My heart was still beating too fast. I could still feel Paxton’s breath on my lips, and that alone made my hands shake. I didn’t want to look at him, but he stood there staring at me, waiting for my answer to the ridiculous request he made.

He stepped closer. “Carlota… leave him. You have to listen to me this time around. I'm doing this for your own good, and I promise you I'll be much better than him.”

The words hung in the room like smoke. I swallowed hard. I wanted to find ...