Page 30 of Forbidden Fate

“I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he says.

I study him.

Try to read him. Is this real? Or a game? I don’t even know his name yet.

That’s easy enough to remedy. “Who are you?” I ask.

“Cruz. Cruz Moreno.”

I shrug. “Good to know.”

Because what else am I supposed to say?

He draws in a breath. “I need to restrain you to the bed.”

My jaw drops and I stare at him. “What? Why? It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”

No reaction.

Just that same unreadable look.

“Cruz,” I say, trying not to think about how his name fits him. “Give me one good reason, and I won’t fight you.”

Something flashes in his dark eyes. Is he conflicted? Good. That means there’s still something human left in there.

Finally, “The fact that I’m telling you to do it is reason enough.”

My stomach drops.

“You’re forgetting who the prisoner is here,” he continues.

I hold his gaze. “I’m not forgetting anything.”

“Then act like it.”

I straighten as much as I can, even though I’m dehydrated and sore and stuck in a cell. “No.”

“No?”

“No,” I say again, stronger this time. “You want to tie me to a bed? You tell me why.”

“I don’t need to explain myself to you.”

“Maybe not,” I shoot back. “But if you expect me to just lie down and let you⁠—”

He steps closer to the bars. “Look at you,” he says quietly.

I freeze.

“Look at your muscles,” he continues. “You’re exhausted. Dehydrated. You think you’re in a position to fight me?”

Heat flares in my chest. “I’ve been in worse positions.”

He furrows his brow for a moment, darts his eyes back down the hall. Then he closes his eyes, inhales slowly. “This can go one of two ways,” he says. “Easy. Or hard.”

I let out a slow breath. “I’ve never taken the easy way out. And I’m not about to start now.”

“Then don’t.” He reaches for the lock.