Page 20 of Better Hide

“Come here, pretty girl.” Cole is close enough to take a swipe at me.

I dart away, changing directions again.

“Scream for me again, Jo.” Cole heads me off again. When I whirl, I see Jayden is out of the car now.

I dart away from both of them, but Cole sticks to me like a shadow, reaching out occasionally to grab me, constantly pushing me closer to Jayden.

“Give up.” Cole has a lazy grin on his face. “You can’t run from us.”

My heart is racing, and the heat is overwhelming. I gasp for breath. I heave, slowing drastically. Cole slows with me, not even breathing heavily. He walks toward me, and I back up.

A hand grips my arm from behind, and I scream, adrenaline racing through me.

“Got you,” Jayden says. “There’s that pretty scream of yours.”

Jayden shoves me toward Cole, and he catches me, both hands gripping my arms. “Fuck, you sound gorgeous when you’re afraid.”

“Let me go.” I push back against Cole’s firm chest.

Cole gives me a mean smile. “Never, Mary Jo Hall. You’re mine forever.” His blue eyes are alive with fire, and he yanks me close to his face. “The more you run from me, the more I want you.” He squeezes me hard enough that pain shoots through my arms.

Jayden’s voice barks from behind us, “Put her on her knees.”

Cole yanks me around and shoves me down roughly. My knees crack against the ground, and pain shoots up through me as Cole’s heavy hands land on my shoulders.

Jayden has something in his hand. It’s a…prong collar.

“Clearly, you can’t be trusted on your own.”

I try to scramble back, but Cole pushes down on me. “No, no. Accept your punishment like a good little pet.”

Jayden crouches down so he’s at eye level with me. There’s nothing in his blank expression. No anger, no hatred, nothing.

It makes chills run through me despite the burning heat.

“Clearly, you need some more training.” Jayden lifts the collar to my eye level. He pauses while watching me.

I glare at him.

Jayden’s dark eyes flash in a tiny hint of triumph. “This is going to be yours from now on. Don’t take it off, don’t loosen it, don’t touch it.”

I sneer at him. “You can’t make me do shit.”

A slow smile creeps over Jayden’s face. He doesn’t say anything; he just unhooks one of the links.

As he leans in to put the collar around my neck, I spit on him.

Jayden freezes. The cool metal slides against my skin, and I watch the glob of spit creep down his neck.

Cole breaks the silence by laughing. “Me next, spitfire. Goddamn.”

Jayden catches my gaze. There’s fire and emotion in it this time. “You’re gonna pay for that, kitten.”

He fastens the links together, and Cole pulls my hair out from under it. It’s snug but not tight, and it doesn’t pinch, either.

Jayden clips a leash to the collar, wraps the leash around his fist, and yanks me toward him. Instantly, the collar tightens all the way around my neck like a vise. Jayden holds the pressure, looking down at me with a blank expression.

After a few seconds, I get lightheaded. I blink to keep the spinning down.

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