“I’m tellin’ you this because you have to understand me. That bakery represents me risin’ out of the swamp. Taking control of my life. I learned to live with the alligators and the other animals. I know the swamp, its rhythm, its heartbeat. I know how to take care of myself, but I don’ know how to have a relationship. I’ve never had one. Never, Fyodor. You had your brother and cousin. I had my leopard.” She ducked her head, unable to meet his eyes. Ashamed. “My own father and mother didn’t care enough about me to fight for me. They threw me away instead.”

She hated telling him. She didn’t want to think about her parents and how Joshua’s father had fought valiantly to save his wife and child, but her father just pretended she was dead and left her alone. So alone. She shivered at the memories and tried to pull her hand away from Alonzo.

“Don’t.” He said it softly. “Look at me, devochka moya.”

She chewed at her lower lip. If she looked at him she would be lost. Unable to think clearly. That was what he did to her. He had to realize she was no bargain. She wasn’t Siena Arnotto. She never would be. She would make mistakes, and she was independent. He was a dictator. A man used to others obeying him. She hadn’t obeyed anyone in a long, long time.

“I need you to look at me.”

For some reason, that low voice, so velvet soft, brushed over her skin like fingers. The commanding tone found its way inside of her. Deep. She felt herself go damp. She didn’t understand how he could do that, make her entire body come alive. Be aware of him. She didn’t want to feel so much for him, but she did. There was no hiding from it, not and be true to herself. She was a woman who faced the truth.

Evangeline lifted her gaze to his. At once she felt herself drowning. Caught. Captive. There was no looking away from either the man or the leopard. Both stared back at her, wholly focused on her. A shiver went down her spine. In that moment she couldn’t decide if she was prey or under his protection. Maybe both. She wanted to be both.

“You’re mine, Evangeline. For you, that’s both good and bad. You never have to worry again about anyone leaving you. That’s never going to happen. I’ll stand in front of you every time. You won’t be alone and you won’t ever have to face anything alone. Sometimes you won’t like that trait in me, but I can’t help who I am. I want you to remember that just as I’ll remember you can only be who you are.”