Chapter 36

My breath caught in my throat. Panic threatened to overwhelm me as I took a step back, my mind racing with thoughts of how to protect myself. But my anxiety skyrocketed when Mark didn't retreat.

“If you are truly sorry, then you should go back to your room, sir,” I told him. Then, my hands trembled as I grabbed the closest thing I could find—a sturdy wooden broom. It wasn't the best weapon, but it was better than nothing.

“I didn’t come here to hurt you,” he said.

“Then, what do you want?” I asked then I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. I fumbled with the broom, attempting to wedge it between us.

His eyes were gleaming with a disturbing mix of excitement and malice. My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest, and the broom clattered to the ground as I stepped back, my mind racing for a way out.

"What do you want from me?" I demanded, my voice trembling, but laced with a newfound resolve. "Why