Page 123 of Thorns of Malice

My fears are a match to my anger. I rise and jab him in the chest. "You don't get to demand anything from me!"

He grinds his molars.

I don't flinch, determined not to let him intimidate me like he used to.

He steps forward, reaches behind me, and fists my hair. He positions my head so I can't avoid him.

I inhale sharply, my butterflies waking back up.

"We're going to get to the point where you have no qualms telling me you'll only have me."

My lips quiver, and more tears fill my eyes.

He looms over me, asserting, "You will. Now, promise me."

I can't. No matter how much I want only him, I know my demons. So I confess through tears, "It's never going to happen. I'm a sex addict, and it's only getting worse. I can't control who I fuck."

He keeps his gaze pinned on mine, declaring, "I want you to take CogniShift. It'll stop it from progressing."

My pulse creeps up and I stiffen.

"Why are you nervous? It's okay. Trust me."

"Trust you? You think because you just fucked me, you earned my trust again?"

"You can read all my research with all the lab tests we've done. It's safe and works," he says, disappointment lacing his tone.

Silence falls between us for a beat.

"Take it," he urges.

I blurt out, "Why aren't you telling me to take NeuroZap? Doesn't that reverse the addiction instead of only stopping it from getting worse?"

He releases my head and sighs. "There's a possible side effect to it. I'm trying to eliminate it."

"What's the side effect?" I ask.

He hesitates.

"Tell me," I demand.

"If you take NeuroZap, you might never want to have sex again."

I burst out laughing. "That would be a cold day in Hell."

"I'm not kidding, Ivy."

My heart beats harder. "Well, maybe that'd be a good thing."

"I don't think that's what you want."

"You don't live with this addiction. So, how do you know what I want?"

Hurt flashes in his eyes, but then his face turns firm again. "Take CogniShift. I have it in my safe at the house. We can go get it now."

"No."

He furrows his eyebrows. "Why not?"

---