Page 47 of Now You're Mine

I’m feeling around the nightstand in the dark, but my phone isn’t there. It was at 5% battery, so I know I plugged it in. But maybe it fell?

Cursing under my breath, I fling the blankets off and slide off the bed, getting down on my knees to feel around under the bed. “Where the fuc—”

A large hand clamps over my mouth and someone yanks me backward, pulling me up at the same time, so I’m standing. I yelp, but it’s muffled by the person’s hand.

“Shhh,it’s okay, baby. I’ve got you.”

It’s James’s voice in my ear, and the sound trickles down my spine like ice cubes, making my blood run cold. I shake my head and scream, but again, the sound is muffled, and in the darkness, I don’t even see Roman stir.

So I do the only thing I can, I kick and flail, and do everything within my limited power to throw him off me, or get him to let go. Not surprisingly, it doesn’t work. He’s at least three times my size and much stronger than me. And the more I struggle, the tighter his arm cinches around me, the more firmly his hand pushes against my mouth.

He pulls me out of the room, down the main staircase, to the hallway on the ground floor. I continue to struggle, kicking out at anything that could crash to the floor and wake Roman up, but James is holding me tight against his body, restricting my movement.

When we reach the study, he opens one door and shoves me inside. The room is pitch black, and I nearly trip over my own feet as I stumble and try to catch myself.

I hear the door shut, followed by the click of a metal lock. Then I guess he flips the light switch because bright light instantly floods the room. And then….I see him. It’s the first time I’ve laid eyes on him since that night in my apartment. The night he held me hostage and threatened to kill me.

His blond hair is longer than I remember, and it’s unwashed, but he still looks more handsome than he has any right being. High cheekbones, a straight nose, and blue eyes that look exactly like Roman’s. But that’s where the similarities end. Where Roman’s eyes are cold and intense, James’s eyes are wild and disconnected from what’s happening around him, like he has no grip on reality at all.

“There are guys with guns at every door. How did you get in here?” I ask, my voice trembling.

He shrugs one shoulder. “This house is ancient, so it wasn’t hard to pick the lock on Roman’s balcony door. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. I’d always sneak in and spy on the shit that went on during the ceremonies here. Like, all the fucking time. It was wild.”

Well, so much for ex-Navy SEALs keeping us safe. But if I screamed, would one of them hear me? The guy at the front door would be closest, but that’s pretty far from the study.

“What do you want?” I ask.

He lifts his arms, likeisn’t it obvious? “You,baby. I’m here for you.”

I shake my head and take a cautious step back. “I don’t want you here, James. You shouldn’t be here. You’re supposed to be in the rehab center.”

“I know, baby,” he says, stepping forward like he’s approaching a wounded kitten. Tears glisten in his eyes like he’sholding himself back from grabbing me and pulling me into an embrace. Like we’re reunited lovers or something. “I know. But Ihadto see you.”

I pull in a stuttering breath. “Okay,” I say. “Now you’ve seen me.”

His expression falls instantly. “I just have one question.” He approaches, angling his head, like he’s studying my expression. “Why were you in my brother’s bed?” He says that last part with so much disgust, it sends a spike of fear straight through me.

We’re only ten minutes into this, and I’m alreadywayout of my depth. How do I tell my crazy, violent ex that I’m fucking his brother? How do I convince him I didn’t know who Roman was when I met him? No matter what I say, I know it’ll send James into a violent tailspin.

“Tell me,” he yells so loud, it makes me jump.

My hand flies to my chest. I pray one of the guys heard that, but this house is huge, so the likelihood they did is depressingly slim.

“Please, James. Let’s not do this.” I try to keep my voice soft, and non-confrontational, so I don’t anger him more. I know exactly what happens when James Chandler gets angry, and I don’t ever want to see that version of him again.

He stalks toward me, and I back up more. “I know you weren’t fucking him,” he says slowly, shaking his head. “Because I know my brother would never do that to me.” He shrugs. “So why were you there? Hm?”

I lift my chin, but I don’t answer. I can’t answer. What would I even say?

James is close now, and he smiles at me, dipping his head to brush his dry, chapped lips across mine. “Were you waiting for me, baby? Is that it? You knew I’d come looking for my brother.”

His hot breath makes me want to gag, and I twist my head. He’s so close now, his body is pressing against mine, and I usemy forearms to try and push him off me. It doesn’t shift his weight even a little.

“No!” I scream, triggered by the suffocating feel of his body. I can’t move, and each breath is hot and thick in my lungs, like sludge. “Get off me, James. I can’t fucking breathe.”

He pulls back a little, and laughs, watching my face like he’s amused by my anger. “There she is,” he says in a weird southern drawl like he’s a cowboy or something. “There’s my spicy little whore.”

He grabs my face and forces me to look at him. I fight against the urge to dry heave. The sting of bile rises in the back of my throat, and I swallow it down with a wince.

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