Page 20 of Endgame

I’m past mocking Daddy’s little princess.

I’m threatening her.

“What do you mean?”

“Hmm.” I cock my head. “Let’s see. What do you thinkthey can’t help youmeans?”

“I… Look, you might be powerful, but so are they,” she whispers, as if talking about these fuckers will summon them. If only. “They’ll appeal whatever sentence you give me. Either that, or they’ll ruin you before they let you marry me. They didn’t choose you.”

“There’s no such thing as equal footing, even among the powerful.” My robe is killing me. It’s heavy. Hot. I push off the desk, taking it off. “You should know that.”

“So let me get this straight—you’re more powerful than them?”

Light filters through the window behind me, softening her face and making her eyes shimmer with excitement.

With hunger.

For what?

She isn’t hungry, asshole. Can’t you see she’s manipulating you?

She is. I can’t fall for her mind games.

“I’m getting bored, Aurora. Really fucking bored.” I place my robe neatly on the desk behind me and rest my hands on the edge. “You have ten seconds to choose, or I’m throwing your ass in prison.”

“I…”

The outline of my hard cock grabs her attention for a moment, before she forces her eyes back to my face. Before she rearranges herself.

Her contemptuous expression reminds me of who raised her. The heartless motherfuckers I’m going to destroy.

“I’ll marry you.”

Aurora’s answer shouldn’t stir any warm emotion in me.

And it doesn’t. Absolutely not.

So when I say, “Good girl,” I don’t praise her. I’m saying it to fuck with her head.

I see slight relief wash over her, and I smirk.

Who’s delusional now?

“Let’s go.” I push off the desk and stalk over to her. My hand becomes a manacle around her wrist. Too easily, I haul her toward my closet.

“What—where are you taking me? The door is that way.” She tries to free herself while I tug her further into my chambers. “Are we doing this now? The ceremony? I—no. Everett, stop.”

“My workday isn’t over.” I don’t look at her while I yank my closet door open. Clean robes, ties, and pressed suits hang on the rack. “I have about three more hours until I’m done.”

“Let me go.” Aurora punches my shoulder. “Everett, why won’t you let me go?”

Because I like having my fingers curled around your wrist.

Fuck that. “I can’t have you running off, can I?”

“Please.” The desperation in her tone has precum leaking from the tip of my cock. “Don’t.”

Viciously, I turn her around. Grabbing one of my black spare ties off the rack, I bind Aurora’s wrists at her back.