A Promise of Torment (A Violent Agenda)

“How’s my little bitch this morning?”

I get to my feet. I will myself not to react. Fighting him now, with a broken wrist, when I don’t know the layout of the house or where the device is that controls my tracker, is futile. Still, the rage inside me unfurls like an animal. All claws and fucking fire. I snarl at him, letting him see the beast.

He smirks and comes over, grabbing my hair, yanking it back and forcing me to look into his eyes. He looks me up and down, assessing my body. There’s no heat in his gaze. It’s like he’s assessing a horse for purchase.

“Adrien won’t give you his empire,” I say. “He’s using you to break me.”

“Oh, but he already has,” he says. “We signed last night.” He pulls my head to the side until the breath of his mouth is hot on my ear. “As long as I breed you and give him a grandson, he’ll give me the whole goddamn thing.”

Red hot rage screams through me. With my free hand I grab and twist part of him that would render any man in extreme pain. Kristian sucks the air between his teeth, eyes rolling back in his head, and then he groans.

“Fuck, baby. That’s what I’ve been waiting for.” When I glare at him, he chuckles. “Did my brother not tell you how much I like pain? We both do. That’s why we have so many scars.”

The sobbing next door suddenly starts up again, louder this time. And then I hear Lily scream.

I stiffen at the noise.

“My boys won’t hurt them if you do what the fuck I say. You’re here to be my broodmare, nothing else.”

He lets go of my hair and seizes me by my broken wrist. I don’t cry out, but my eyes water. The pain is excruciating as he shoves me into the wall and presses my head against it.

I can hear Lily screaming on the other side of it.

“Listen,” he says. “Listen fucking hard. Because if I want you to sit on my lap, you’ll do it. If I want you to suck me off while I enjoy a glass of Chianti, you will. If I want to fuck you in front of my goddamn friends, you’ll bloody well let me.”

“I will eviscerate you,” I snarl.

He licks the side of my cheek, then he grabs my face and twists my head toward him. “Fight me if you can, love. I do love a good fight.”

He has my broken wrist in one hand and my head pressed against the wall with the other. He’s bigger in every fucking way. But I’m not like the women he’s used to. I use every muscle in my body to smash my forehead into his already broken nose. He grunts and throws me against the bed frame. I slam against it, the impact forcing the air from my lungs. Pain slices through my arm as I land on it awkwardly, but then I’m scrabbling to turn around.

He’s on top of me before I can blink. He hauls me onto the bed by my hair and then shoves my face into the pillow. I kick and bite but it’s no use. I can’t fucking breathe. Rage burns every part of me awake as I struggle to find an opening. He can’t kill me. He needs me. As my lungs scream for air and adrenaline sends my body into panic mode, I float away until I’m no longer part of what’s happening.

There’s pressure on my back and a hand locks around my good arm, bending it behind me. It frees my head so I can lift it slightly. I turn it sideways and drag in a breath.

He crouches over until his lips are so close that they graze my ear as he speaks. “Threatening young girls doesn’t seem to be enough for you. Maybe I’ll kill one of your pretty boys? Which one shall I pick? I know, how about Jude? I’ve always hated that little cocksucker.”

“You fucking dare,” I hiss, struggling to get free so I can rip him apart.

“I can and I will. I give the word and Griffin will order his execution. Griffin will do anything to get back his sweet, tender Pascal.”

“Jude can take care of himself,” I say.

“What about my brother? There are things I could do to him that will make him wish he’d never been born. And the best part? He’ll only blame himself.”

I stop moving. I stop trying to fight.

The darkness wants to take over.

I claw it back, inch by inch.

I can’t lose them all.

I just can’t.

“Good girl,” he says and pats me on the cheek.

Kristian releases me and gets off the bed. I take a few breaths before turning onto my back. My vision is filled with dark spots as I blink against the light. My wrist is in fucking agony but all I do is hold it against my chest and give Kristian a dark look.