Page 26 of Beg the Night

He set me on my feet roughly, then cornered me against the wall with his arms caging me in place.

“Are you really so afraid that your sister will see the truth?” I pushed.

Head cocked, he loomed closer. “And what truth is that, exactly?”

Like this, I couldn’t make out his features, but I could feel the heat radiating from him.

I hated it. I hatedhim.

“That you made a deal with Director to keep her safe.”

I expected him to deny it. Instead, he glared at me, his dark eyes hard, his chest rising and falling with thick breaths as he pushed against the wall on either side of me, his muscles rippling. “If you ever say that shit again—especially around Margaret—I’ll kill you.”

Wow. More threats—surprise, surprise. Big boy wasmad.

With a harsh breath out, he straightened a fraction, like he was going to turn away. I really should have let him go. But my ego wouldn’t let him push me like this. Not when I was the missing piece of the plan he’d probably been working on for months now.

I lifted my chin, my lips curling up. “No, you won’t.”

He lowered his head so we were nose to nose. “You’re right, New Girl. I won’t kill you.” He ran a finger down my cheek almost delicately, and my breath hitched, my traitorous body reacting in a way I hadn’t given it permission to. “But I can make you so miserable you’ll wish you were dead. I control everyone and everything down here. You think these men have left you alone because they’re honorable?”

A shiver worked its way down my spine, betraying the defiant facade I’d created.

“Wrong. It’s because they’re afraid of me. Rightfully so.”

His hand slid down to my neck, the touch electrifying me, and as he gripped my throat and squeezed, sparks flashed in my vision.

“You don’t scare me,” I gritted out with the little air remaining in my lungs. “I’ve dealt with far worse than men like you.”

The breath from his laugh tickled my cheek, but he didn’t loosen his hold. “You should be scared, New Girl, because when that blood moon comes around, when you willingly mate with me and complete the transformation, you’ll see what a monster I really am. And I’ll finally see what pesky powers you’ve been hiding under that innocent demeanor.”

“I’llneverwillingly mate with you.”

His grip tightened, and on instinct, I brought my own hands up and wrapped them around his thick forearm, fighting his hold.

He smiled. “We’ll see about that.”

Even in the darkness, the pure hatred in his deep brown eyes was clear. It emanated from him, like every single inch of his being was repulsed by my very existence.

Likewise, buddy.

He let go of me with one last push and stormed back to his cot.

My heart raced as he disappeared into the darkness. He could threaten me, sure, but I was the one truly in control here.

He couldn’t force me to mate with him. The claiming only worked if both parties were willing. Thank god for that tiny stipulation.

If he truly was doing this to save his sister, then his intentions were honorable. But Mags could take care of herself down here. She wouldn’t support this plan if she knew what her brother was up to. And the aftermath would be catastrophic. Wouldn’t it?

I rubbed the skin on my throat where his hand had been. Sinner had just slotted himself at the top of my list of enemies.

“Are you okay?”

I spun at the sound of the quiet voice, a hand over my once again pounding heart.

Leon—I think—stood a few feet away.

“God,” I sighed. “I didn’t see you standing there.”

---