SEVENTEEN

Oaths and Promises.

Lolita lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. After Hayden’s departure, the house had been unbearably silent. Jarrod was in long calls with his mother and brother, probably discussing Hayden’s inappropriate behavior. Twice, she heard some crash in his office and she stood outside nervously, not sure of how to handle the situation.

Lolita had never been directly involved in confrontational business before. She had been just the princess he expected and wanted her to be, never soiling her hands or body. It worked fine in the past because as an orphan, she had no one to turn to. She wanted to calm him down, to apologize for being so easy, but when he came out of his office hours later, he simply touched her face and smiled.

“He’s gone now, but not for long. He’s promised that he would never touch you again.”

And then he left to make them dinner. He was so calm and quiet as he prepared their meal, which made Lolita more anxious as the seconds passed. She looked into