Page 93 of Coercion

“Is that so, Ruby? You think you just slink off here, fuck Preston Civello and make a nice little life for yourself?” He snarls.

I whimper, digging my nails into his hands but he won’t let go. He won’t let up.

He pushes me back onto the wood, wrenching my dress up as I kick out, as I fight. “Stupid little whore.” He says. “Did you forget who you belong to? Who really owns you…”

“I’m married to Preston.” I gasp. “I belong to him now.”

He laughs, undoing his zipper, getting his cock out as I try so hard to escape his grasp. “You belong to me, bitch, you always have.”

He rams himself into me. He’s not nearly the size that Preston is but the force of it and the brutality makes this so horrifically painful.

“I’m not yours.” I cry. “I’m not.”

He grabs my face, slamming it back into the wood. “I will break you if I have to. I will break every bone in your body, just like last time.”

The air can’t get in, my heart is racing too fast, my body is screaming in protest at what Gunnar is doing to me. My tears are streaming down my face but there’s nothing I can do, just like always I’m helpless.

Pathetic.

“You belong to me, Ruby. You can’t escape me.”

I shut my eyes, hating that it’s true, that even now, even here, in Preston’s home, he’s walked right in and can do whatever he wants.

I was a fool to believe I was safe, a fool to think this wouldn’t happen.

His body presses into mine, his stench covers me. He groans as he comes and he wipes himself on my arse then steps back, assessing his handiwork.

“In two days’ time you’re going to meet with Eleri Morelli.” He instructs. “You’re going to take her out. There’s a fancy new restaurant on Broad Street. You’ll have lunch at noon and we’ll be waiting.”

My stomach knots. I can hear what he’s not saying, that they’re going for her, whether they’re going to simply kill her or kidnap her, either way they’re making moves and I’m the one who’s going to set it all up.

He grabs my face, slamming it back into the table. “Did you hear me, Ruby?” He growls. “Did you hear what I said?”

I nod. “I heard you.” I whisper.

“And if you don’t do it, if you think you can ignore me again, I’ll savage your body so badly you’ll never recover. I’ll toss you to my men and they can do what they want with you.”

I gulp, hearing that same threat he’s used before, the one he knows will work because I can barely take what he forces on me, how would I ever survive all his men as well?

I crumple to the floor, my body physically unable to take anymore.

He kicks me with his boot, sneering at how pathetic I am.

“Useless slut.” He spits. “I’ve a good mind to put a bullet into your head and you can join the rest of your useless, rotting family.”

I don’t respond. I don’t have anything left to fight this. He does his trousers back up, strides out and he leaves me there, on the floor.

Only, I can’t stay here, I can’t let Preston know what’s happened. As quick as I can I cover myself up, wipe my face, putting down that mask I’ve created so carefully and I slip out of the room, up the stairs and force myself to wash, to clean, to make myself presentable for when my husband returns.

He can’t know about this.

He can’t realise what I really am.

I have to pretend better than I ever have before. I have to smile and lie better than ever.

Because my husband will kill me if he realises what this is, what I’m up to.

I know it in my heart.