Page 18 of Tempt Me (Dark Odyssey 4)

“Are you scared, Ava?” he asks. I’m not sure why he would ask me that. Anyone who looks at me can tell I’m so frightened I might just die from the fright.

“Yes…” I rasp.

He leans closer, and the scent of his aftershave tickles my nose.

“I don’t think you’re nearly as scared or frightened as you should be. If you were, you wouldn’t make such an offer, and not to a man like me.A trade. A trade where you’ll doanything.”

He’s right. I hate to admit it. He is completely right. However, he’s just right about one part of his analysis. I’m terrified, but I made the offer because that’s all I have. I can’t pay back two million, and from what he said, that’s just the start of it. It sounded like there was more.

He doesn’t know that I would offer myself because of how much I owe my father.

I owe him everything, including my life. It’s nothing in comparison to what he lost just for loving me and my mother.

“Do you accept my offer?” I ask, surprising him.

Fury re-enters his eyes. “Ava Knight, do you know what it means to offer yourself to someone like me? In my world, a debt repaid in the way you offer means you trading your body for the repayment.”

He means I become his whore.

I can’t take my eyes off him now. I’m not stupid. Of course, I know what it means, but I’m not thinking straight. I haven’t been in years. I think the part of me that used to be able to do that is gone. Damaged by the past. It exists now as a shimmer that may lend itself to me from time to time. This, however, doesn’t feel like one of those times. What I’m acting on is that fight for survival. The instinct to protect… no matter the cost.

“Bellezza, it means you belong to me. You would be mine to do as I wish. Anything… you said anything, so that’s permission you give me to do what I want to you.” He speaks in a low voice that captures my attention. It works its way into me slowly and purposefully. It lingers with effect, along with his stare. A stare that draws me in and makes me take in the full beauty of his face.

Angles and planes all chiseled to perfection. He’s the kind of man who looks better as he gets older, and everything about him has more effect.

What he’s saying though… I don’t know what I’m supposed to answer because what else am I supposed to do?

This is a nightmare. Is there a difference between being forced into it and offering it? Forced into using my body or me offering it to save Dad.

“Ava… listen to me carefully,” he says, probably seeing my internal conflict. “I will only say this once. Think about what you’re offering. Maybe this one time you should walk away and allow your father to suffer the consequences of his actions.”

Consequences…I swallow hard. He’s giving me a chance to walk away. How can I do that though? How am I supposed to allow Dad to be killed?

I won’t excuse his mistakes and all the wrong Dad did, but I can’t do nothing either and just accept that he deserves the consequences.

If I walk away, that’s it. It would mean death.

Vincent must be considering my offer if we’re here talking about it. He must be. It must be the only thing keeping Dad alive.

If I am, then that’s something. It’s hope.

“No, I can’t let you hurt him, or kill him. He’s my father.”

He growls, and I shy away when he looms even closer. “I gave you a chance.”

“And I’m still offering.”

“You are foolish.”

“He’s my father.”

“It doesn’t matter who he is.”

“Don’t you want me?” I throw back. It sounds like the last part of my soul speaking, crying out.

He steps back, away from me. He looks me over, and desire fills his eyes, but his face is still hard.

“Yes,” he answers, and it’s a shock to my system.

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