Page 37 of Bride By Initiation

"Sean—"

He grabs my hand and pins it behind my back, then lunges forward.

I fall back on the couch and stare into his blazing greens.

He positions his face an inch from mine. His hot breath laces with mine, teasing me. His legs straddle my waist.

He yanks my hair with his other hand.

My breath catches. I can't breathe, and adrenaline burns through my body.

He growls, "Don't be a brat, Zara. I need you to tell me everything."

I stay silent, unable to move, except for the butterflies in my gut waking back up and tormenting me.

"What's it going to take to get you to talk, Zara, huh?" he murmurs in my ear, his lips grazing my lobe, sending a shock wave down my spine.

I shudder beneath him, my chest rising and falling faster.

"Tell me everything, and I'll give you whatever you want," he adds.

I've never felt so tempted in my life. The ache in my body grows to the point I feel dizzy. His scent somehow intensifies, flaring into my soul.

I open my mouth, but John's voice comes at me from nowhere."There is no speaking of The Underworld outside of us. You won't ever get access if you tell anyone about our conversations now or in the future. The truth you seek will stay hidden. The riches set aside for you will stay buried. And all the power and control you don't know you want will become someone else's."

Sean's tongue teases my lobe and then he seductively asserts, "Don't be a little brat. I'll do multiple things if you want. Whatever you want. Just talk to me."

"I can't," I manage to get out.

Sean tenses, putting his face over mine again, scowling with a rage I've only seen on him in the ring.

It scares me, and I take my free hand and push against his chest. "Get off me."

He hesitates for a moment, then releases me, rolling to a seated position.

I rise and walk to the kitchen, needing some distance. I fill a wine glass with Merlot and take a long sip.

Then I open the fridge and take out a beer. I open it, then take it to him, suggesting, "Have a drink and relax for a minute."

He glances at the bottle, then me, and stands. In a betrayed voice, he declares, "I thought we were friends."

"We are friends. Always have been, always will be."

He shakes his head. "No. If you can't tell me what I need to know, then we aren't friends, Zara."

My insides tremble. "Don't say something so horrible."

He cries out, "Then don't keep things from me! Things I need to know, not just for me but for you!"

I rarely hear Sean raise his voice, and I'm momentarily taken aback. I find my voice and ask, "What does that even mean?"

He steps forward, and I take several steps back until I'm against the wall. He pushes his body against mine and leers down at me, but worry laces his expression. His voice turns low, and he questions, "What do you think they want with you, Zara? Hmm?"

I open my mouth, but no words come out. It's something I've never asked myself. I suddenly feel foolish for not considering it.

"Ah. You can only think about whatever it is that they promised you," he states.

I shake my head. "No. I-I..." I release an anxious breath.

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