Page 134 of Into the Woods

“She’s already been paid for. I can’t.” He spoke slowly, like I was a little kid he had to explain this to.

I shot to my feet, hands balled at my sides. “This isn’t a game, Eric. Let her out.”

“No, pet, this isn’t a game,” he replied, folding his arms and glaring at me. “It’s business. She belongs to Ambassador Nielsen. He put in a request for a thin, blonde woman. Either a gymnast or a dancer. Camille fits his preferences almost perfectly. Ideally, she’d still be intact, but her notoriety adds a certain flair to the acquisition.”

Behind me, Cami let out a soft sob. She threaded her arms through the bars and grabbed the hem of my dress. “Bex, help.”

“Eric, no. She’s not a freaking piece of art—she’s practically my sister,” I snapped.

His dark brows lowered. “Bex, you’re making a scene.”

“You haven’t seen a scene yet,” I spat.

He moved so fast that I didn’t have time to react. His hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing, as he bent me backward over Cami’s cage. My hips slammed painfully into the bars, my spine arching as I cried out.

“I thought you understood how this business operates,” he hissed in my ear.

My gaze flicked around the room wildly. The only people paying attention were the guards covering the cages, and none of them were going to help me. Unless I could take down Eric and a bunch of armed guards—not to mention guys like Senator Nielsen—all by myself, I was screwed. At least until Court showed up.

Eric gave me a hard shake, my teeth clicking together. “You will not embarrass me. Get yourself together, or I’ll throw you in the cage beside her like another common bitch.”

I let my body go limp, all the fight draining from me.

“Bex!” Cami cried below me, sounding hysterical. She tried slapping at Eric’s pants, but it was hopelessly ineffective.

“I’m sorry,” I rasped, keeping my eyes on Eric.

He stared down at me, his expression a mask of icy rage. “You disappoint me, Bex.”

“I know. I… It won’t happen again.” I swallowed around a cry. “You caught me by surprise—she was supposed to be the maid of honor at our wedding.”

He squeezed my throat, cutting off my air just because he could. When I started to panic and was on the verge of thrashing, he let me go.

Lightheaded, I crashed down on all fours, gasping.

A fist tangled in my hair, wrenching my head back. “I mean it, Bex. Tonight is too important for you to fuck up. Can you behave?”

“Yes,” I gasped, tears stinging my eyes. “I’ll behave. I promise.”

Still using my hair, he pulled me to my feet. His gray eyes were like a tempest on the sea, churning and violent. “We have things to do now, my love. But first, I think I’m owed an apology.”

It took everything in me not to knee him in the balls, and I made a mental note to start self-defense training the second I was free of this psycho.

Instead, I licked my lips. “I’m so sorry, Eric. Forgive me.”

Still looking annoyed, he loosened his hold on my hair. His index finger notched my chin up. “Of course I forgive you. I love you.”

His love wasn’t a gift; it was a threat.

He kissed my lips softly, almost reverently. “I suppose I also owe you an apology. Perhaps I was wrong to not alert you that Camille was going to be part of tonight’s offerings.”

“Bex,” Cami begged at my back.

I stiffened my spine. “Can we please leave this area?” I wouldn’t be able to fake it if I turned around and saw Cami stuffed in the damn dog cage again, makeup wrecked and dress torn.

“Of course,” Eric assured me, wrapping an arm around my waist and leading me from the space as Cami started to scream.

Eric stopped and turned to the guard. “Shut her up.”

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