Page 233 of I Will Break You

With a dark chuckle, he pulls the rope taut. “Good girl. Now, fight. If you last sixty seconds, you get to come.”

“And if I win?” I raise my fists.

He smirks again, his eyes darkening. “You won’t.”

Xero says that with so much confidence that my spine shivers. Forcing myself not to back down, I raise my brows and meet his heated gaze. “If I win, then I get to lead you around the club on a leash.”

“That won’t happen.”

I make a preemptive strike to his throat. Xero catches it with an iron grip, but I yank down my arm. As he jerks forward, I use his momentum to drive a knee into his stomach.

“Nice move, little ghost.” He takes hold of my knee, shoves me onto my back and pins my wrists above my head, his weight pressing me into the warm screens. “But you’re exactly where I want you.”

Oh, shit. The first time Xero showed me this move, I was punished for wasting too much energy trying to free my arms. We only practiced countering this hold twice, but I’m sure I’ve grasped the basics.

Xero reaches down with his free hand and unhooks the front fastenings of my corset. It springs open and drops to the floor, releasing the pressure on my ribs.

“Thanks,” I say, finally able to fill my lungs.

He reaches down, his fingers closing in around a nipple, and squeezes it so tightly that I gasp. Sensation shoots straight to my clit, and the muscles of my pussy pulse.

“Twenty-five seconds. I can’t wait to have you crying for mercy.”

“Nice try, asshole.” Shifting my weight to my heels, I raise my hips, knocking off his center of gravity.

He lurches head-first toward a screen and releases my wrists to avoid face planting. Seizing the opening, I cling onto his torso and flip us both to the side.

“Ten,” he says with a manic laugh.

I launch a fist into his gut, which earns me a satisfying grunt, so I knee him in the balls.

Xero curls into himself and groans. “Low blow, little ghost.”

Scrambling to my feet, I pick up my corset and extract one of the stiletto daggers. “Three...two...one. Now, you owe me an orgasm.”

NINETY-SEVEN

AMETHYST

I don’t know if the hours of training are finally paying off or if Xero is being easy on me for the sake of the recording. The screen room offers our first chance to get a 360-degree view of my combat skills, allowing him to break down my techniques.

Either way, I plan to savor my victory.

He’s on his knees now, his chest heaving as he processes the pain I’ve inflicted on his balls. The look on his face is pure pride.

I step back, out of reach, not completely sure if this is the end of our contest. Just in case he decides to cheat, I hide the dagger behind my back.

“Did I win?” I ask.

He springs to his feet with an agility that belies his pain and pulls me to his chest. Then he grins down at me like a feral cat, making my heart slam against its cage like a trapped bird.

“What did I say about underestimating your enemy?” he growls, his thick erection pushing into my belly through his pants.

I bring the dagger to his neck and press the blade into his skin. “And what did I say about underestimating me?”

His eyes narrow, and the corners of his lips lift into a smirk. “I’m impressed. Now, put down the knife and get your reward.”

“How about I take what I want?” Keeping the dagger to his throat, I add, “Strip.”

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