Page 52 of Rurik
“Yes. He might be awerewolf.”
“Okay, and thenwhat?”
“Assholes. They came afterme.”
“Who?”
“Just some jerks. Human. I hit one…pretty good.” She giggled this time, remembered she’d walloped that one guy. But the memories were blurring together, and she struggled tofocus.
“So you got into a fight at theclub?”
Charlotte’s thoughts sloshed around inside her brain, making her dizzy. Flashes of Rurik roaring from behindher…
“Hesaved me. And he asked me todance.”
“RurikBarinov?”
She nodded. God, she wished she was back in that cage with Rurik. She wanted the whole world to vanish and just be withhim.
“Youdanced?” Damien asked, his tone implying he didn’t believeit.
She nodded. “It was amazing. I felt so good. For the first time I was enjoying myself. Not looking over my shoulder. Not worrying about you or your agents watching me. And he was wonderful…” It was humiliating to be talking to her brother about this, and it was even worse because he was forcing her to tell them things that were private. What gave him the right? Why hadn’t he just askedher?
“Then whathappened?”
“Damien, don’t make me tell you.” If he made her tell him, she would never forgive him.Never.
“Charlotte, what happenednext?”
She tried to fight, but the story came out. Every detail, every intimate moment—emotionally and physically—that had occurred between her andRurik.
Damien’s hands were curled into white-knuckled fists on his thighs. “He forced you to have sex withhim?”
“No! How dare you say that you—youasshole!” She shouted the word, even though her head ached. She spoke the one truth she hoped would stop this madness. “He’s my mate, Damien. He would never hurt me. Don’t you see? He’s mymate.” The truth weighed heavily upon her lips, but it was a relief to finally tell him. Her brother stared at her, his lips parted and eyeswide.
“Mate?”
“Yes. We aremated.”
“No. I won’t let this happen,” Damien argued, his tone cold enough that it made her stomach roil. “You’re still suffering some effects of being compromised by him. Whatever bond you think you have with him, it’s a lie. He’s probably used his powers to bend your will. You’re notmated.”
“It’s true. He is my mate. Matey, matey, you’re too latey.” She giggled, suddenly feeling completelysilly.
“We’ll find a way undo it. You won’t have to stay with him,” Damienvowed.
“But Iwantto stay with him. Don’t you understand?” Her voice turned into a screech as she jerked at her boundhands.
Damien looked away. “Dammit. He’s got his hooks in you good.” He stood and looked at Tamara. “Give her something to help hersleep.”
“Damien, you dumb son of a bitch, I will never forgive you for this! I will hate you for the rest of my life. You are not my brother!” Charlotte shouted, her voice breaking as Tamara injected her with another needle. Darkness crept in at the corners of her vision as her brother left theroom.
“Tamara. Please, save my mate…I love him.” The words came out in a whisper. And it was the deepest truth she’d ever spoken in her life. Tamara had always been nice to her the few times they’d met. She prayed the woman would take pity onher.
“I believe you,” Tamara whispered back. “Your brother’s not thinking straight. I’ll do what Ican.”
Then the darkness drownedher.
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