Recognition suddenly sparks. The man with Javier. The one who wanted to buy me. I see the resemblance now, straight nose, prominent cheekbones, and dark-brown eyes. They look much more like his father’s at the moment. Cold and calculating, capable of anything.
“Kayne didn’t kill your father!” I blurt out.
“Of course, you would say that. You’re protecting him.” He painfully shakes my head around with his firm hold.
I wince helplessly. “I’m not lying, I was there.” I grab his hand like that’s somehow going to loosen his grip. “Javier killed him. He shot him in the head right in front of us!”
“Liar!” he snaps. “Javier was my father’s most loyal disciple. He would never turn on him.”
“He did,” I scream as Michael pulls harder. My scalp feels like it’s going to rip right off my skull. “I remember his words right before he shot him. He said,” I pant loudly, “‘hostile takeover.’”
Michael breathes raggedly as he searches my eyes. I almost think he believes me. I pray silently that he believes me.
“You would say anything to protect him.”
I have no response for that because it’s the truth.
“He didn’t kill him. I swear,” I whisper desperately.
“Even if he didn’t kill him, which he did, the organization he works for took everything from me. It’s reason enough to destroy them both.”
“Michael, no,” I beg.
I can’t believe this is the same person I’ve spent the last three months with. The man who would buy me shaved ice as we walked along the beach, who would listen to me ramble about nonsense and make me laugh with stupid jokes. A man who was so warm and sweet and caring.
“I don’t understand. You cozied up to me all that time for what?”
“To get to Kayne, of course. I figured find you, find him. But it didn’t exactly work that way.” He lets go of my hair and climbs on top of me, forcing me back onto my elbows. “He was nowhere to be found. Not even a whisper in your life. I began to think that maybe you weren’t as important to him as I originally thought.” He’s directly on top of me now. “It was your pussy that kept me coming back. You gave it up so easily. You really are a whore.”
Tears well in my eyes. “I thought you were nice.”
“I think you were just looking for someone to buy time with until your Master came for you.” He presses his body flush against mine. An erection growing in his pants. My stomach turns. I try to wriggle away, but he wraps his hand around my throat and squeezes tightly. “I knew the minute I pulled up to your house that day it was him you were going to see. The minute I saw the car and the driver.” He unbuttons his jeans and slides down his fly as I frantically squirm beneath him, clawing at his forearm.
“I love it when you fight, Ellie. This might be the most exciting sex we’ve ever had.”
“Michael, no!” I strain, as he crushes my windpipe with one hand and rips my panties off with the other.
“Michael!” Tears flow like a river down my cheeks as I try to fight him.
“Did you miss saying my name?” He thrusts into me, and it feels like someone just sliced me open with a serrated knife.
“Stop!” My voice is barely audible as he chokes me, while at the same time violating me over and over again.
I cry harder with every passing second he wrecks me, the pain becoming unbearable, my legs spasming, my fingernails wet with blood from stabbing them into his skin.
“Michael!” I whimper one last time before my vision fades and my spirit breaks.
“Your pussy saves you every time.”
It’s the last thing I hear before I pass out.
I SWEAR I WAS DEAD.
I come around to Michael zipping his pants while I lay ruined on the floor. Every inch of my body is throbbing.
“I missed you, Ellie. Never thought I’d say that.”
I glare at him. “You’re a monster. Just like your father.”
