“Is it because Davit knows better than to let Amy in a room with your dad?”

To my surprise, he laughed. “Yes, there’s that. But even she will have to make some appearances, eventually,” he said.

“So why do I have to go first?” I asked, knowing I was whining but unable to stop myself.

“Because he doesn’t trust you,” Elias said.

“Oh, that,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“You know this is serious, don’t you, Kayla?” he asked.

He had looked at me, his dark eyes boring into mine.

There was a sternness to his expression, but not anger, and that was what made me look at him more closely.

“I think I do,” I said, thinking back to the week before.

The bruises had healed, mostly, but the memories were still there.

Something I knew Elias could tell I was thinking about from the way his expression softened before he quickly made it unreadable.

“Well if you do, you know that you need to play this right,” I said.

“So what?” I said on a little giggle. “Don’t look him in the eye, show him my neck, and establish I’m not a threat?”

“That’s a start,” he said.

I laughed again but stopped when Elias didn’t even crack a smile.

“You’re making him sound like a bear,” I said.

“No, he’s worse than a bear. Because a bear wouldn’t hurt you just because it had a mind to,” Elias said.

“I guess I should know that better than anyone,” I said.

I must have reached for my wrist, an unconscious action I’d found myself doing a lot in these recent days, because Elias’s hand quickly covered my mine and then gave me an infinitesimal squeeze.

But coming from him, it was like the warmest, most protective embrace.

Something I chose not to analyze.

“You’ll be fine. But you have to convince him this is real,” he said.

“I’ll do my best,” I whispered.

“Do better than your best, and don’t lie to him. And let’s just get the fuck through this,” he said.

“I guess we agree on that,” I said, getting out of the SUV after Elias circled it and opened the door.

His father had a penthouse in another one of the family’s buildings, but I hadn’t been to this one before.

Were this any other time, I would have thought it was beautiful, at least the garage, lobby, and elevator. They were decorated in an art deco style that conveyed class and elegance.

The opposite of the man who was waiting for me in the penthouse.

Two guards were flanking the double doors to the penthouse and opened them for Elias without a word being exchanged.

I nodded at them even though I didn’t recognize them.

Got no response at all.

“Papa?” Elias called as he entered the foyer.