Steel Princess (Royal Elite 2)

I scream again, but like the first time, it’s muted by his hand like I’m a victim in a horror film.

I’m not a victim.

I won’t let Aiden reduce me to a victim.

Adrenaline shoots through my veins, tightening my muscles.

Pulling at the ropes only tightens them around my wrists. I release a muffled groan as I attempt bucking off the bed again.

“Stop,” he grunts. “Or I will make you.”

“Fuck you!” I yell but it comes out like a madwoman’s muffled screaming.

Still blocking my mouth, he wraps his other hand around my neck. His thumb latches on my pulse point as all his fingers squeeze.

My lungs burn, and I stop moving.

Oh. God.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t fucking breathe.

“You know...” His hot breaths tickle my cheek as he speaks in a dark, chilling tone. “If it were anyone else, I would’ve finished you. Is that what you want, Elsa? Hmm?”

I try to squirm free with the remaining energy I have left.

He tsks and squeezes harder, stopping all my movements. “What did I say about acting smarter? Are you choosing to be a pawn?”

“Uh… ungh…” Unintelligible sounds escape my throat as my energy fades away.

“I can still destroy you.” He licks the side of my cheek, leaving goosebumps in his wake. “So don’t fucking tempt me.”

The shadows cast an eerie cloak on his face. He’s like an unmovable stone. Nothing will stop him.

No one.

The fear I ignored all this time crashes into me. I’m like that wave hitting the rock and dying a slow, excruciating death.

How could I ignore this side of Aiden?

He’ll break me. If he chooses to, he’ll crush me and watch as I disintegrate into pieces.

I thought of him as a cliff before, and cliffs are unmovable.

Cliffs are where people go to die.

Tears fill my eyes as I stare at his shadowed face with no breath coming in and out of my lungs. I’m so lightheaded that I think I’ll faint, but I swallow my tears.

I promised myself that he won’t see me cry again.

Not now.

Not ever.

Aiden removes his hand from around my neck, easing the pressure. But he doesn’t release my mouth.

I suck in greedy breaths through my nose, and it comes in like wheezes as if I’m breathing from another place.