To hear her voice was a tantalizing thought, even if it would fuck me off. How dare she give that gift to complete strangers rather than me?

When I’d told her she could come with me, I hadn’t contemplated the idea she would talk. That her tongue would be healed enough to spill my secrets and inform those who should never know that I’d stolen her. That it was fully within my power to free her, but I wouldn’t until I got what I wanted.

Instead of airing our sinful laundry, she glanced at me then dropped her gaze.

The drumsticks stopped playing death metal against my ribs—for the time being.

This meeting was already too long, and we’d only just begun.

Taking a collected breath, I smiled at Simo and his family, answering on Pim’s behalf. “I’m afraid she doesn’t speak. She’s mute.”

Not quite, but it was easier than the truth. Far simpler than to explain her half-severed tongue and the bruises only just beginning to fade beneath her dress.

Pim didn’t give any outward reaction to my delivery of her ‘condition.’ If anything, she looked mildly relieved that she could be a voyeur but not participate.

Her eyes weren’t passive, though. She might be silent, but she wasn’t stupid. Her attention flickered between His Highness and his wife, drawing conclusions far too astute for a stolen slave.

Watching her watch them gave me a hint of how hard she would be to break. How everything I did, every vowel I uttered and every syllable I whispered was armament in her weaponry against me.

Christ, will I ever get what I want?

Dina nodded at Pim, woman to woman. “I think that’s impressive—not to talk, I mean.” Her voice was sweet and respectful. “Men talk so much these days. I often feel like a mute myself.”

Pim gave her a rare smile, letting it reach her eyes and transforming her from sad wraith to brilliant beauty.

Once again, she stole a heartbeat. I glowered at her for such sorcery.

Not once had she looked at me that way.

Not once had she deemed me worthy of such a gift.

My shoulders tensed as anger percolated like rich coffee in my blood. She wanted to punish me? Fucking fine. I’m willing to change the rules of this game.

“Should we get down to business?” Simo asked.

I nodded as two waitresses brought over a tray of local beverages and finger food.

Forcing my mind away from Pim and ideas of how to earn a smile like the one she’d just bestowed, I rubbed at the unwanted tightness in my chest, pulled out my phone, and got to work.

* * * * *

Three hours and multiple revisions to the yacht schematics later, we were done. My back ached from reaching across the table to reveal updated plans. Luckily, my phone had a self-designed software that made it easy to tweak frivolous requests while important things like water displacement and ballast were all mathematically checked in the background.

Pimlico obviously hadn’t said a word during the meeting, but she’d struck up a strange friendship with Dina.

While Simo and I muttered about incandescent bulbs versus the merit of LED and argued over what wood would be best in the library, Pim never took her eyes off Dina or her children.

The kids, sensing a willing victim, kept plying Pim with curried couscous on fresh pita, presented with fingers covered in sauce.

Not once did Pim refuse their offering, but she did struggle to eat. Shouldn’t her tongue be mostly healed by now? I’d already set a reminder to ask Michaels when we returned home.

Home.

What an odd concept. After this meeting, I would return home with a girl in tow who was still a total stranger.

As the last round of drinks was delivered, Pim’s gaze trailed over her shoulder, looking for a washroom.

Dina noticed. “They’re toward the back.”

Pim smiled, standing gracefully. Dina and Simo’s eyes tracked over her, noticing things they hadn’t when we’d first arrived—the fading bruises, the bandage on her hand, the skinniness of her arms and chest.

My hands fisted. Would they think I’d done that? That I was a psychopath who kept girls as pets?

Dina narrowed her eyes, judging my relationship with Pim from the small distance between us.

Pissed off with her scrutiny, I cocked my head at Selix to escort Pim to the facilities—not to prevent her from running, but to guard her. In her notes to No One, she said she was sold at a shabby hotel with a masquerade ball.

But how was she originally kidnapped? Was the tale true that she was at a charity function with her mother or had she been stolen by less refined means?

Selix stepped forward to collect her, but Dina stood. “You know, I might go too.”

She and Pim shared a smile.

What is it with women and joint bathroom visits?

Selix caught my eye, asking if he should still follow.

I nodded subtly. He could protect from outside the bathroom while the two women protected each other inside.

Dina moved toward Pim then blew her husband a kiss.

Simo grinned before turning his attention to the latest amendment to his yacht. Meanwhile, I couldn’t tear my fucking eyes off Pim as she padded across the restaurant in her floaty dress and sandals.

It was no secret I found Pim bloody stunning. Her nose, her eyes, her chin, her strength—she equalled a beautiful woman. Having the luxury of gawking at her ass and the flamingo-like curve of her spine made me hard.

“Women, huh?” Simo chuckled. “They cause the worst pain and the best pleasure.”

I gave half a smile. “I wouldn’t know.”