He hadn't expected me to choose that.

Seconds later, his expression darkened visibly, his voice dropping to a terrifying cold. "Fine."

I looked at him and laughed inside.

Who was that jealous act supposed to fool?

I was shoved into a room along with a man bundled head to toe, and the door locked behind us.

Before I could react, he grabbed me and flung me onto the bed.

The next second, he pinned me down.

"What are you doing? Let go of me!"

In the struggle, I tore his mask off.

Beneath it was a face I recognized.

The man who had kidnapped Alexis.

I froze. My eyes went wide. It took a long time before I found my voice.

"You... what are you doing here?!"

The man flashed a sickening grin, his yellowed teeth turning my stomach.

"Don't be scared, sweetheart. I'll be gentle." He reached for the collar of my shirt.

"Don't touch me! Get off! Help! Bertram!"

I kicked him off and scrambled to the door, pounding on it with everything I had. Even now, in danger, the first name that tore from my throat was his.

But all that came through the door was a love song, followed by Alexis and Bertram's voices entwined in a tender duet.

The man seized my ankle and dragged me back to the bed.

Seconds crawled by. My voice gave out, shredded raw.

In the silence that swallowed my last scream, I closed my eyes.

I opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was Bertram's profile.

He must have sensed me looking, because he glanced down. Our gazes locked, and something complicated flickered through his eyes before vanishing in an instant.

He cleared his throat twice.

"What happened at the club was Alexis's fault. She got too excited about her birthday and forgot to screen those people beforehand. I'm apologizing on her behalf."

My lashes trembled.

When I spoke again, my voice was raw but dripping with sarcasm. "How long are you going to keep playing dumb, Mr. Delgado?"

Bertram watched me in silence, his eyes unreadable.

After a long pause, he drew a deep breath.

"Alexis was wrong about this, yes. But if you hadn't stirred up trouble during those ten minutes, no one would have laid a finger on you."

I stared at him, eyes wide, unable to believe those words had actually left his mouth.

Did he honestly think all of this happened because I couldn't control myself and went out of my way to seduce my own kidnapper? That I deserved it?