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“He put his hand on what is mine,” I told her firmly. “That is what happens when you touch the girl I own.” I watched the fear arrive, and I didn’t need to question that part. It was the part she tried to hide, turning her face away, that interested me.

“And now you are in here,” she said, stating the obvious.

“Yes.”

“Twenty-four hours in seclusion. Review in the morning. That’s what it got you.” My grin stayed where it was because she was far too much fun to argue with, and I had absolutely no intention of stopping.

“It got me exactly where I intended to be,” I informed her as I put one forearm up on the frame.

“Now be a good girl and open the door for me.” She actually laughed at that, and there was no humor in it anywhere.

“No way, not a chance.” We will see about that.

“Come now, what are you afraid of?” Her perfect mouth dropped open at that.

“Is that a serious question?” she asked wryly, and fuck me, but I loved her fire. That spark that no other would dare throw my way.

“You are in seclusion and there is an entire policy put in place for a reason. There are two signatures on the form that put you in there and one of them is mine.” Oh, how adorable her reactions were, and I was addicted to every single one of them.

“And who is coming?” I challenged, and she gave me another one as her mouth opened and closed as if she had been forced to swallow her own argument.

“Nobody is coming,” I said. “You are on continuous observation. That means only one member of staff on that door for a four-hour stretch, and no relief until somebody comes down those steps to take the chart off you.” I let that sit for a moment. “I have read the policy, Anna. All of it. I knew what would happen the second they put me in this room, and I knew exactly who would be sitting on the other side of that door when they did.”

“I… that’s… not…” she stuttered as she rubbed her forehead in frustration, which was just another reaction I relished watching. Although having this door between us was starting to wear thin, and I had a great deal of patience for most things and none at all for things that kept her from me.

“That doesn’t mean I am opening this door.”

“No,” I agreed. “It just means that nobody will see you when you do it,” I amended, and she held out longer than I expected. I will give her that.

“I’m still not coming in there.”

“Why not, little nurse, surely you’re not afraid of me?” I mocked, knowing that she was.

“You broke a man’s hand only hours ago.” Again, I grinned at that before enjoying the chance to correct her,

“No, I broke two of his fingers, and I did it while you were standing close enough for me to touch you. And I didn’t.” I said it gently. “You have never once been the one in danger. Not in that infirmary, not in that shower, and especially not now.”

She went quiet at that, and I could practically hear her deciding. I had made an entire career out of knowing what people are going to do about ten seconds before they do it, and I already knew how this was going to end.

I didn’t want to frighten her into it, but I knew that if I didn’t get my way soon and have my hands on her, then I would have no other option than to force the issue. And I knew what she feared.

But not wanting to do it this way was a new thing for me. I had spent my whole life making people do things, which meant I was used to getting my way and I didn’t care what methods I had to use to achieve this. But as I stood behind that door, I found that I wanted her to open it because she had chosen to.

So, I didn’t threaten her… yet.

“Now open the door for me,” I said. “I have been in this room since eleven o’clock this morning with nothing in it but a mattress and my own head for company.”

“You sound lonely,” she mocked, and I covered my grin with my hand at that, trying not to laugh as I told her,

“I am lonely.”

“You are manipulating me,” she countered like the smart girl I knew her to be.

“Both things can be true at once,” I admitted, and that caused a noise to come out of her that was almost a laugh of disbelief.

“Open the door.” I tried again, getting closer and closer to using that threat I’d used in the treatment room the day before.

“I have an assessment to complete.”