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“Because it hurts like hell but doesn’t leave many marks,” Tyler said.

“And you don’t want me marked when you hand me over to be fucked by one of your stupid guests?”

“You?” Tyler laughed. “Oh, I’m not going to beat you , Alex. You’re too thin and wasted, and I spent too much money to risk harming a hair on your pretty little head. No, I’m going to beat her .”

He turned as he said that and lashed out at Solange. The strap cracked down hard on her shoulder, and she screamed.

Alex reeled back, taken by surprise. Collecting himself, he said as nonchalantly as he could, “Why should I care about her? She spied on me for five years. She betrayed me. I don’t care if you hurt her.”

“Good – so you won’t mind watching.”

Drummond picked Solange up and held her against the mirrored wall, while Tyler whipped the strap over her shoulders repeatedly. She was only wearing a thin workout vest, and she screamed again and again as each stroke hit home.

It was so raw and brutal that Alex didn’t know what to do.

He didn’t love Solange – he wasn’t even sure he liked her – but he didn’t know how to stand by and watch a woman take a savage beating in front of him.

He tried to harden himself, to find the core of darkness in his soul that everyone was so sure he possessed…

but it simply wasn’t there. Watching two big people hold down and whip someone much smaller brought back vivid memories of his schooldays.

His only weapon against the bullies who’d tormented him then had been his sharp tongue.

But although it might have brought him some satisfaction, it usually only made the beatings worse.

If he was lucky, his brother intervened, but there was nobody to protect Solange – except him.

He saw Scarface take a step forward, and then pause, a surprised look on his face as if he hadn’t even realised he was moving. He caught Alex’s eye with an expression of mute appeal.

“Stop!” Alex cried out shakily.

Tyler paused, his arm still outstretched. “Are you going to eat whatever is put in front of you?” he demanded.

“Yes.”

“Are you going to do every single exercise Mason gives you?”

“Yes.” He bowed his head.

“Good.” Tyler handed the strap back to his major-domo and walked over. “And are you going to fuck any person I tell you to fuck?”

“Yes,” he mumbled.

“Again, so I can hear it,” Tyler ordered. “Are you going to be the good little whore we all know you are?”

Alex looked at Solange, still pinned to the mirrored wall by Drummond, her body shaking with quiet sobs.

“Yes,” he said in a louder voice, his throat dry .

“No – say it properly,” Tyler ordered mercilessly, waving his arm around the room. “I want them all to hear you say what a whore you are.”

“Yes, I’ll be a good little whore,” he shouted, his heart beating crazily in his chest. “And I’ll fuck anyone you want me to fuck.”

“Good boy.” Tyler grabbed his head and kissed it.

Alex froze.

Tyler laughed and released him. “Oh, don’t worry – I’m not going to fuck you.

Not yet, anyway.” He winked, and Alex felt a flash of revulsion.

Tyler patted his cheek, still laughing. “Aw, and to think you used to find me so sexy. One day, you’ll beg me for the pleasure and mean it – and on that day, my victory will be complete.

” With that, he turned on his heel and left.

Drummond dropped Solange and followed him, and she sank to the floor.

Alex ran towards her, but someone else got there first. Carefully picking her up, Scarface carried her to her room.

Alex trailed along behind them and then stood back, helplessly watching as Scarface placed her on the bed and examined her shoulders.

They were red and looked sore, but the strap had done its work with as few traces as Tyler had promised.

Despite that, Alex knew she’d be in pain for days.

“I’m sorry,” he said, lying down on the bed beside her.

“Don’t feel sorry for me,” she said, shivering in shock. “I deserved it for what I did to you. I deserved it and more. You should have let him keep on beating me.”

“I couldn’t.” He stroked her hair away from her forehead. “It turns out I’m not such a bad boy after all.”

“I don’t think you ever were, really,” she said softly.

“I’ll go and get you some painkillers,” Scarface said, leaving the room.

“You do know he’s hopelessly in love with you, right?” Alex said.

Solange gave a feeble smile. “Yeah, I know. Poor guy. He was first assigned here about three months ago, and he’s been my unwanted puppy dog ever since.”

“Hey, don’t write him off – you two have a lot in common.”

“Like what? ”

Alex gave a little grin. “Well, you both have a tendency to fall for the wrong people.”

She managed a shaky little laugh. “So, are you really going to do it? When the time comes, are you going to willingly sleep with Tyler’s guests?”

He gave a dismissive shrug. “Oh, I’ve always sold myself; Tyler was right about that. But now, I’ll be doing it to keep you safe, instead of to score some drugs or to keep Neil happy. I just have to keep remembering that.”

“I hope you can, Alex.” She reached out and curled her fingers around his hand. “For your sake more than for mine, I really hope you can.”