He froze, a cold veneer creeping over his features. “Exactly. You begged me to take you. Well, keep begging because I’m not ready to grant you my cock just yet.”
I tilted my head. “You’ll give in. I’ll win.”
He laughed loudly, the tension dispersing. He looked at me as if I were a feral puppy who he’d been temporarily wary of but now thought was ridiculous. “Back to winning. Always winning with you, Ms. Weaver.”
I nodded. “If there is no winner or loser, what else is there?”
Partnership.
The thought appeared from nowhere. Partnership. I tasted the word, wondering just how likely an alliance could be between this law-bound Hawk and me—his victim.
Could I not only seduce him but use him against his family? I’d thought it before, but it’d been frivolous, something I said to make myself feel powerful...but what if...
The idea was absurd...but...
Jethro moved, placing his palm squarely on my bandage-bound chest and pushing me backward onto the bed.
I hissed at the pressure of the mattress on my whipped flesh.
“Stop your silly games, Ms. Weaver. It’s time to rest.”
His eyes glinted. “You’ll need it for tomorrow.”
Chapter Sixteen
Jethro
DAMN HER.
Fuck her.
She was worse than my fucking father with her manipulation and guile.
I needed a session.
For the first time since I’d turned eighteen, I needed help. I wouldn’t be able to fix myself on my own. I hated to do it to her. It was the epitome of cruel.
But the only person who could help me remember why I couldn’t let go of the ice in my veins was my sister.
Jasmine.
I’m a Hawk. Remember that fucking fact and own it.
Stalking through the house, I tried to find my father. I didn’t want to do this. I hated that we used our own flesh and blood this way. But I had nochoice.
Not if I wanted to remain strong.
Not if I wanted to remain true.
A child was the product of his upbringing. They had certain obligations to live up to, expectations to obey, and scripts to follow. Elders knew better.
It was time to embrace my life path completely, rather than fight against it.
I was done fighting against it.
It was too fucking hard.
He’d told me it would only bring confusion and pain.
