“No. This isn’t working.”

At that, her body stiffened. And he knew what she feared without her verbalizing it. If this wasn’t working, would he kill her? Given what she must suspect about his family, it wasn’t an out-there assumption, but he wasn’t in the business of killing women.

“I’m not going to hurt you, but you’re too scared of me. You don’t have the same kinds of needs and desires I have, and while I think it’s possible to train a body to want these things, I’m not a sick enough bastard to do it to you without your consent. Get up.”

She pushed herself up off the floor, still trembling, staring at the ground as if she could become invisible and safe that way. If he went any further he’d break her beyond repair. He found he didn’t have the stomach for it. Why couldn’t she have been a sub? Why couldn’t she have been wired so that they could both find happiness together? He could get his fantasy, and she could get hers. But this wasn’t her fantasy. It was her nightmare.

“Get your cat, and come with me.”

She looked confused and still afraid, so he added, “I’m giving you your own room in the east wing. You’ll be far from me. I’m sorry I can’t set you free, but I’ll let you live here without having to be afraid I’ll touch or hurt you. All right?”

She gave a quick nod and scooped up her cat.

* * *

The sound system played an ominous version of Carol of the Bells as Leo led her through his massive estate. Faith silently berated herself.

Why couldn’t she give in to him? She’d dated a lot of guys and none of them were as attractive or rich as Leo. Though Italian men weren’t a rarity in the city, Leo made it look exotic and wild. Why couldn’t she do what he wanted? He didn’t repulse her. Wasn’t that something at least?

But she was too afraid. The things he’d hinted he was into… well, she didn’t know a lot about them. But she knew they scared her. She knew the spanking he’d given her the previous night had scared, humiliated, and hurt her. She knew if that was the first thing he did to her, that things would become horrible. Whatever else he had going for him… this was too much. And then there was the family of killers. These people weren’t like her. They’d kill anybody who saw too much, knew too much, or got in their way.

Still, if he followed through on his word to let her live in another wing of the house and not hurt her, she found herself extremely grateful—enough so that she wished that what he wanted was normal. If he wasn’t into scary or painful things, she could almost see herself letting him touch her without cringing. If he’d only let her get used to the idea. Give her time.