Page 89 of Fool's Gold

“As I’ve stated before and you surely don’t remember, I have no need to tie a man down to fuck him. I assure you, there are plenty of willing bodies who enter my bed. Even though there is something so devastatingly sexy about an unwilling one.”

It’s no surprise when she straddles me, her black skirt rising up to show acres of white thighs.

My mind twists and folds over itself, looking for a way out of this.

You’d think with all the shit I’ve survived, I’d be ready for the end. Especially when I knew it was coming and had enough wherewithal to write Empire a note and leave it for her to find.

Celeste kisses the side of my mouth, gripping the knife in her other hand and digging the tip against the side of my neck. Without looking, she trails the blade along the curve of my ear, still kissing. Still touching. Still grinding her fucking pussy against me in some kind of show.

Or worse, a mockery.

“Maybe we can make a new deal,” she whispers.

I swallow over the constriction in my throat. “No offense, but I’m done with your deals. Look at how they turn out.”

“If you give yourself to me, truly, then I’ll keep you alive. You will be my possession. My pet. I’ll treat you well.”

“I’ve already offered you my cock.” Which is currently trying to find a way to crawl back up into my body rather than be anywhere in proximity to her hole. This dirty cunt. “It’s all you’re going to get.”

“I want you to agree to do whatever I want. The snap of my fingers, and you will be on your knees for me. If I want to fuck you, then I will. If I want you to fuck someone else, you will.” Celeste snickers. “It’s a simple arrangement.”

“You want a slave.”

Just like Empire said.

“I want your power at my disposal. With that kind of mettle at my side, I’ll be unstoppable. If you sleep in chains and jump when I snap my fingers, even better.”

A force against Stanic if she chose. Celeste was willing to throw herself at me to make this deal. Absolutely fucking not.

Disgust replaces shock in my system, and I puff out my chest to put distance between us. “Go screw yourself. I’d rather die.”

Celeste shrugs and grins at my vehemence. “A bold statement coming from someone who is basically waiting for his death.”

“Oh, no. A bold statement would be telling you that you’ve got a better chance of fucking yourself with that knife than getting me to touch you. And how I’d love to see you slice your slit open and bleed out all over the floor.” My lips stretched, baring my teeth. “What a sight it would be. Oh, look. I’m finally getting hard.”

“You son of a bitch.” Celeste pushes off my lap, her eyes glittering with malice.

“Yes. And still not willing to touch you.”

Fury twists her features into a mask I’ve never seen before as she rakes her attention over me.

“You’re going to get what’s coming to you, Mr. Ortega. And it is within my power to deliver it. You don’t want to strike a deal? Then I’ll make sure your end is as twisted and painful as you deserve.”

She straightens her skirt and snaps her fingers.

The door to her room of horrors opens, and her men walk inside. Are they still loyal to Stanic?

The thought barely has time to blossom in my mind before the nearest one plows his meaty knuckles into the side of my head. My skull snaps to the side, and pain rips through me.

Stars dance in front of my vision, and my teeth are loose.

Fuck, the dude must be a professional cage fighter.

He knows exactly where to hit in order to cause the maximum amount of pain. His next hit lands in the same spot, and the bright flash of agony is like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

He kicks me hard enough to send both me and the chair to the ground, but the metal cuffs won’t break. Won’t crack and gift me a chance at release.

I’m paying for every word of my brutal rebuff.

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