Page 90 of Captive Bride

He continues, “You’re being insubordinate, Isobel.”

I laugh slightly, feeling sassy and wanting to resist his every move.

“I don’t care what you think,” I say to him boldly. “If you die, none of it will matter anyway.”

“Is that so?” he says, almost too quietly.

Sure, I might be poking the bear, but I don’t care. He’s ruining my life, and I don’t feel like lying back and being his little slave at this moment.

I feel like challenging him and forcing him to look me in the eyes and to tell me why he’s gonna do it.

Before I know what’s happening or how to stop it, he’s picking me up out of the bath. The bottle of champagne drops to the floor and shatters.

He doesn’t seem to care or to notice. There’s this look in his eyes.

I know too late that I might’ve taken my recourse too far.

Tristan will get what he wants.

He always does.

“You think I want this for us, Isobel?” he nearly growls.

I’m dripping soapy suds all over his suit. He takes me into the bedroom, and it’s unnaturally dark. I don’t know what time it is, and I don’t care, because I can see that this night belongs to Tristan.

He throws me down on the bed and then he undresses slowly.

He leans over to light a candle, and I can see his chiseled chest and arms in the light.

He stares at me. It’s almost a glare, really. I can see I might’ve taken things too far in my pulling away from him and admonishing him.

But what else can you do when the game is love and war and death?

“Tristan, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I pulled away from you. I’m just worried about you…and Theo.”

He doesn’t say a thing, but he removes his belt and flips me over.

I breathe hard into the sheets and wait for it to come.

Whack!

One hit.

Whack!

Two hits.

My ass is sore already, and I decide in an instant not to take it.

I turn over and attempt to fight him. I beat my fists on his chest in vain.

I can’t hurt him. Only he can hurt me.

How is that fair?

He takes both my wrists into one hand and holds them steady, attempting to silence me. But I will not be silenced.

He’s gambling with the nature of my love by engaging in this thing with Theo.

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