“Huh. I thought men like you had better things to do than spend their time spying on their prisoners.” She paused. “Female prisoners.”
If that was an attempt to shame me, then she was going to have to try harder than that.
“That’s a predator move, and it’s creepy.”
My lips curled into a mischievous smirk. “Iama predator.” I rose to my feet, slowly. “And you’re in my nest.”
She swallowed hard, bracing herself for whatever I was going to do next. “I’m not afraid of you.” Her voice was as steady as it could be, but that wasn’t enough to fool me.
I walked over to her with slow, menacing steps. “Youshouldbe.”
She raised her head and locked her jaw, wearing a mask of bravery.
When I halted before her, I held her gaze for a second before reaching out to toy with the strands of hair that framed her face.
“I’d bite my tongue if I were you,” I began, my tone calm and gentle. “I’d be on my best behavior.”
She looked me straight in the eyes and said, “I didn’t do anything wrong. The thing with the vase was an accident.” After a moment of hesitation, she added. “I apologize for rearranging your stuff.”
The words were empty, vague, and insincere. She claimed she was sorry, yet the expression on her face said otherwise.
“Happy now?”
Her effrontery, though.
I leaned in and whispered in her ear. “There’s a fine line between foolishness and bravery, little one. Be sure to learn the difference.”
When I straightened my spine, I watched her breath hitch for a second. But she didn’t say another word.
“You’re dismissed.”
Her scowl deepened for a fleeting moment before she turned around and stormed out of my study.
My closing statement had gotten to her more than she cared to admit. Good. Very good.
Before I could pick up my pace and return to my desk, the door opened again. Konstantin walked in.
He stepped closer with a straight face. “She needs to be taught a lesson, Boss,” he said, a hint of anger coloring his accented tone. “The girl has no respect, she shows no fear, and runs her mouth like a fuckin’ tap.”
Silence.
He continued, “I know you don’t hit women, but I can arrange a befitting punishment for her. That way, she’ll understand that there are boundaries she shouldn’t cross. That her actions have consequences.”
He wasn’t wrong.
Yet the mere thought of punishing her stirred up a strange kind of emotion within me.
“She’s not to be touched or punished in any way,” I said, shooting him a quick glance.
He locked his jaw, displeased by my response. However, he knew better than to argue with me.
“I’ll take care of this myself,” I added, then walked back to my desk.
“Sure,” he answered.
I sat back in my chair and watched him leave in silence. The order had cut him like a blade, and I knew it was only amatter of time before the other men would begin whispering amongst themselves.
I never showed this level of leniency to anyone, so seeing me wave off all of Celine’s garbage would certainly spark some reactions. Even though they knew my policy against harming women and children.