Page 73 of Summoned
He grinds against me again, sending a jolt of electricity through me.
“Your body already obeys me,” he whispers into my ear. “Let the rest of you follow. Give me the answer I’m looking for.”
The weight of him on top of me feels far better than it should. The thought that he might do anything he wanted—and that I might let him—slips in, slow and dangerous. It clouds my mind and ignites my skin, pulling me back to the edge I was trying so hard to escape.
A shred of reason claws its way up from deep inside. If I give him the truth, I lose the only advantage I have.
“I’ll never obey you,” I hiss through clenched teeth.
He freezes again, then pushes onto one elbow above me. A chill washes over me, yet it’s not enough to smother the heat coiled inside me.
Gaetano’s gaze glides over my face with surprising gentleness, with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. He reaches out and tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Lucky for you, nothing motivates me more than a defiant challenge.”
“I really do feel lucky…”
Though I stumble over the words, they have the desired effect. He hesitates. Is he going to keep going? A traitorous voice in my head urges him to.
Gaetano straightens up, grabs my hand, and pulls me to my feet. I brush off the dirt and small stones clinging to my back and lift my head. The moon reflects in his eyes, giving them a wild, feral gleam. He gives me a wolfish smile, and in that moment, I know it deep in my bones, that he’s going to destroy me. A flicker of anxiety sparks in my chest, blending with the arousal still tightening every nerve in my body.
“Until next time, Baroness,” Gaetano says, holding something to his chest in a mock gesture of farewell. As he fades into shadow, I catch a glimpse of my cap in his hands.
“Wait!” I shout into the empty air.
Goddamn it.
23
Nicole
Day 10
The asphalt digs into my knees. My hair falls over my face like a veil, trying to shield me from humiliation. But there’s nothing to stop the jeers from drilling into my ears. Each word strikes a nail deep into my skull.
Teacher’s pet.
What a freak!
You’ll never get a boyfriend.
Dumb as a head of lettuce.
Someone grabs my chin. I don’t need to look to know who it is. I remember the girl’s face.
But when I lift my head, it’s my father standing there. His face contorts with disgust. “This is what I get after everything I’ve done for you?”
I open my mouth to explain that they ambushed me. That I’m one and they’re many.
My voice is gone.
His upper lip curls. “You’re embarrassing me, Nicole! Stop acting like a pathetic prey!”
Tears sting my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. If I cry, the invisible ghosts around me will laugh again, and that will only deepen my father’s disgust.
He watches me with pursed lips, waiting for me to make a move.
My muscles are too weak. I can’t get up.
“You’ll never be worthy of being my daughter!” he hisses and turns his back on me.
