Page 57 of Seizing Control: Part One

Nothing solidifies in my head.

Unbidden, my memories break free of their chains.

The dark cottage. Alex’s taunts. Pain. Violation.

A scream builds in my chest.

It burns a path up my oesophagus.

My chin trembles as I fight to keep my lips pressed together.

On the precipice of losing control, I’m saved by one of the men I love.

“Duchess. Come here.”

The simple instruction is easy for me to follow. It gives me something other than my pain to focus on. My feet react before my brain has told them to, treading a path to Slash without thought. Stopping in front of him, I wait for his next request.

After nudging the president’s chair backward to make space, he points to his lap. “Sit down.”

My skin prickles with awareness of our rapt audience. “On you?”

“Yes, duchess.”

The assembled club brothers seem to collectively hold their breath as they wait to see how this plays out. I hesitate when visions of Zeke’s pained reaction to Slash’s announcement that he’s in love with me as well, that he touched me in his absence, pop into my mind’s eye. In the same way that Zeke would handle the situation, the big man takes hold of my wrist and pulls me onto his lap without waiting for permission. His arm is a steel band around my waist, the tether I need to return to earth.

“This marriage might be Zeke’s idea—’ The small amount of comfort that I’ve found in Slash’s take charge attitude dims when he curls his top lip and sneers my first love’s legal name with contempt. “—but it’s my dream come true, and I won’t let either of you destroy it for me.”

“Carter—”

“Hush, now.” I close my mouth as his rebuke settles over me uneasily. “You’ve had your say, more than once. It’s my turn now.”

With a small nod, I whisper, “Okay.”

The arm holding me moves upward. Slash circles my throat again with his hand, compelling me to tilt my head back to face him. Caught off guard by the hunger in his icy gaze, the skerrick of an idea that had formed in my addled mind evaporates.

Instead of protesting, I do the exact opposite.

I nestle closer and allow Slash to take charge.

It should feel cowardly.

It doesn’t.

I feel cherished.

Just like I do when Zeke pushes takes control of me, the force of nature that is Slash at his most dominant settles me. He is my safe harbour. My port in the storm. So, when he runs his nose along my jaw and presses his lips to mine, I allow him.

The Shamrocks will judge me.

I know they will.

Let them.

They don’t know my heart.

They haven’t been present for every second of my struggle.

Slash and Zeke have.

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