Page 29 of Vienna Bliss

And with that the fight went out of her, her rage thawing. “Oh, Alexander… Suga’, you didn’t hurt me in any way I didn’t enjoy.”

“You did not ‘enjoy’ everything I did to you.”

“Just because I didn’t orgasm doesn’t mean some part of me didn’t, if not enjoy, let’s say find the experiences interesting.”

“Interesting doesn’t make it acceptable.”

Alena released his tie and took his face in her hands. “You still think I’m in subspace? That I’m not capable of rational thought?”

“What I did to you…kidnapped you. Beat you…”

“When I fantasized about making you grovel and apologize, it was much sexier than this.”

“You make jokes, but…” He took her wrists and eased her hands away from his face. “Sometimes the pain… Pain and damage. Emotional damage.” He took a breath, paused, then released it. “Some damage is permanent.”

“And you think what you did to me is permanent?” She leaned far over the edge of the table, bracing her hands on the thin arms of his chair. Her cheek brushed his as she whispered in his ear. “Suga’, you’re good…but you’re not that good.”

She felt his breath, and for a moment his lips skimmed the side of her face, down to her jawline. Then he jerked back.

This was maddening.

Alena sat back, considering him. “You really believe that, don’t you? That I’m broken now.”

“No, you’re lovely,” he said formally. “But in my presence I believe you’re not, not…yourself.”

“And what about you?” She wiggled her foot just enough that he grabbed her calf, this time with both hands. “I broke you, too. Don’t you remember saying that?”

“That was before I knew why you were there.”

“Ah, and that changes everything, does it? Because it was okay for you to abuse me if I was a corporate spy, government spy, or one of the any other things you accused me of being?”

“Of…of course not.”

“Don’t lie, suga’.”

“Alena, enough.”

“No, Alexander, clearly it’s not enough, because you’re treating me like I can’t think for myself. Like I’m…like I’m nothing.”

Shit. She hadn’t meant to say that. Emotions welled, choking her. No. She was not going to cry in front of him. That would only confirm his idea that she was somehow mentally compromised.

Alena lifted her foot from his lap, yanking free of his hold as she did. She swiveled on the glossy tabletop, knocking over her glass of port.

She ignored it and hopped off the table. No matter how hard she was fighting it, she was going to cry.

Not just tears of sadness, no, tears of anger too. It was rare that her anger expressed itself that way, and this was one of the worst possible times for her rage to manifest as tears.

Alena raced for the door…

…forgetting that she had heels on.

She felt a slight click and then her knee gave out.

Chapter 7

Alena threw out her arms, landing on her hands and knees on the hardwood floor. Lightning bolts of pain radiated up from her bad knee, and she couldn’t stop her sharp cry, or the soft sob that followed.

“Alena.” Alexander’s footsteps pounded and then he was on his knees beside her, hands hovering but not touching.