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"Who are you fucking?" he’d yelled "Who are you fucking?"

No protest of hers could’ve gotten through to him, and her silence infuriated him In fact, his reaction had been siain, she became a Nordic bitch, a heartless one as incapable of any real feelings

Porfirio, however, had had no shortage of emotions as his rant continued "What does it take? What does it take for you to feel anything?"

And that hen the familiar refrain had ended Mae’s reflexes and instincts had failed because she’d never dreae, would attack He’d thrown her to the floor, pinning her wrists and holding her doith his greater weight The screa of his voice was actually ," he’d told her "You’re stillFear She’d never given rape a second thought in her life until that rant, and a few fights after joining the htly around her She’d lived confidently with her own skills and strength But there on the floor, Porfirio’s were superior Maybe in a canne match, her speed would’ve coth, but his did the sath had do each other’s clothes off, but Mae had never had it literally happen It had occurred to her that there’d probably be no repercussions either The fast and furious nature of prætorian sex danced on such a dangerous line that it’d be hard to differentiate between that and rape It was entirely possible that she’d be accused of using et his own pants off while still restraining her, she saw none of the a;torian men Sure, there was lust, but it wasn’t born of affection or even friendly attraction There was rage in it, a need to punish and possess

She’d used every weapon she had to fight what he wanted to do--kicking, clawing, screa It shouldn’t have worked It shouldn’t have Even now she believed that But soth that threw hih for her to craard her coffee table He’d caught hold of her leg, but not before she grabbed her gun

Even while churning with cheone that he would foolishly challenge that He’d scrambled back as she stood up and screa that sounded y as he fumbled with his pants Mae wouldn’t listen to any of it and had advanced on hih confidence that he’d finally taken off She’d never seen hih Val and Dag had noticed the bruises on her wrists They probably hadn’t believed the story she’d given theainst it If they’d had proof of what he’d tried to do, Porfirio wouldn’t have lived long enough to die in an explosion

As she stood there in Kavi’s roo revelation She’d never focused toothe attack, ht She’d been all instinct and reaction, her only goal being escape But now, she realized there had been ht back

With brilliant clarity, she now res that she’d buried with everything else Outrage Indignation Even a sense of sacrilege Who was he to think he could force her into subift she bestowed on those who earned her desire It could not be taken

Maybe those weren’t such weird senti to be possessed was certainly a valid response But there had been solorious and sacred,At the ti more than out-of-control eth careater than his ie

But no She kne that she’d thrown hi her That sahts of holiness and profanity And thinking back to his terrified face as he’d backed away, she wasn’t sure if he’d been afraid of the gun or the divine power that had surrounded her Had he seen what Justin claimed ith her into possess her? It was absurd

To Kavi, Mae sio"

Kavi nodded, still with that dreaain I’d like for us to be friends I’m sure Porfirio would’ve wanted that"

"Yes,"toward the door "I’m sure he would have"

CHAPTER 26

EVERYONE’S SO BLOND

Exerzol and caffeine had let Justin put on a good face for Mae, but by the ti to explode out of his head At least no one was around He wasn’t ready for Cynthia’s chastiseone for a very long ti out a bottle of potent painkillers At first, he automatically e himself into a coma Several seconds later, he reconsidered and only kept the nuacy The hed heavily upon him

Great restraint, said Horatio Of course, with as much tolerance as you’ve built up, they probably won’t do anything

Quiet, Justin told hi as ones outside