Page 51 of Degrading Her

“Come down,” I said, my voice gravelly.

A small gasp came from the other end. “Sawyer?”

I hung up. Her shadow hovered in the window, then she peaked through the blinds, down at the cars, finding my SUV. She stumbled out of view, then, a few seconds later, the lights in her apartment went out, and she scrambled toward the parking lot. A sweater pulled over her dainty shoulders. Shorts barely covering her ass. I smiled to myself, remembering the missing file from my office. She had stolen it, doing the opposite of what I expected. Even if she didn’t know I was a killer, to steal from a man like me took stupidityandcourage. She continued to mystify me.

And that needed to end.

I opened the car door for her. She slid inside, and I closed the privacy partition between us and the driver.

“Where’s the babydoll?” I asked.

Even in the dark night, a blush rippled across her skin. “I can’t wear that outside.”

But the idea made her hot. Warmth flowed through mybody with her next to me. Knowing that she was safe. Knowing that she wasmine.

But Wilder was right. I didn’t have to kill her, but I had to make sure that she didn’t affect me like this.

But what did that mean, if not killing her?

I had to show her that this was only a game. Once I won, I would discard her like the ashes of a burned corpse. I had to convince her she meant nothing to me.

And most of all, I had to convince myself.

“I made plans with my sister,” she said, interrupting my thoughts. “Family night. Like you said.”

I tilted my head. “You’re not studying?”

“Well, I’m bringing my textbooks.” She raised her brow. “But you’re right. I should make time to see her.” She shrugged. “And you, I guess.”

“When?”

Everything inside of me swelled with frustration. Why had I asked? I had to make a change. Playing like this with Fiona was as irresistible as it was maddening, and I had to set a boundary somewhere. I had to show her that this was a game where she would lose, even if I had to make her cry. Even if I had to make her wish she were dead.

“Tomorrow night,” she said.

She spread her knees apart, and her shorts fell back, closer to her cunt, the gap of fabric showing off that pink pussy. My tongue flicked over my lips. She knew what she was doing.

“Dirty little plaything,” I murmured in her ear. She sucked in a breath, and I squeezed her thigh. I had to get out of there. Had to ground myself.Now.“I’ll see you tomorrow night, then,” I said. “Goodnight, Fiona.”

She pressed her lips to my ear. “Goodnight, Sawyer.”

I tensed, and she grinned, knowing the power she had over me.

And I couldn’t have that. Couldn’t let my brother know it was her. And perhaps that was part of why I had made sure that my brother married Fiona’s sister. As much as her sister annoyed me, I had confidence that her sister would never let anything happen to Fiona. Family was like that for most people. And in some ways, it was like that for Wilder and me. We protected each other. And yet, all it would take was one stupid move, and our family bonds wouldn’t matter. That was why the Feldman Offering had existed in the first place. I needed the lesson more than anyone else. Still, I refused to kill Fiona.

But I had to get my priorities straight. I had to put Fiona in her place.

Chapter 12

Fiona

I slowedthe car as I approached the address. Grassy pastures. Metal fences interspersed with wooden beams. White pine trees stretched out as if guarding the place. My sister’s rose red hair fluttered in the afternoon breeze. She adjusted her tank top and waved to me. She seemed so comfortable here. She was never like this at home.

Inside the car, she squealed: “You’re here!” She leaned over the console and hugged me. “All right. Down the dirt path. You see that gravel area? You’re going to park there.”

I moved the car forward. “Go through the dirt?”

“If you get stuck, we’ve got plenty of people who can get you out.”

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