Page 41 of Perfect Sin

I cock my eyebrow. “And who do I belong to? Hmm?”

“You already know the answer to that. You’ve been mine since the first moment I saw you. Some stupid legal document isn’t going to change that, but it is inconvenient.”

“How did you get these?” I wave the papers.

“Don’t change the subject. Where I got the papers is of no consequence, because Sin will soon mean nothing to you.”

“There is something seriously wrong with you. I will never be forced into being with you again. Release the video. I’m not a sixteen-year-old girl anymore. I can handle it.”

“I seriously doubt that. No one changes that much. Either way, I have you now. Who says I’m going to let you go?”

“Wait,” Jesse interrupts. “You promised to share her.”

“Neither of you are going to touch me. And as far as letting me go, if you think that door will keep Sin and my brother out, you are truly stupid.”

Loud pounding sounds at the door. “Times up,” I tell them.

“The door will hold,” Kyle says unconcerned.

“So you plan to stay here forever? Because he isn’t going to leave.”

“He’ll get bored eventually. His type always does,” Kyle scoffs.

“What type would that be?”

“A spoiled, rich dick. The type who was born to have the world at his fingertips. I’ve heard what happened between him and Tessa. His type takes what they want, regardless of the consequences. You deserve better.”

I toy with the bottom of my shirt, ready at any moment to retrieve one of the knives hidden in the belt underneath. “Like you?” I finally reply.

“Are you saying I only deserve someone who would get me drunk and rape me? Use a video of my assault to force me to stay in a situation that made me feel dirty and used? Is that what you’re saying I deserve?”

Kyle exhales. “That’s not how it went. We have a connection, then and now. We couldn’t be together before, not with you under the control of your father, but we can now. All you need to do is sign the papers, and then we’ll be free to be together.”

“Wow, you are seriously delusional. It’s like you refuse to listen to anything I say. I married Sin of my own free will. Why would I choose to sign a paper saying it never happened?”

He pounds his fist against the wall. “You will do it because I told you to!”

Kyle is losing his patience, and with it the veneer of civility he’s wearing. Each step he takes toward me threatens the violence I know he’s capable of. The punishment he wants to deliver is written in the mix of anger and eagerness in his expression.

He pauses when the sound of metal grinding against metal fills the room. Time is running out as someone works to open the door.

“No! You are not going back with him! Sign the goddamn papers right now!”

He rushes toward me, and I extract one of the knives from under my shirt. I don’t hesitate as I aim and throw the knife. It flies true and imbeds itself in his thigh. While Kyle gets off on inflicting pain, he doesn’t like the actual experience of it himself.

Jesse takes a step toward me and I pull another knife. “Take one more step,” I threaten.

“You wouldn’t dare,” he challenges, and then moves deliberately in my direction.

I can tell he’s planning to step away the second I aim, so I feign a throw, when he moves in the direction I predicted, I launch the knife. My aim is dead on, and I score a direct hit to his shoulder.

I take out another knife and flip it in my hand. Over and over, causing him to watch my movements rather than concentrating on the door. “I know what you’re thinking,” I taunt.

“I’m a small woman. Even with a knife in your shoulder you can still over power me. Right now the nerves and tendons in your shoulder are damaged. Some will need to be stitched together, but if you keep moving, you’ll drive the knife deeper into the tissue, threatening permanent damage.”

Another flip with my knife and he hesitates. “You’re moving slower. Your body is pumping adrenaline to compensate for the pain. While you feel like you’re strong enough to fight me, and whoever comes through that door, are you going to be fast enough to reach me before I put this knife between your eyes?”

“You wouldn’t,” he says, but it’s clear even he doesn’t believe it.

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