Page 67 of Vicious Hearts

And he’s right. It hasn’t gone unnoticed by me how Apostle has become increasingly cold the longer this whole thing has dragged out. How his patience is clearly wearing thin.

How right Cillian might be about Apostle deciding I’m not worth the risk if I can’t get it done. What that means for Finn is too much to even think about. I can’t help him or save him if I’m dead.

There’s a chance I can if I’mnot, though. And if that means staying here as Cillian’s…what, sex slave? His obedient little pet, ready and willing to let him do whatever he wants to me? Then so be it.

Yeah, as if you’re at all upset about any of that.

I blush as the thought inside my head pretty much rolls its eyes at me.

But it’s also not an incorrect thought. A morallywrongone, perhaps. But not factually incorrect. Because the idea of letting Cillian do what he wants with me is…electrifying.

Intoxicating.

Dangerously seductive.

Terrifying but alluring, like watching the edge of a knife glint in the moonlight.

“Fine,” I blurt quickly. I stand from his lap, and without blinking, even though my face is burning hot, I suddenly bend over the edge of the table. “Fine, do what you want.”

Nothing happens.

He doesn’t pounce on me. Or spank me, or bite me, or punish me.

Or fuck me.

And I hate that the feeling I’m currently experiencing because of that is “disappointment”.

I shiver when I feel his hands grip my hips—full of power and a sensual sort of hardness. Suddenly, he’s pulling me back, planting me on his lap again. Heat floods my face, my pulse thumping as he brushes my hair aside, and I gasp when his lips brush my earlobe.

“Such an eager little thing.”

I bite my lip so hard it almost bleeds to stop from whimpering.

“But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Youwillbe mine,” he growls quietly. “But I’m not sure you understand the full extent of what I’m saying.”

His hand cups my jaw, swiveling my head as I shiver, bringing my eyes level with his.

“You’re going to be my wife.”

It’s as if reality itself is glitching out. At first, I’m sure I’m hallucinating, or that I heard him wrong. But the longer I sit there, fucking naked on his lap, his eyes piercing into mine, the clearer it becomes how real all this is.

“I—” I stare at him.

He can’t possibly be serious. But he just stares back at me, unblinking, and the knot in my stomach curls and tightens even more.

“You can’t honestly be suggesting that.”

“It wasn’t asuggestionat all, Una. It’s what’s happening.”

I blink, shuddering as something heated and fierce hooks its claws into my chest.

“I…” I shake my head. “No, it’s not.”

Cillian smiles that thin, sadistic smile of his. “You really don’t have the luxury of choice here.”

“The fuck I don’t!” I blurt, feeling my breath coming faster. “You can’tforcesomeone to marry—!”

“Let me make thisabundantly clearto you,” Cillian growls. I shiver as his hand lands heavily on my thigh and tightens. “Out there, you’re dead. Period. It might be at the hand of whoever the fuck is calling the shots with you. Or it might be at the hands of any number of your father’s enemies, once they realize who you are.”

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