Reyna refused to think about what Beckham had offered her. She cared for him so desperately, and his absence was horrific.
“I could probably provide you sexual satisfaction, too,” he said so casually she nearly choked.
Oh God.Disgust crawled through her stomach. Somehow, he had made it worse.
“Um…no.”
“Not me, of course. Sometimes I partake with women, but usually only because my lovers like it.”
Reyna wanted a black hole to open up underneath her and enclose her body. She never, ever wanted to have this conversation with Harrington. Not in this lifetime or the next.
“That’s a…generous offer,” she made herself say. She feared him enough to keep herself from unleashing on him again.
“But not enough to sway you?”
“I need more time.”
“I don’t like to be kept waiting,” he growled.
No. She wanted to scream it in his face. She wanted to rage. She wanted to fight until her last breath. It felt like a betrayal to even consider his offer. But could anyone fault her for wanting to survive? She didn’t think so. Her prison cell was cushy but painfully boring. She didn’t want it to get worse, and she didn’t want it to get better. She wanted to get out.
He must have read the indecision on her face. “It is either this or B. Those are your choices. I will have your decision.”
Reyna opened her mouth, and her throat closed up. She couldn’t do it. She had no answer.
“Now, Reyna,” he barked.
“No,” she gasped out.
He stared at her in shock. His expression said that he never in a million years thought she would utter that word. Not after what he had put her through. Not after what she had endured.
“You would prefer this to indulging in luxury?”
“No,” she repeated, her voice wavering. “I’d prefer my own freedom.”
“You should disillusion yourself of that notion,” he said, standing abruptly. “You will never leave here. You signed your own prison sentence. I was willing to work with you. To give you a wonderful life. Remember that you were the one who tossed it aside so easily. This offer will not come again.”
Reyna raised her chin defiantly. She’d made her decision. Consequences be damned.
Harrington backhanded her hard across the face, and she reeled in shock and pain. Her vision went blurry, ears ringing at the sheer force of the hit. “You are a very stupid girl…and Iwillbreak you.”
Reyna blinked away tears. She hated that she cowered away from him. Hated that same fear deep in the pit of her stomach from her encounter with B. She’d thought she was already broken. Yet, somehow, she had found the resolve to still deny him what he wanted.
Harrington stormed from the room, and she watched his retreating form with tears running down her face. His threat was a promise. She just hoped she survived it.
“That was incredibly stupid,” Meghan whispered.
“What do you know?” Reyna snapped. “I’d rather die than live that life.”
Meghan’s smile only grew. “Time to go back.”
“We haven’t done the venom.”
“The machine isn’t working. We’ll have to come at a later time.”
“Fucking great,” Reyna muttered under her breath as Meghan removed the IVs and cleaned her up. She was stuck with a chatty, incompetent nurse. And she’d thought Nancy was bad.
Meghan walked her back to her room and followed her inside.
