"Don't be shy, little one. I don't bite." He winks, and Yara allows herself a small smile, glancing up at him with shy curiosity.
"Shall we?" Gerald gestures grandly towards the exit.
As we step outside, a sleek black car awaits us.
The driver opens the door with a small bow.
I gape at the luxurious interior as I climb in, Yara right on my heels.
She runs her hand excitedly over the plush leather. "Mama, this is like the cars on those TV shows you like to watch."
I laugh, suddenly self-conscious about my penchant for American reality TV.
"Only the best for you," Gerald says indulgently, sliding in beside me.
He snakes an arm around my shoulders, his thumb brushing my collarbone. A shiver races down my spine as I think back to the last time he touched me this way.
We drive away from the crowded city into gentle hills dotted with mansions. Yara presses her face to the window, oohing and ahhing.
Finally, we pass through an ornate gate and pull up to the grandest house yet.
My jaw drops.
Gerald chuckles. "Welcome home."
The inside is even more breathtaking. Vaulted ceilings, chandeliers, paintings in gilded frames.
Yara darts from room to room, her laughter echoing.
"I can't believe this," I murmur.
Gerald's eyes crinkle. "You deserve it, darling. I told you I'll give you the world. So you'd best start believing."
His hand on my back is warm, his words intoxicating. For the first time, I let myself believe that we've found our haven.
Yara's room is the pièce de résistance.
She gasps, dashing inside. The walls are her favorite pink and teal, the shelves overflowing with toys and books. A four-poster bed is draped in lace and tulle, and next to it is a vanity festooned with all manner of makeup and hair decorations.
"For me?" Yara breathes.
Gerald places a hand on her shoulder. "All for you, princess."
Yara throws her arms around his neck.
He laughs, patting her back. "Why don't you explore while I show your mother her room?"
Taking my hand, he leads me down the hall.
Our room is just as lavish, with plush carpet and gauzy curtains around the king-sized bed.
Gerald comes up behind me, hands circling my waist. "Only the best for my queen," he murmurs in my ear.
I shiver as his lips graze my neck. When I turn in his arms, his eyes blaze with hunger.
"Tonight, after Yara's asleep..." His fingers trail down my spine.
I flush but don't pull away.