Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
The same urge to be honest with her scratched at my soul.
I couldn’t seem to look away from her.
I wanted her.
I’d wanted her the moment I noticed her.
I couldn’t tell her the real reason why I needed her to come with me but a very vulnerable part wondered if she felt it too. Did she feel the raw connection? The stinging awareness? The unbearable lust that only grew stronger the longer we were together?
Or is it all in my godforsaken head?
Sighing heavily, I gave up trying to explain anything and just muttered, “Five hundred thousand.”
“Five hundred…?” Her eyes rounded. “What on earth for?”
Your life.
Your soul.
“You’re right. That’s not enough. A million. I’ll give you a million euros.”
“A million…” She laughed under her breath. “Yeah sure, alright. A million. As if.” Her laughter faded away. “Wait. Do you…do you have a million euros?”
Finally, a crack. A sliver of submission.
It did things to me I could never outrun.
It didn’t matter that I didn’t have that sort of money.
My half-brother did.
The bank account he’d opened in my name in order to fake my way into this lifestyle did.
On paper, I was rich.
And he’d fucking gut me if he knew I bribed and coerced this girl with money he used to free slaves, not enslave them. But…he’d thrown me to the wolves. He’d willingly tossed me into hell and had to have known I wouldn’t have the strength to climb back out.
“I have the money.” I cupped her chin and ran my thumb over her bottom lip, wishing like hell I could let her go. “I’ll give you a million euros.”
She blinked as if shocked at my sudden tenderness. “W-What would I have to do?”
This was the part where I told her the truth.
That she’d have to become a sacrifice. A non-negotiable offering to the devil.
Instead, I just focused on right now. One horrible step at a time. “Just…stop arguing with me and we’ll see where the night takes us.”
The bouncer appeared beside Ily, his face aggressive and eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. Tapping her arm, he barked in a heavy French accent, “Everything okay?”
Every muscle in my body shut down.
My heart didn’t dare beat.
Ily blinked again, searching my stare for any trace of falsehoods.
I gritted my teeth and tried to hide the truth.
I was buying her for a trafficker.
I was stealing her future.
I was all that stood between her surviving and dying.
Merde, what the fuck am I doing?
My entire body wracked with trembles. I almost retched with horror. Wrenching my hands off her, I backed away. “You know what? This was a mistake. A terrible fucking mistake. Go,” I grunted. “Get out of here. Now.”
Before it’s too late.
Ily narrowed her eyes, questions and utter confusion battling over her face. “But—”
“Leave,” I snarled.
Before I kill you.
I ran a hand over my mouth, my mind racing at the implications. Victor would be pissed, but I would likely live another day.
She would be free. And I wouldn’t be permitted to join The Jewelry Box.
I’d fail on my brother’s task and have nowhere else to go. I’d have to keep living my miserable existence fighting to stay human and kiss goodbye to ever belonging to someone.
But at least I will have protected her.
“Go, Ily. I changed my mind.” I backed away, ready to vanish into the crowd.
“Miss?” The bouncer sniffed, crossing his arms. “Is this guy bothering you?”
Her sunshine eyes skated to him; I instantly felt the loss of her attention. In that split second of her looking away, I felt adrift. Afloat. Lost.
How?
How had she anchored me so quickly?
What the hell was it about this girl that made my rancid heart howl for her to look at me again?
Her eyes flicked to mine as if summoned by my silent command.
The crackle of chemistry between us shot like an arrow into my chest.
Merde.
I’m fucked.
I’m—
“I…” She frowned and shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know if he’s bothering you?” The bouncer scowled. “But you screamed.”
“I did.” She nodded, frowning at me. “But…he let me go.”
How the fuck did I have the strength to do that?
I wanted to snatch her into my arms again. Tie her to me. Chain her so she could never take up my offer to run.
Gritting my teeth, fighting that fucking beast inside me, I took another step away. “We had a misunderstanding. She’s leaving. I made a mistake.” I swallowed hard, fighting, breaking, wanting. “Go, Ily. I won’t tell you again. Get away from me.”
The bouncer looked between us and rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” Pointing at me, he snapped, “She stays. You go.”
I clenched my teeth.
If she stayed in this club, she wasn’t safe. Victor could steal her.
She needs to get far, far away.
“She can’t stay.” I glowered. “She needs to—”
“A million?” Erasing the distance between us, she whispered, “A million to see where the night takes us?”