“Come on,” he said, as though he was making an honest effort to mollify her. “I understand why you’re mad, but there’s no need for all of this hostility. It’ll only make matters worse. The sooner you accept your new situation, the better off we’ll be.”

“You expect me to accept this?” She indicated the four walls of her prison.

“Why not? You kept me in a space about the same size—and with other men who would’ve torn me to pieces if they could get their hands on me.”

“You deserved your prison sentence. I don’t.”

Lyman tsked. “None of us are perfect. Besides, nothing’s going to change.”

“Go to hell.” Taking her food, she crossed over to sit against the same wall as the door so he couldn’t see her, which she knew would bother him.

“I never dreamed you’d be such a bad sport,” he said as if she’d hurt his feelings. “We’ll have to rectify that.”

“With an ice pick?” she asked bitterly.

This time he was the one who paused before answering. “If that’s what it takes.”

“I’ll never allow you to touch me. I’ll die first!”

“You’ll die eventually, yes. When I’m done with you. But not before you have the baby. And you’ll treat me with respect while I allow you to live, or I might decide to take certain risks I was hoping to avoid until later.”

The calmness with which he spoke contrasted sharply with the meaning of his words. That, as well as mention of the baby, made it impossible for her to continue eating. She had to keep up her strength for her child, had to take advantage of every meal. But if she swallowed one more bite, she’d throw up.

Setting her bowl aside, she drew her knees into her stomach. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the rules. Should we go over them now? Or would you like to have a pleasant morning together as I’d planned?”

A pleasant morning? Was he completely out of touch with reality? Or was he purposely ignoring the fact that she wasn’t here because she wanted to be, that she was being held against her will? “What is it you want from me?” she asked.

“The only thing I’ve ever wanted from anybody. Love,” he replied simply.

“You think any woman could love you while you’re keeping her locked up like this?”

“I plan to let you out.”

“When?”

“After you have the baby.”

She swallowed against a dry throat. “You keep talking about the baby.…”

“Aren’t you glad I’m taking the child into account? I would think you’d be grateful.”

Evelyn drew a shaky breath. “I’ll do whatever you want, for however long you want, if only you’ll take my baby and leave her at a fire station with a note for Amarok.”

He sighed dramatically. “Please, don’t. This doesn’t become you, you know.”

She clenched her jaw. “What doesn’t become me?”

“Lying. No matter what you’ve been to me in the past, I always felt I could rely on you for the truth.”