Page 8 of Mistress A-0002

“That’s because I was in the hospital, miscarrying your child.You did that. The arguments. The stress. Not keeping your word to get me.”

“I…tried to leave. I?—”

“Don’t love me. You don’t, Elec. You never did.”

“I do love you.”

The growl had my pulse jumping, but me reaching to grab his jacket. No matter how many times I said it, I could never erase the emotion from Elec, and I hated that, but I’d accepted that truth a long time ago.

“Fine. You love me. I still don’t want you. You know who I want.”

The hand next to my head snapped to my face, latching to my jaw as he squeezed and bared his teeth.

“And I’ll kill you both. You don’t think I will?”

“You will,” I moaned. “I know you will.”

“I hate him. He ruins everything. He won’t ruin this.”

“How do you know?”

Anger. Guilt. Elec’s insecurities were his own worst nightmare. I knew every one he held, and his jealousy helped me build my creation. Every fear was my hammer. I knocked holes in every memory he held. He didn’t know which were real or which ones I implanted. Maybe I didn’t quite remember either. That didn’t matter. We had our own story, our own life together, and here we got to thrive in it.

“Because I know my cousin. Women are not on his radar. Bram doesn’t even know you exist.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive. No one gets around you without me knowing. I see every look. Every glance.I see everything.”

“And what do you see right now? Where are we?”

Elec’s lids fluttered as he slowly glanced around. What I was doing was risky. Foolish, in truth. I didn’t care. I waited, watching the strongest man I’d ever met look around at a dream. At a memory I had forced myself into and tainted.

“We’re in your room.” He swallowed hard. “You shouldn’t be here. Your dad has already threatened to send you away. We should go to our secret place. It can buy us some time until I can convince your father I’m the right one for you.”

“He hates you. He’d never approve.”

“Then I won’t give him a choice.”

“You know it doesn’t work like that. Not with my father. You’d never see me again if you tried to keep me. Married or not, I’d eventually be taken from you. Maybe even killed from the shame I keep causing to my family. I’m expendable. You’re not,Elec Wexler.You’re meant for great things.Dark things.Death things. That’s a stain my family can’t afford. They’re already under the microscope. They don’t want that life for me. For them. Look at me.”

Deep breaths left him as his face came down and his eyes met mine. The fear in his depths were testimony of the trauma he still held inside. A part of him knew where this story ended, but the truth didn’t exist in this reality. That didn’t mean his brain on some level didn’t know.

“Let’s not think about my parents or what will happen. They’re gone, and all we have is this moment right here. Kiss me. Give me a goodbye I can remember.”

“I’m not leaving without you. I’ll keep you safe. I’ll keep you hidden forever if I have to. Leave with me. No one will ever know.”

“No.” I clicked my tongue through the aggravation, and my lips twisted as he applied pressure to my hip. He gave a squeeze before letting out a deep breath. “Kiss me, or I’ll find someone who will.”

Rage narrowed his eyes despite the heaviness. I wasn’t just bending his mind with my tricks, I was getting him into a state where I could slip him into different fictional timelines to obtain the results I needed. Ones, I’d spent years creating, down to the littlest details. A sound, here. A click, there. Trigger words. Moans. Expressions. Layers upon layers of manipulated successes and failures. Every want and desire were implanted, and Elec’s mind was my playground. So was his body, and tonight,it belonged to me.

“Elec, touch me. Don’t make me wait anymore. I’ve been waiting so long. So have you. Don’t you feel it? You miss me. You want me. You told me I was the only one you’d ever want. Don’t you remember? I’m right here. What are you waiting for?”

Hesitation. More than usual. He blinked through my double snap, scanning my face in a blank confusion. For the smallest moment, I forgot to breathe. That only had my adrenaline soaring, egging me on even more. The thrill was delicious. Dangerous.

“I knew I was right. You don’t want me. Fine. Let me up.” I added resistance against his chest, slow, but building so not to catch him by surprise. “Move, Elec. I want you to leave. My family is right about you. I can do so much better. I never want to see you again.”

The threat was too much. Silk tore along the lining of my modest collar. Elec was on me so fast, I could barely catch my breath. Vivia was always good at riling him up. She was hot-headed, always looking to debate, even if it was mainly about her beliefs. She was an embarrassment to her corrupt family.To us all.But her voice was what drew Elec in like a magnet. He loved her fight. The challenge kept him on his toes, but with it came their arguments. They would have never lasted. It was best that I put an end to it. After all…no one had more fight than me. And I could give this need to Elec, better than she could have.

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