Page 8 of A Debt of Darkness

Her eyebrow arches in challenge and the fire burns brighter. She’s more determined than her history suggests, and Ryan’s fallen for her soft exterior. He assured me she was adocile little mouse, but Ivy’s the perfect mate for me—I just need to tease it out of her.

It’s going to be a fucking shitshow.

“I hope your journey left you well rested.”

My jaw ticks and I curse myself for being snide. She won’t appreciate having salt rubbed into the wound. My first words to her should have been something else. Something kind. Something she’d cherish.

“Yes, thanks,” she replies and her warm tone catches me by surprise. “The kind of rested you are after a fucking psycho drugs you as they’re kidnapping you.”

I probably deserved that. I certainly should have seen it coming and I never should have let her score the first point. She’s sharp, quick, and ruthless—and she shows no remorse for insulting me.

“Needs must,” I say dismissively, ignoring Ryan’s eye-rolling from the back of the room. “Which brings me to meals. You’ll eat with me three times a day.”

Her fingers whiten as they grip the armrests. I imagine them holding my desk as I bend her over it and fuck her, and my cock strains against my zipper. I don’t remember when I became aroused, but the need to fuck her senseless and claim her as mine is becoming inconvenient. Overwhelming. All-consuming.

“I’ll take my meals in my room.”

“You eat with me,” I say, more than mildly irritated.

A hint of blush spreads across her cheeks, and I want to devour it. I want every goddamn inch of her to myself. I want to know how her body moves and make it dance to my tune. I want to know how her mind works and play games with it. I want her to be so fucking dazzled by me that she doesn’t know which way to turn.

Right now, I want to take her over my knee and spank her ass until those cheeks burn an even hotter shade of pink.

“No.” She huffs.

It’s so tempting to haul her over my lap and make her count. My cock’s fucking begging me to, and it’s taking every bit of my reserve to hold back. Ryan’s shaking his head at me, aware she’s pushing all my buttons. I’m about to lose my shit and he’s urging me not to.

“You eat with me,” I insist. My voice is strained as I force it to remain steady. “Or you don’t eat at all.”

Ryan tips his head back against the wall and screws his eyes shut. We’ve talked about this. We’ve gone through this. This was not the fucking plan. This is the very thing we agreed we wouldn’t do and I’ve fallen into it so fucking easily. I’ve laid down a line that can’t be crossed and now I’ve got to stick to it.

Ivy’s going to test me. She’s going to push against the rule. And she’s going to hate me when I refuse to let her eat. I’ll hate myself for making her go hungry.

“Fine.”

“Good,” I reply.

She looks anything but happy. Fuck.

I stare at her and tell myself this is for her own good. Her father almost got her killed and then sold her like she was a piece of property. I’d have done anything—given anything—to keep her safe and it’s a weakness I can’t afford. Thank fuck Ryan intervened and handled the negotiations.

I can’t allow her to run wild now, and she’s far too vulnerable to be left alone. She doesn’t understand. Ivy doesn’t know the danger she’s in. She needs time we don’t have, and I refuse to scare her any more than necessary. Even if she is pissing me off.

She needs to learn.

I’m going to protect her, even if she hates me for it.

“The wedding…” I let my voice trail off as I wait for her to react.

She doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t even fucking move.

She’s indifferent and it stings.

She’s staring at me like I’m nothing when she’s everything to me.

Her head tilts and she dares to wait for me. She’s playing my own game and she’s almost winning. There’s not a trace of emotion in her expression while I’m barely containing mine. It’s another insult and further proof I was better off without a mate. I’m too volatile, too labile. I’m too damn attached to her and her every fucking whim.

This has to end.

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