Page 57 of Vienna Bargain

“Alexander, what’s going on in your head?”

“I broke first,” he repeated, turning to her.

“You broke? This wasn’t some torture session.” One brow went up. “Unless you’re saying having sex with me is torture?”

“Don’t. Don’t do that. I raped you.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“You’re my BDSM slave; that means you couldn’t say no to me. By definition it makes this rape.”

“Oh, Alexander… You didn’t rape me, suga’.”

“You’re my BDSM slave and therefore—”

Alena jumped off the couch and touched him. He jerked away, backing up several steps. Alena hesitated then turned to walk away.

The urge to chase after her was so strong he had to link his fingers together at the back of his neck just to give himself something to focus on.

Alena didn’t leave. Instead she picked up his discarded shirt and pulled it on. She left the top buttons undone, the resulting long V of flesh beautiful and tempting.

“Order me to take it off,” she said.

Alexander didn’t speak.

“Fine. I’ll talk for both of us.” Alena cleared her throat and then in a comically low voice said, “Strip.”

He wanted to smile. He wanted it so much. This was how she dealt with things. She made a joke of it. It was what made her so easy to be around.

He didn’t smile.

“And here’s my response.” She made a rude gesture. With both hands.

She was trying to make him feel better. More manipulation? Damn it, he was tired.

“Because after this…” She paused, then gestured to the couch. “I thought things had changed.”

“They have. I broke.”

“Would you stop saying that? Damn it, Alexander. Talk to me.”

“Nothing to say. I raped—”

“You are such an asshole.”

“Exactly. Because I broke—”

Alena shrieked in apparent frustration. No more regal, amused air. No jokes. She look irritated, angry, upset, and maybe even worried.

He paused, peering at her as he tried to decide which of those emotions he was actually seeing because it certainly couldn’t be all of them.

For a long time neither of them spoke.

Alexander made sure the words were clear in his mind before he said, “What I’ve done to you is unforgivable.”

“And what about what I did to you?” Alena asked softly.

“I kidnapped you.”

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