Page 9 of Sweet Nightmares
“Well, as I said before, only I get to kill you.” He crossed his arms and smirked. “And I’ve decided not to do that yet. I’d rather play with you first.”
“Play…” Jane drew out the word. What did he mean by that?
“Yes.” His eyes twinkled. “So I guess I’ll have to give you that unending money supply.”
He wasn’t serious, was he? That easy?
“But there is only one deal I will accept from you.”
An anchor dropped in Jane’s heart. She knew his next words would change her life forever and ruin her all at once.
“And what is that?”
“You.”
“Me?”
His wicked smile widened. “You will become my bride and anchor. I will own your soul, mind, and body, and you will do everything I command.”
Every muscle in Jane’s body froze.
“No.” The word came out as a broken whisper.Absolutely not.
The only thing Jane had was her mind… And soul. Everyone had already taken everything else. Her husband owned her body. As did the ballet. But her mind, her soul, that was hers and hers alone.
“You are afraid.”
Yes. She swallowed.
“Do not worry.” He took a gentle step toward her. “I treat my brides well… for the most part.”
That didn’t matter, even if she believed him, which she didn’t. Because if she gave him this. It would be everything. Life would have stolen everything from her.
“I cannot be your bride. I am already married.” It wasn’t the protest she wanted to make, but it was the one that came out ofher mouth. “See?” Jane held up her left hand, showing off her hideous ring.
Nightmare seemed to have a visceral reaction to it, tensing and shifting away. But she couldn’t tell if the response was from the ugly nature of the ring, or the mere fact that she was married, or both.
“I will keep your loving husband alive for now.”
Please don’t.
“When he dies, you will become my bride fully, in all ways,”— he took another step toward her—“but for now, I will give you a reprieve. You will be my bride in all but name. And when he dies, I will have all of you.”
“I can’t.” Her knuckles turned white from digging into the wall.
“By all means, leave my mirror.” He motioned to the exit portal, knowing her options were him or death. This wasn’t a choice at all.
Nightmare was a true villain. A monster. But was he the better monster?
Yes.
“Alright.” Her nose flared, and tears grew at the edges of her eyes.
“You understand you will not be able to deny me?” He took another step toward her. “You will attend to all of my demands, always.”
A tear fell down her face, and his gaze tracked it as it went.
He took the last step to meet her, reached out, and wiped away the tear with his knuckle. “I will be mostly good to you.”Unless you disobey me, hung between them, unspoken.
