Page 23 of Red Captive

Impossible.

I have to try.

I have a feeling that attempting to escape again is going to be much harder. Crap! This sucks. I’m so torn. My family needs the money, which means that I should stay. I should see this through. There is a part of me that wants to get home regardless of the troubles we would face.

My eyes start to fill with tears all over again just thinking about them and this impossible situation, and Mr. Mean Asshole rolls his eyes.

“Stop with the drama already, Miss Harris.”

“My mother is Miss Harris. I’m Jen, or Jennifer, whichever you prefer.”

“I prefer Miss Harris. We arenotgoing to be friends.”

“Lovers, then,” I let slip. I’m not even sure where that came from. Just as suspected, he reacts badly. His whole body tightens, and not in a good way.

“Let’s get something straight right now—”

I roll my eyes and hold up a hand. “I was joking. It was in bad taste. Let’s drop it.”

He makes this noise that tells me he’s annoyed. “No jokes. No anything between us. I am the guard, and you are my prisoner. It will be strictly professional at all times. We’re not going to have chitchats. You are going to do exactly as I say when I say it. If you attempt to escape, I will spank your ass until you scream,” he growls the last, looking angry.

I snort-laugh. Did he really just threaten to spank me using such a serious tone?

“Kinky,” I retort, knowing he didn’t mean it like that at all. I wish my mouth would stop moving already. But, if I’m honest, he did walk straight into that one. Spank me? Really? I wouldn’t put it past him or any of them.

His jaw tightens again. “No flirting. It won’t work on me, Miss Harris. So, you can stop already.”

It won’t work on him. What won’t work? I wasn’t even trying to flirt. I let it go and nod. “Got it, Mr. Grey.” I wink at him in a way that isn’t flirting…I hope.

He narrows his eyes. “What are you talking about? Where did you get that name?”

He must be joking. He doesn’t look like the kidding type. Not at all.

I frown at him. “You don’t watch much television, I take it?”

“I don’t have time for such pleasantries; some of us have to work.”

“I work too,” I snap. “Everyone saw that movie,” I mutter the last.

“Not everyone.”

“You clearly live under a rock.”

“This conversation has gone on for too long. Steel,” he says like I should understand what the hell he is talking about.

I frown some more; at this rate, I’m going to need Botox early. I wait a few beats, but he just stands there, so I ask, “Steal what? What are you talking about?” He’s a strange one.

He sighs, closes his eyes, and puts his thumb and pointer fingers into the corners for a moment, like he can’t take me for much longer.

Tough luck!

He needs to suck it up.

“Use your words.” I clear my throat. “Please.” I smile. “That would be really awesome.”

He growls low. Holy shit, but it’s sexy, which irritates me because he is such a huge asshole. He isn’t allowed to be sexy, and I refuse to be attracted to him in any way. Assholes are decidedly not sexy.

He frowns. Then frowns some more, reminding me of…me. “It’s my name,” he says like I’m an idiot. I guess I should have known that. It makes sense.

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