Page 20 of Desperate Decisions

“Are you planning to use that gun?”

“I would like to avoid that. Depends on how cooperative you’re feeling. Finish your wine. I imagine any kind of intoxication will help with what’s coming.”

I swallowed back the rest of my glass. A fucking shame, considering how expensive the wine was.

“I’ll give you a chance to avoid the worst of what I had planned.”

“How?”

“Fuck me,” she purred. “Show me that omega hasn’t drained away all your fire. Give me what I want so I don’t have to hunt down that little cunt and kill her to free you from this pesky bond.”

I held stock-still, trying to breathe through the rising panic. “Don’t…”

Bianca’s grin was feral with glee. “If you don’t let her interfere, I won’t have to. Now come here and show me how much you missed me while you were away.”

Fucking Christ. I tried to push away my disgust and fury. The fresh bond had me roiling with nausea as she ordered me onto the floor and climbed atop me. Thank god for the layers of clothing still between us or I wouldn’t have been able to stop myself from bucking her off.

I’d hated and loved this woman many times over the years. My respect for her authority and my gratitude that she’d brought me up with her were now ashes in my mouth. I fantasized about separating her head from her body as she rocked her hips against me and walked her fingertips up my chest with a laugh.

“Poor alpha. How will you ever satisfy your little whore when you can’t get it up anymore?” Her nails raked under my shirt and over my skin. I hissed at the sting, my body shaking with revulsion I struggled to contain. “Don’t be upset, darling. I had you first and you’ll always be mine.”

“It’s the jet lag,” I lied.

Bianca laughed and leaned down to kiss me.

Don’t throw up.

She reared up and slapped me. “That omega really did kill your fire. Poor baby. Don’t worry, we have ways of fixing that. Why don’t we let you burn?”

My head swam, panic choking me, knowing I couldn’t do anything to fight back and get out of here alive.

“Take off your shirt and get on your knees.”

Bile rose in my throat, but I followed the order, trying not to let the fury coursing through me make my fingers shake, lest she assume I was afraid.

“I’ll give you a choice, since you’ve been so good for me after all of these years. I was going to just give you a solid reminder of who you belong to, a quick ten seconds of misery, but that might be too much for you. I still want you useful and I’d prefer to avoid you needing a hospital if I get too overzealous. What do you think? Would you rather count down the seconds or let me have a few quick marks and you thank me for each?”

I swallowed hard and curled my fingers into trembling fists. Twisted bitch. “Quick.”

“Hmm, you’re right. That’s probably more fun, anyway.” Bianca collected the shirt from me and wrapped it around the end of the metal poker still sitting in the fire. “The next time you have the chance to disobey me, you’ll think fucking twice before making another decision like that, won’t you?”

I ground my teeth together so hard I thought they might crack, but it was the only thing that kept my growl from slipping free.

“Yes,” I spat out. “I won’t make that mistake again.”

“I know.” Bianca gave me a sickeningly benevolent smile before thrusting the hot metal against my skin.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

It lasted only a second, but felt like a bolt of lightning through my skin.

“Don’t forget to thank me.”

“Thank you.”

The metal hit again, the scent of cooking flesh filling my nose.

“Thank you, Bianca,” she said sweetly. “Let’s remind both of us who you owe everything to. Who you’ve harmed with your indiscretion.”

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