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“Fuck you, Dante! I don't want you, I'll never want you! You're no different than the monster you work for.” I wished my words could turn into razor blades and slice him as he sat there grinning like a fucking school boy.“Ah,”I moaned under my breath as I captured the swollen area of my face again.

How could he even think that I was turned on?

But I was. Damn him!

How could I control my body and make it realize that this was not an arousing situation?

I was breaking from the inside out. My body controlled itself, I had no say over what it did, no matter how much I screamed on the inside.

Sitting there with a smug grin on his face, he finally broke the silence encasing the room. “You should never say never, Sweetheart. The best thing to walk into your world could be the last thing you wanted.” Holding up his hand, he held a small plastic bag of ice. “Thought you might need this too. I saw how bad your mouth looked this morning, here . . .” Stretching out his arm, he nudged the ice at me. “Take it.”

My lips pouted on reflex, teeth grinding down into each other, making my jaw hurt even more. He didn't know me, he didn't know what I wanted.

But right now that didn't matter. He had me locked up, hidden away and blanketed from the world.Where do we go from here?

Play the game, Ivy.

Stay one step ahead.

Stay alive.

Snagging the bag, I gently placed it against my cheek. Walking my fingers over a small pile of clementine slices, I picked one up and let it sit in my grip. “What's going to happen to me?” I asked, popping the fruit into my mouth.

The sensation that single piece of fruit sent through my taste buds was electric. The juice dripped over my tongue, and it tasted so much sweeter than any other piece of fruit I had ever had.

I guess facing death could have its benefits. Everything seemed better no matter what it was. The sun seemed brighter today, the air cleaner, and knowing I'd made it through the night was giving me the chance to truly appreciate things I took for granted.

For the past few months I cursed the sunrise because I didn't want to see it. I would gag at the scent of food, and my lips would pucker with any liquid that made it into my mouth.

Because life before had been worth nothing.

But now I wanted what had been stolen from me.

Glancing at the ceiling, Dante rubbed his hands down his thighs. “Well, if everything goes as planned, we'll make the trade when I get the call, and you'll be helping my family.”

“How can I help your family? I'm not worth the money you think you'll get.”

Dabbing his finger in the air, a smile peeked across his face. “You're worth it, trust me you're worth it. And Remo will pay it. Besides, it's money he owes my father anyway. The bastard took more than he was giving back, now it's time for him to pay up.”

Glancing back down at the plate, I twirled my finger around the food. “That bastard likes to take more than his share, I already know that. But I can't go back to him.”

“Look, Ivy, I can make sure my guys don't do a fucking thing to you. But when the deal is done, I can only do what my father orders. That's how this shit works.”

Rolling my eyes, I kept my face on the plate. “You have no idea what I've been through. If you want to take out Remo, go ahead, you have my blessing. I won't go back there, this can be my way out.”

“What the fuck did that guy do to you?” Dante's brows crinkled as his head tilted towards his shoulder.

A frown curved over my lips, eyes snapping shut. “It doesn't matter, I won't go back.” Leaning my head into my hands, I scratched at my forehead. “If I go back to him he'll just take the last thing in the world I have that's mine.”

Scooting closer, Dante's thumb massaged gentle circles into my lower back. “What did he do, Ivy?”

Shaking my head no, I said, “You said it yourself, I need to go back. What do you care? It won't change anything. If you don't kill me, your father will. And if not, then Remo will.”

Before he could say anything else, his phone went off in his pocket. Tugging it out, he looked at the screen and stood so fast the bed bounced with his absence. Dante walked right to the door and disappeared behind it into the hall.

As he closed the door behind him, he started speaking to whoever was on the other end. “What?” Pausing for the response, his words became deadened behind the wood. “What does he want? Are you fucking with me?”

Slumping my shoulders forward, I bit the corner of my cheek. I didn't like being treated like just an object. It wasn't fair.