Page 64 of Dark Consequences

Xiao’s wrong.

Raphael’s face flashes across my mind. In such a short amount of time, he’s shown me not only how to live again but also how to own my pleasure.

Because it’s mine. Not anyone else’s.

And if Raphael were here, he’d tell me to fight back and not give up.

So I do.

I reach for Xiao’s hair and tug hard, taking the bastard by surprise. He hisses through clenched teeth, releasing me as his hand slips free from between my legs.

“You stupid bitch!” he hollers.

I kick at him, not caring where or what I hit, only that I hit something hard enough that he’s forced to let me go. I don’t even bother grabbing for my pants when I scramble away because modesty be damned when you’re fighting for your life.

A hand wraps around my hair and yanks me backward. Xiao effortlessly flips me onto my stomach and uses his weight to pin my legs down.

“No!” I scream, desperate for someone, anyone, to hear me. “Please. Don’t do this. I’m begging you.”

Xiao’s voice is heavy with sarcasm. “I do like it when you beg.”

A crazy idea comes to mind. If I can’t overpower him physically, maybe I can do so mentally.

“You’re right,” I start, drawing on every reserve I have left in me to put a poker face on and lie. “I’m sorry. I did sleep with Raphael, but it was terrible. He’s nothing like you, baby. Nothing. You are so much better. I missed you.”

Xiao eases his hold off my upper back, enough that I can twist my head around to look up at him. He’s peering at me suspiciously. Like he doesn’t believe me. I need to try harder.

“He could never make me orgasm the way you do.”

Xiao’s lips jerk up. “That’s right, baby. Only me.”

He then thrusts forward, and I send up a silent thank you to whatever higher power is listening that he’s still wearing his pants.

When Xiao rubs his bulge, his much tinier bulge, against me, it takes everything in me not to cringe. So, instead, to keep up appearances, I let out the most exaggerated moan, hoping he believes it.

As he does it again and again, I rack my brain for the right words to say that will stop this from going any further when there’s a knock on the door.

Xiao freezes and peers over his shoulder.

“What?”

“Sir, we’re ready to push off, and the captain would like to speak with you,” a timid voice answers.

“Tell him I’ll find him when I’m done here.”

The voice clears his throat before saying, “I’m sorry, sir, but he says it’s important. Something about international waters and permits.”

When Xiao growls out his frustration under his breath and then all at once, he sits back and climbs off the bed. I fight the urge to crawl away, to hide myself from his seedy eyes, but I have to continue to play my part so I force myself to stay still.

Xiao straightens his clothes before reaching out to grip my chin. I force a smile on my lips when I peer up at him. “We’ll finish this later. Welcome home, baby.”

When he kisses me, a wave of nausea slams into me, and bile creeps up my throat. But it’s only when he leaves me alone in the room that I double over and vomit with tears streaming down my face.

31

Raphael

Ihoped the Triad member had been lying about the kidnapping, but the silence in the penthouse when I return confirms he was telling the truth. Still, I rush into my home eagerly and shout out their names as if I expect them to be there.

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