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“Your sister, Erin”

I felt o numb, like I’d bitten into poisoned fruit

He watchedher na her here? And as she thinking, co?

“You should invite Darren too,” I said, trying to make a joke, but it fell flat

He seemed pained “I understand you’re unhappy with your situation I’ve done my best to keep you safe and comfortable—”

“A happy little bird in her pretty golden cage Should I sing for you too?”

“It’s for your own good”

“Of course it is Isn’t that what all the good guys have to say?” I felt vicious, ans, one after the other “Don’t start pretending like any of this is for me”

His eyes blazed “It’s always been for you”

“You’ve done nothing but take and take Even back at Blackwoods when I kept telling you to leave me alone, you wouldn’t listen I know you have so to happen, okay?”

That seemed to break him He strode forward and I stuone too far He pinned h to knock the wind froently, but hard enough to leave a mark

He whispered as he moved up my exposed throat He could kill me if he wanted to

“I knohat you think of , little pet I’ine”

“What are you then? So? You’re a killer, Kaspar I watched you break a glass on another Oligarch’s face”

“For disrespecting you, and I’d do it again if given the chance I’d put theered close His breath s, and I wanted to leave forward and sink my teeth into his lower lip I wanted to draw blood I wanted to hurt him

Only I knew he’d like it

“It’s not about oing to extreths to try to make me yours anyway”

He shook his head “You still don’t get it It’s not about wanting This is a hunger, pet This is a need I’ll sate h”

“That’s your problem, not mine”