Page 22 of Kidnapped Bride

But the look on Vlad's face told me I didn't have a choice.

I was cursed with being forced to dine with Nikolai and watch him devour food right in front of me.

Niko was already seated at the head of the table with a glass of red wine when I walked in and his eyes raked over me hungrily.

I hid behind my crossed arms, embarrassed by his attention.

I was still in his boxers and his T-shirt because he hadn't bothered to give me anything else, and I felt half-dressed even though I was technically covered.

"Sit," he said, nodding at the chair to his right.

I pulled it out and dropped into it as Anya had set the table with roasted chicken, potatoes, some kind of greens, and bread that was still warm enough to have steam curling off it.

A wineglass sat at my place, already filled.

Despite my hunger, I reached for the wine first.

"You look thin," Niko said as I drank, "and pale."

"Mind your own business." While his tone was one of genuine concern, I was still angry with him.

I didn't need his pity or sympathy.

He was a monster.

"You are my business. You're living in my house."

"I'm a prisoner in your house. I don't live here." I took another long sip and set the glass down. The wine was too good. It went down easily. I could already feel it warming my empty stomach, which was a dangerous combination and I knew it.

This was how it all started last week when he dragged me here, playing hero.

Niko cut into his chicken and ate without responding to me.

I watched him for a second and then pulled the bread toward me and tore off a piece.

I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of eating his food, but it felt like torture at this point.

He had no intention of letting me go just because I was starving myself.

I didn't know if he was even paying attention to that or if Anya had told him.

"You should eat more than bread," he said without looking up.

"You should stop telling me what to do."

He set his fork down and leaned back in his chair, studying me.

I hated the way it made me feel like I was being observed under a microscope.

My cheeks burned and I shoved another bite of bread into my mouth. It melted on my tongue as I closed my eyes and tried to savor how delicious it was.

When I was done chewing and swallowing carefully, I chased it with the rest of the wine and finally got the nerve to say what I wanted to say to him.

"You know what I don't understand?" I said, pushing my wineglass toward him. As I was speaking, he took the bottle and refilled it. "When we were texting you were so…" I trailed off because the word I wanted felt stupid coming out of my mouth.

"So what?" Nikolai set the bottle down, watching me with amusement on his face.

"Kind." I couldn't keep the bitterness out of my voice. "You were kind, Niko. You asked me about my day. You remembered things I told you. You made me feel like you actually cared about me, and the whole time, you were just setting a trap."