Page 107 of Speak No Claim

We were at a standoff for a moment.

“Where are we?”

“Where I want you to be.”

“Stop fucking doing that!”

“Shhhh…” I ordered. “The woods echo.”

Slowly moving off her, I sat beside her instead, contemplating what I would say to her next.

Her long dark hair flowed all around her face and down the sides of her body. Her complexion was pale, and her pouty lips were dry from dehydration. She was still wearing the Academy uniform, and something about her submissiveness in that second made me want to claim every last inch of her.

In true Hennessy rebellion, she didn’t stop. “Why would you scare me?”

“Because you love it so much.”

“That’s not⁠—”

“No need to bullshit me.”

“Oh, that’s right! I forgot you know everything about me.”

“You think this is easy for me, Hennessy?”

“You were never going to show me your face, were you?”

“I was, on my time, not yours, but you made it completely fucking impossible for me not to reveal myself. What the hell⁠—”

“How about you think for a minute what I’m going through, you selfish son of a bitch?”

I growled as my hands fisted at my sides. “All I’ve done is think about you, and that’s why we’re in this bullshit to begin with.”

“Are you just going to sit there and be all you?” She gestured her hand toward me, working it up and down.

“You’re not going to ask any more questions⁠—”

“The hell I’m not!”

“If you interrupt me one more fucking time, Hennessy, I’ll gag you. Do you understand me? Nod your pretty little head if you do.”

I could see it in her eyes. She wanted to defy me. However, she reluctantly nodded instead.

“Good girl.”

Her jaw clenched.

“Trust me, Hennessy. I know this is really hard for you, but you have two choices here. You can either listen to every order I give you or…” I paused, letting my words sink in. “You can be silenced.”

She opened her mouth but quickly remembered my warning.

“Good girl.”

She scowled at me, mouthing, “Fuck you.”

I sighed, unwillingly giving in to her. “Ask.”

She didn’t hesitate. “Now I’m just expected to trust you?”