Page 73 of Oblivion

The smile melts from his lips as they curve into a scowl. “You don’t. They don’t come off.”

“Of course, they come off. Is there a trick to finding the clasp?”

“There isn’t a clasp. They’re permanent. And even if there was a clasp, which there isn’t, you won’t be taking them off.”

“What if I don’t like them? What if I want to wear different jewelry? What if I’d rather pick something for myself?” I don’t know why I’m antagonizing him, but I just don’t seem to be able to help myself.

Stepping into my space, he curls his arm around my back, dragging me into his chest and surrounding me with his big body. Cupping my chin, he gently tilts my head back, hovering an inch from my lips, almost, but not quite kissing me. “If you try to remove anything I’ve put on you, then I’ll replace it with a brand burned into your skin.”

His tone is so gentle and sweet and the complete opposite to the threat he’s making that it takes my brain a moment to process what he just said. “You’d hurt me like that?” I whisper, my voice shaky.

“I’d never hurt you, Wild One. I’d sedate you first so you didn’t feel it, but when you woke up, my initials would be seared into your skin so deep that you’d never try to remove my mark on you again. Do you understand, baby?”

Shaking, I nod my head, seeing for the very first time how truly dangerous Evan’s brand of possession can be.

“Now, do you plan on trying to remove any of the jewelry I’ve given you?” he questions, his tone cordial and light.

“No,” I whisper.

“Good girl. Let’s get you to class.”

24

EVAN

Idon’t enjoy her fear, but I definitely don’t hate it as much as I should. The look in her eyes as I threaten her is as exciting as it is horrifying. I don’t want her to be scared of me, but the wild rebellious streak in her will push me too far if she doesn’t learn how to lean into the boundaries I’m setting without breaking them.

I don’t want her too submissive and willing, at least not all the time. But I don’t want to have to keep forcing her to understand the lengths I’ll go to, to keep her either. She pushed me last night, and although I might not have screamed, shouted, or made a scene, I felt the break in me like a physical wound.

But watching her fall apart and not being able to comfort her was worse. She offered me things that were hard for me to refuse, but it wasn’t until I denied her that she finally saw that offering me her, in exchange for saving him, was only making things worse.

Even now, I can see the weight of her guilt reflected back in her eyes, and I don’t want to be the reason her soul is burdened, but I refuse to allow her to use her sexuality as a weapon to hurt me. I might be an asshole and maybe a bit of a psycho, but I don’t deserve that.

I want all the things she tried to barter with. A wedding, a binding contract, her ass, but I don’t want her to use those things like bargaining chips. I’ll take them all eventually anyway, but I want her to want them too, not just offer them as a way to assuage her guilt.

When she sucks in a trembling breath, her eyes wide with a mixture of terror and desire, instead of restraining her, I let her go, smiling widely at her like I just told her I was buying her a kitten, not threatening to brand my name into her skin.

Taking her hand, I lead her through the quad to the building where her first class of the day is being held. Once we’re outside the building, I curl my arm around her waist and pull her to me. Her lips part as she tips her head back to look at me, and I lean down, claiming her lips with mine and kiss her long and hard and possessively, putting on a show for everyone around us, so they’ll all know she’s mine.

“Enjoy your class. I’ll be waiting for you once you’re finished.”

“Okay,” she says dazedly.

Chuckling softly to myself, I stroll to the coffee shop and order myself a drink, settling down into a seat, and checking my email while I wait for Sammy to finish class.

I’m not surprised when my cell dings with a new text message.

Bastian

Where are you? We need to talk.

Me

Coffee shop by the library.

Bastian

On my way.

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