Page 50 of Beautifully Wounded

“Now I get to spend the rest of the night fucking the woman I’ve claimed.”

Awhimper flies from Abbey even as I spin her, slap her arse hard, the loud clap so audible that anyone nearby won’t have been able to not hear it, and shove her in the room, following in after her and slamming the door in Jols’ face, cutting off her protests.

Then, out of nowhere, a fist slams into my face.

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“Ouch,” I cry, pain shooting from my knuckles to my wrist and then right up my arm as I stumble backwards, my eyes going wide as a trickle of blood oozes from Ringo’s lip.

“What the fuck was that for?” he snarls, and I scurry backwards as he stalks forward.

“You slapped my arse. What else would it be for?” My words are firm, but my heart is anything but strong right now, fear wrapping around it like a thick blanket of frost.

My feet hit the wall by the wardrobe entrance, and as he continues forward looking everything like the madman that stole me from my parents last night, I’m reminded of the words he hissed at Jols.

“Now I get to spend the rest of the night fucking the woman I’ve claimed.”

“I don’t giveyou permission to have sex with me,” I blurt, stumbling into the wardrobe opening, still trying to put distance between us.

“Darlin, I don’t have sex. I fuck. And I never said I wanted to.” He reaches for me, and I squeal, spinning and dashing towards the open bathroom door, gripping it as I step in and try to force it shut.

Ringo’s too fast. His big hand stops it, his towering height and broad shoulders filling the doorway, trapping me.

“Y-you did. Y-you told Jols you were going to spend the night…” I trail off, my cheeks heating at the thought of repeating his words.

“Say the words I said, Angel. I said the wordfuck.I said I get to spend the rest of the night fucking the woman I’ve claimed.” He smirks cruelly as he tilts his head. “Can you even fathom saying such a crude word?”

Tears prick at the back of my eyes as my shoulders drop, shame washing over me.

“There’s no need to be a prick and tease me about it,” I snap, feeling the familiar prickle of humiliation Daniel enjoyed tormenting me with so often. “You know, for a minute there, you fooled me into thinking you were actually a decent man.”

My words cause his smirk to fall, and I almost feel bad.

“Don’t ever forget that I amnota good man, Angel. At the end of the day, I’m a part of that world.” He points to the wall, but I know he means to the chaos happening outside his room.

I stare at him for a long beat, my mind like a busy concert hall filled with hundreds of voices making it hard to hear myself think.

“Look, I’m sorry about the arse slap. I was playing a part. A necessary part to make everyone think you’re mine.”

“Why do I have to be yours? What does that mean?” I ask, and when he takes a step closer, I take another step back.

Sighing, Ringo rakes a rough hand down his face before his eyes meet mine again, their whiskey colour looking a little drained.

“It means they won’t touch you.”

I wait for him to say something else in explanation, but when he doesn’t, I push for more information.

“But why? What does me being yours really mean to them?”

“It means that upon knowing this, they will leave you alone. They won’t touch you. That’s all you need to know.”

I roll my eyes at him, and he smirks, which makes my lips twitch too.

Ugh. I’m trying to be angry here. Why am I fighting a smile?

Focus Abbey.

“Why is it such a big deal that I be yours and not just a guest? Isn’t that enough, just knowing I’m a visitor?”

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