"Can I talk to you for a second?"
I was halfway to my room when Rafael called from the bottom of the stairs.
I turned and looked back. “You really want to do this now?”
“Yes,” he said. “Before your head starts spinning too hard to listen.”
I hesitated, then followed him down the hall. We sat in the room— just the two of us this time. Rafael sat forward in the leather chair, elbows on his knees.
“You gonna tell me how you’re really doing, or do I have to drag it out of you?”
I folded my arms. “I told you. I’m fine.”
“Don’t insult me, Isa.”
I looked at him. “Why does everyone keep doing that? You, Ivan, Viktor. You all look at me like I’m about to fall apart.”
“Because you’re acting like you didn’t just walk into the home that sold you like livestock and come out smiling.”
“I wasn’t smiling.”
“No,” Rafael said, “you were blank. That’s worse.”
I ran my hands over my face. “I don’t know what to tell you. I faced them. Giuliana, Georgio, Franklin. Said what I needed to say. That’s it.”
“Th
