Page 102 of Risks of Temptation

"You don't know that."

"I won't break."

"I have to break you. That's what you don't understand," I bark. I've seen it too many times in the room. The fact I've gotten away without a proper "initiation" all these years is astounding.

Hot red anger flares in her cheeks. "I do. Bernadette told me everything. She will train me. Gustave will train you. You will break me. And when it's over, you will put me back together again."

"What if I can't?" I blurt out one of my biggest fears.

"You will."

My stomach twists. "You can't be sure."

She puts my palm on her heart and her other hand on mine. "You already did. You will do it again."

"Ma belle, this is different."

Her heart beats faster against my palm. "No. It's not. Whatever you need to do to me, do without question. I will submit fully to you. Do not let any other man touch me, and I will be fine. Let them watch us, but they will not touch us."

I lace my hand through her hair and pull her head firmly toward me. "Once you are in their world, I can't get you out. Everywhere I go, you will accompany me as my property. At times, it will appear you are a free woman, at my side, like any normal couple would be. At others, you will have to submit, like my slave, and do whatever I say, no matter who is there or where we are."

Her lip trembles, but more determination fills her eyes. "After two weeks is up and we pass the test, will I return to you? Will I be in your bed when I rest my head?"

"Yes."

"Every night?"

"Yes."

"There will be no other excuses about why I can't be with you?"

"No, but I'm not trying to make any excuse not to be with you. This is dangerous."

"No more dangerous than the President buying me."

My breathing becomes shallow with rage. "Bernadette told you?"

"Yes. And you will not hide anything from me from now on. If I'm your property, you shall give me full disclosure about everything."

I cup her cheeks tightly. "I don't want you to be my property."

"I want to be yours."

"You are mine. I am yours."

"Then I choose to be your property. You will allow Gustave to train you. Whatever he and Bernadette need us to do, we will do. When we are in the room, you will protect me from the other men. No one will touch me, except you. We will play our roles and do what needs to be done."

"Ma belle—"

"Be the man I need you to be right now. There is no other option for me. I want to be with you. Whatever it looks like is better than before I had you. And no other man can get to me. If you don't do this, they will..." She looks away, and tears drip down her cheeks.

I pull her into me.

"I don't want to go to the whorehouse or be bought by the President or anyone else. You can't let them do that to me." Her face crumples, slashing my heart.

"Shhh. I won't. I promise."

She shakes in my arms.