Page 97 of Filthy Royal

“What do you care? You’ve moved on. So have I.”

Without warning, he spun her around, his hand controlling her at the nape of her neck. She bucked in protest, the wall rough against her left cheek, her palms flat against its surface.

“Have you?” His cock dug into her ass. “Because I’m not the one sending hot little electric pulses straight to my dick.”

Her eyes widened.Thathad certainly never happened before with her gift.

Scarlett was still processing that information when something cool pressed against her neck. A sharp sting as something pierced the flesh just below her hairline.

“What are you doing?” She hissed, trying to pull away.

Damien kept her trapped with the weight of his body. “Stay still, or you could actually get hurt.”

It almost sounded as though he cared.

But who was she kidding?

A faint whooshing sound followed, and she knew exactly what he’d done.

He’d extracted the Consortium tracker and Kadon’s as well.

“You can’t do that.” She bucked against his hold—and got nowhere.

“Just did.” He trailed his thumb over the throbbing puncture wound. “Now they can’t track you. But I can.”

Of course he’d replaced it with one of his own. Fury careened through her.

The plink of small rocks shaking free from the ceiling caught her attention, as did the growing shadows on the wall.

She tried to rein in the darkness.

A moment later, the latch of the prime omega cuff on her right wrist opened. Then the left one. She watched as they fell to the floor. Kadon would not be pleased.

Scarlett was still trying to get her head around Damien’s actions when she heard another sound.

Snick. Snick.This time, it sounded like two clasps closing in quick succession. Then the faint weight of something light and delicate molding to her neck and belly registered. Cool metal settled loosely against her stomach, spine, and the flare of her hips—and since her dress was now little more than a few torn scraps of thin fabric, she felt the chain’s weighteverywhere, including her core.

She glanced down. “No.”

“You recognize it, Omega?” A slight tug from behind, and her hips drew back. “I like it a whole lot more than Stormhart’s collar and cuffs.”

She realized exactly what he’d done. “Take this off me. Now.”

“No.” The delicate chain dug into her skin as he wrapped his fist in it and pulled, controlling her movements easily. “I had this taming chain made just for you. As light and beautiful as the finest jewelry in the galaxy, but deceptive, concealing an additional purpose. Something I knew an omega such as yourself would appreciate.”

“I said take it off.” Her breath came faster and faster.

Damien ignored her, the smug satisfaction in his tone when he spoke only making her chest rise and fall even more rapidly. “This one was created by the finest blacksmith in the outer rim, using the lightest, strongest material available anywhere, extracted from my family’s own mines. It’s unbreakable.” Voice low and hard, he pressed his mouth to her ear. “Unlike the fated-mate bond, apparently.”

“Don’t.” The tear in her heart deepened.

He continued, his knuckles brushing against her spine as he played with the chain, the ripped, gauzy material of her gown doing little to block the sensation. “It’s even more durable than the ones Alpha clients use to mark their chosen whore for the moons’ risings, especially in the Consortium brothels filled with ex-prizes.”

Scarlett sucked in a sharp breath.

“Yes. The fate you were once so desperate to escape.” One calloused finger skimmed the curve of the chain as it dipped from the middle of her back to her hip. “But here you are anyway.”

“Fuck you.” Rage surged through her. The bastard.

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