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I nodded, not entirely sure what I was agreeing to or acknowledging. Now that he’d put it out there, I had to work with him however I could to get closer to escaping.
I was too independent not to.
I was too stuck with my vow to never be controlled by a man.
No matter how sexy he was. No matter how excellent of a lover he was. And no matter how skilled he was at making me come so hard that I felt like nothing could bother my soul again.
“Will you cooperate and be my good girl, Sloane? In all ways, even outside of this room?”
I licked my lips and nodded as I stared him in the eye. Without a flinch or letting him guess that I was lying, I said, “Yes, Maxim. I’ll be a good girl.”
I couldn’t tell him that I’d behisgood girl.
I wouldn’t ever swear myself to him.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he’d noticed that difference in what I’d said.
With another slow and possessive kiss, he seemed to seal our deal.
One that I would break as soon as I could.
The second I saw an opportunity to reclaim my life and be independent again, I was taking it.
24
MAXIM
The days of sleeping in my guest room or on my couch were over. Every night, I fell asleep with Sloane’s naked, warm body flush against mine. And every morning, I treated myself to the chance of staring at her as she slept. Watching her sleep relaxed me, but I had to check myself and remember that she wasn’t anything more than the woman who’d give me a child.
Most days, I had to get up early and tend to business right away. My family was relying on me and I wouldn’t ever let them down. The Ivanov Syndicate would remain strong under my rule. But some days, I woke up earlier than necessary just so I could enjoy her sweet pussy again.
This morning, though, I only gave myself a few moments of watching her as she rested. I had too many things to catch up on, and I knew she’d be here later. I let her be and went to my father’s office. It was stillhisspace and not mine, but I wondered how long it would be.
If I wasn’t expected to be in charge, I could spend that much more time fucking my captive mistress.
Careful. Don’t let her matter any more than she needs to.
With a frown at the thought of Sloane becoming too important, I sat at Father’s desk and began to go through the important matters that had awaited me since last night. Knowing that Sloane was in my room and in this house—within my reach—kept me calm. I would never let her go, and while she was my kept woman, my mistress locked in my room, I couldn’t shake off the nagging suspicion that she wouldn’t fully agree with that concept.
When I asked her in a general sense if she’d cooperate with me and be my good girl, I posed that question as a way to gauge whether or not I could trust her out of my bedroom, like in my apartment or in this house, near my family. I wanted to see if she would verbally submit to me and acknowledge that she was my woman. That she would agree to obey me.
All she said was that she’d be good. That she would fall into line and do what I expected of her, such as having my heir.
But she didn’t agree to be mine.
That one time I asked her, she said that she would beagood girl, not that she would bemygood girl.
For fuck’s sake. You’re overthinking this.
She has to know she’s not leaving.
And it’s not like she’s even protesting.
The opposite was happening. Sloane craved me and needed me as much as I did her. Even though she was stubborn no matter what and she still could be difficult and bicker with me, with her body, she always proved that she wanted me. Desperately.
Knocks sounded on the door, jarring me from thinking about her—a common pastime of mine now. I looked up as Hugo walked into the office. He never had to wait for me to tell him to enter. That was how long he had been in the family. How well he knew me even if my position at my father’s desk was a new change.
“Here you go, Boss.”