Page 82 of Barbi and the Villain

“You don’t get to dictate?—”

Before I can finish my sentence, he’s in front of me.

I wobble back, slowly raising my eyes to meet his.

“There is one thing I forgot to mention,” he starts in a dangerous voice. “Mated males are…territorial.”

I blink rapidly as I try to process his words.

“Uhm…”

“There will be no mention of males your age, hot males, or any other males for that matter. Do you understand me?”

“I don’t think I do. You don’t even like me?—”

“Do you understand me, Barbi?” he repeats, his hand coming to rest on my neck.

I gulp down as I try to keep my composure.

“I—”

“Yes. You will say yes.”

“But—”

“Yes, Barbi. You will say yes.”

His hold on my neck tightens as he pulls me closer. His fangs elongate, his features darkening as he stares down at me.

A sliver of fear goes down my back.

“Y-yes,” I stammer.

His eyes don’t leave mine for moments on end.

“Good.” He nods, taking a step back.

I release a deep breath, my body trembling lightly.

What… What was that?

I don’t get to ponder on it, though, as he suddenly stops, his jaw tensing.

“We have visitors,” he notes.

“What?”

“Stay behind me and do not speak unless I tell you to.”

Although my first instinct is to argue, I also have a pretty strong self-preservation instinct, so I grab my dogs and hurry behind him.

It’s a few minutes before the bushes in our proximity start rattling and footsteps echo in the forest.

“How many?” I whisper.

“Ten.”

“Do you think Damien sent them?”

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