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“Why are you so intent on escaping, little treasure? Haven’t I been good to you?” Kaspar’s voice crooned, lilting and attractive I wanted to punch him in the trachea

“You’re a monster”

“So I’m told”

“You did this to mess with me”

“Yes, I did And to show my men that loyalty is rewarded” He looked back at Cards, s broadly “How are those debts, Michaels?”

“Gone, thanks to you, boss”

Kaspar leaned closer to ood excuse to punish you”

I gasped in surprise and pain as he pulled me toward the house My cheeks blazed red with shauards leered at h the quiet kitchen, and up the staircase to my room, and Kaspar shut the door

Alone again Away froazes

“You’re sick,” I said, turning on hi like this”

“Stop talking” He approached, a hungry lion

I backed up into the bed “Stay away”

He dropped to his knees I blinked at hiers caressed s apart and pulledarainst my chest

I stared down at him, not sure what to do

“You reood it felt to finally open yourself to me” He looked up, met my eyes “Do you think I want to hurt you?”

“I think you get off on it”

“Only because you enjoy it”

“Not this I didn’t enjoy this”

He sighed and nodded “I know you didn’t This was foris, they like you, and I’m afraid they’ll let you leave This was to show the like that is futile I can be benevolent as well as deadly”