Page 49 of Santiago's Conquest (Four Dark Horsemen 1)

“Briseis, Briseis.” His barely audible whisper surprises me, my eyes widening at him uttering my name of all people in this moment of despair. One of his eyes pops open, gazing at me intently. “It’s your fault. He came because of you. It’s your fault.”

Shifting back, my feet scrape against the concrete, and disbelief mixed with anger runs through me, my lips glued together, because otherwise my scream of frustration would echo in this place.

How is any of this my fault? I wasn’t the one who crossed a Cortez. Unbelievable!

“How typical.” I jerk when Santiago stands behind me, his breath fanning my nape, making my hair stand up.

Florian jumps over the banister, strolling to us and enjoying the show. All those women must be clueless to what kind of hideous person hides behind the charismatic man that is Florian.

“Your father is a piece of shit that isn’t worthy of your loyalty, but you struck the deal with the devil. You’re bound by the agreement.”

“If you think you’re the devil, maybe you should check yourself into a psychiatric ward. You’re whacked in the head.”

He spins me around and presses me against him, his brawny arm locking me in the strong embrace, and I push at the hold, hitting him hard with my fists.

He pays no attention to my resistance, throwing his cigarette on the ground where Florian steps on it, and rubs his knuckles over my cheek, the disgusting smell of nicotine hitting my nostrils. “Ah, querida. You can’t flinch at the touch of your fiancé.”

Huffing in disbelief, I push at his arm again and exhale heavily when he doesn’t even budge but instead only molds his body firmer against mine. The feeling of perfectly carved muscle makes me shake my head at the electricity prickling my skin.

My body still remembers our encounter; the hot flush spreading through me awakens every hair on my body. Yet my mind screams at me to get as far away from this man as possible, flashing images of his dark deeds from tonight to serve as a warning to never succumb to the lust burning in my veins.

Hormones.

My hormones might still find the man attractive, my ovaries exploding inside at the knowledge of what he can do to me, but it doesn’t mean I’ll ever again act on those desires.

Willingly at least.

A thought enters my mind, one I haven’t had before, and its coldness slams into me, chilling my blood at the hurtful possibilities lying ahead of me. The words spill from my lips before registering in my brain. “Your touch disgusts me. Or will rape be part of this marriage?” I barely manage to finish the sentence before he wraps his hand around my neck, squeezing it so tightly and cutting off my oxygen at once.

Putting my palms above his, I try to snatch them away, desperately needing to breathe air into my lungs, yet Santiago continues his hold, bruising the already bruised flesh. “Let go,” I croak through my dry throat, slapping him while dizziness washes over me, and black dots appear in front of me. “Let—” He finally releases me, and I stumble back, landing against the cage’s bars and falling on the ground, my hand replacing his on my neck. I cough so hard, gulping much-needed air while the sting and pain burn my throat.

However, the hate and rage blazing in his gaze wipes away any thought of my discomfort. He points his finger at me, ready to say something, but then he fists it, closing his eyes on the anger still clearly running through his system at my accusation.

Remi and Octavius march toward us, and Florian stands closer as if he wants to stop Santiago should he lunge for my throat again.

Tension rises in the air, so palpable it sends goose bumps down my spine and fear scorches me, hinting to me I’ve done something horribly wrong and might pay the price for it.

Snapping his blue orbs open, his gaze settles on me before he steps closer, lacing his fingers in my hair, pulling at it so hard and tiling my head back while my cry of distress ricochets off the walls. “Don’t. Ever. Accuse. Me. Of. That.” Venom coats his every word, hatred toward me so strong I shrink inwardly and whimper when he tugs on my hair again. “Do you understand?”

At my nod, his touch changes. He glides his fingers over the sore spots, soothing the sting by massaging my scalp. “Remi, get her out of here,” he orders to my surprise, as none of them strike me as someone who listens to anyone let alone commands from his friends.

But then again, I don’t know anything about their dynamic inside the group.

Remi motions with his hand toward somewhere far away straight ahead of us, and asks Santiago without taking his eyes off me, “In two hours at the church?”

“Si.”

“My father?” I wince. Speaking seems as if I’m tearing my skin from inside out, and Santiago shrugs.

“He’ll attend the wedding.” His voice brooks no argument, so I follow Remi without even asking where he plans to take me. “Don’t do anything stupid, Briseis. One mistake and he’s dead.”

Giving my father one last glance, who watches us all with horror in his one eye, I leave him at the mercy of monsters, because quite frankly, I can’t muster an ounce of compassion after his earlier rejection.

When we’re almost by the door hidden in the darkness, Santiago’s voice washes over me, and his meaning disturbs the strings of my soul more than they should. “Take care of her throat. I don’t want her in pain.”

Take care of her throat. I don’t want her in pain.

The man who just viciously hurt me orders them to tend to my wounds, confusing me to no end, because actions like those make me almost believe he has a heart buried somewhere under all the darkness weighing on it.

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