Page 30 of Beg the Night

He huffed, finally lifting his chin as if he’d only now realized how close we were. He turned over his shoulder, facing the crowd of eavesdropping men, and yelled, “Get the fuck away from us.”

The crowd immediately dispersed, with only a few ‘boos’ from someone in the back.

“You’re claiming with me,” he said when he turned back. “That means our magic will be connected forever. It’s you and me, New Girl. You don’t get to walk around here and show all these other men what’s rightfully mine.”

I reared back. Was he joking? He was joking, right? “And you think my body is yours?”

He hooked a finger under the hem of my—his—shirt, something in his expression changing, shifting. “That’s exactly what I think.” Focus fixed on my face, he trailed that one finger higher until I gave in and clutched his hand to pull it away from my bare skin.

With a quiet laugh, he shook his head. “See, New Girl? You can put on a show all you want, but I see right through it. I see right through every mask you slip on. I know you’re hiding something. I know you don’t actually want fifty monstrous eyeslooking at your naked body. You want control as badly as I do, but the difference?” Hand still clenched beneath mine, he leaned in until I could feel his breath on my face. “I’m still in charge here.”

He ripped his hand from mine and turned away.

“Keep the shirt,” he yelled over his shoulder.

I stayed frozen like that, like an idiot, watching him stalk to the far side of the dungeon. He’d been clear about his hatred for me since the moment I stepped into this hellhole, yet he had this freaky, possessive need to control me.Me.

I found myself tugging the hem of his shirt lower, making sure all the important parts were covered. As much as I wanted to whip it off and throw it at him, I knew better. And I knew Sinner wasn’t going to sit back and watch me strip in a dungeon full of men.

But what did that mean? That he actually cared about me? Did he really think my body was his now that we were paired for the claiming? Now thathethought we’d be participating in the ridiculous ritual, that is.

My stance hadn’t changed. I still had no intention of performing the claiming ritual with him. I had no intention of being controlled by anyone. Director, Sinner,anyone.

“Are you okay?” Margaret asked, drawing my attention away from the moronic shirtless man.

“I’m fine,” I sighed.

“Really?” She tilted her head, her dark hair slipping over one shoulder. “Because a few seconds ago you were totally naked, having a standoff with the entire dungeon.”

“Yeah, well, maybe I’m crazy. Who knows.”

With a smile, she slung an arm around my shoulders. “Good. Crazy is good.”

NINE

sinner

Anger pulsed through my veins, igniting emotions that I tried very, very hard to keep locked in that little cage.Don’t let it go. Don’t let it go. Don’t let it go.

Fuck.

She did this to me. She caused me to lose control, to nearly let my power loose.

And I hated to lose control.

So did she, apparently. That was clear tonight. She was testing me. Gauging how I’d react.

I ran my hands down my face, willing myself to cool off. She was talking to Mags now, which made calming down even more difficult. How could someone so insufferable become such easy friends with my sister? What did Mags see in her anyway? Or had they clicked so quickly because they were the only women here? Whatever it was, they’d been drawn to each other like two idiotic best friends.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the guys nearby lifting his mattress and shoving a dark bundle beneath it.

Feeling more out of control than I had in years, I stormed over to him. “What the fuck is that?”

He stood and spun, arms crossed, as if guarding his cot, suspicious as fuck. I knew his gift. He could cloak his own appearance for a few seconds at a time, which was likely how he got New Girl’s clothes in the first place.

Anger simmered under my skin.

“It—it’s not what it looks like. It was a joke. I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear, it was just?—”

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