’m sure they’ll start to catch on when otheraccidentsstart happening.”
“Accidents?” I repeat the word that he emphasized.
His smile is slow and savage. “Mrs. Pierce was lucky today,” he says. “She might not be so lucky next time. Perhaps those boys you care for so much will find that their families are going to have horrible bouts of bad luck very soon. Giovanni Vargas’ father has had a few federal agents sniffing around him for the last several years. They haven’t managed to get anything on the man, but who knows…”
“Are you threatening them?” A growl forms in my throat.How fucking dare he?
Morpheus shrugs. “I am doing no such thing, Juliet. I am merely stating that the men you surround yourself with have many weaknesses. It would be a shame for something to happen to them, don’t you think?”
I have nothing to say to that. What can I say? So, instead, I remain silent, standing there as ice seeps into my veins. Morpheus nods and tugs on his coat’s lapel once more.
“Well, this has been a very insightful chat, darling,” he murmurs. “But I do have a business to run. I think you should know the best course of action. If all you want is a choice, then I will give it to you. Call me when you’ve made the right one.”
