Page 32 of Their Dark Rose

Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap, tap.

My shoulders relax after a while. The incessant heat in my core cools and simmers down.

I’m seconds from drowsing into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

Ping.

“What the…?” I ask the empty room, wondering who in the world could be texting me.

Hovering my hand over the little metal device, I pause. It could be any of the three brothers. They could be demanding me to come over. To keep degrading me. To humiliate me further.

To finish what they started.

Maybe I shouldn’t open the text window. Ignore them like they ignored me.

See what happens.

I could, but…

Then I’ll miss out on a physical torture. The type I’m craving.

Of Finn grazing my nipple with his lip ring.

Of Falk demanding I bend over his lap while he spanks me raw.

Of Mason pushing me to my knees and seething that I suck him like a good girl.

Maybe they’d even call on me to pleasure them together and leave me bruised and fucked up.

Being a virgin who’s only ever kissed her mirror, I’m clueless as to what real men—not my many book boyfriends—would ask. With these men, I only know cruelty would be involved.

The looming danger sends a frosty chill through my body. My skin prickles.

My pussy clenches around nothing.

Fuck, I can’t ignore this. I’m not nearly as strong as they are. Not when this need spreads over me like wildfire.

I grab my phone so fast the device almost tumbles off to the carpet and check who texted me.

The excitement I felt fades, shriveling to nothing as disappointment washes over me.

Nothing from Mason, Falk, or Finn. I grunt, rolling my eyes at my aunt’s message.

Mallie: Happy birthday, my dearest niece. You’re a grown woman now.

A confused frown forms on my lips. My birthday isn’t until tomorrow.

I couldn’t have been fighting sleep for so long, right?

I check the time on my phone, and yup, I have been tossing and turning for a while.

A long while. It’s one minute past midnight.

I’m officially eighteen.

Free to do whatever the hell I want. Free to sell my family’s business, get out of here, and create a new life for myself.

Away from Mason. Away from Falk. Away from Finn.