Page 137 of Quinlan

This woman has always been mine to bend.

“Rex isn’t the only one, is he?” And she’s curious. Fuck, she’s too curious. She’ll coax me into spilling more than I intended to say. “You, the three of you, haven’t held back on this revenge for twenty-three years just to hurt Rex.”

A switch flips inside my head. Quinlan’s sneaky. Fucking clever, taking more than I’m willing to give. Not to mention these secrets aren’t mine to offer to her.

“This conversation has been lovely.” In one swift movement, I slide off her. The covers twist in my palm and I lift them to her lips. Stuff her mouth with the ball of fabric. A makeshift gag. “Back to your punishment we go.”

Quinlan spits it out—of course she would—and glowers at me. “What the fuck?”

“Shh.” I grab a fistful of the covers again. “It’s for your own good. You’ll thank me for it.”

“Don’t shush me,” she grits behind clenched teeth. “Why did you gag me? Are you insane? We were having a—”

“Wrong. You were asking questions. Trying to manipulate me. This isn’t how this works.”

My fingers pinch her nose shut. Poor Quinlan has no choice other than to open her mouth for air. Her eyebrows knit. Arms and legs kicking against her restraints.

“Asshole, stop!”

“Too late.” I shove the covers back where they belong. In Quinlan’s mouth, with my palm splayed on top of it. “What’s done is done. This is a punishment, not a conversation. You’re keeping the gag until you fall asleep.”

Her furious eyes clash into mine, and fuck. I’m sick for loving this. For watching her helpless and out of her mind with anger.

It’s better like that for her as well. She has to see what a psycho I’ve turned into. She should know what and who she’s dealing with.

I can already tell she likes it. Her nipples are pulled tight beneath the covers. Heat seeps through her body to mine.

“Beautiful.” I kiss Quinlan’s temple. My obsession. My love. My everything. “Think about the things you said. Rest with the gag in your mouth. Liam will be here soon. If you’re good, he’ll be more merciful than I am. If not…”

I let the sentence hang in the air. Hold the gag to her mouth.

She glares and screams through the fabric and my palm for as long as she can. With everything she has in her. I’m there, withholding kisses or affection. I’m just fucking there, waiting her out.

Her body slumps eventually. Eyes fluttering shut.

She’s passed out.

I kiss her nose one last time. “Good night, darling.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Damien

Rome leans against thedoorway to his room, one ankle crossed on top of the other. “I heard her scream.”

“I watched her scream.” I shrug, shoving my hands into my pockets. “So?”

“You’re a bastard.” My friend presses his lips together, suppressing a laugh. “What did you do to her?”

“Made sure she was gagged for Liam. She’s beautiful like that.”

“You talked to her.” He sees past my bullshit. “Was it what you imagined?”

“Yeah. It was…everything.” No better answer comes to mind. There is no other answer. “Why are you out here, anyway? Worried I might kill her?”

“Pretty sure you’d kill me before you even think about killing Quinlan.”

“I’ll kill everyone other than her, you, or Liam.”Unless you harm her. Then you’re dead.

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