Page 50 of Tempt Me

The anger that was coming out of him was low and deep. I hated that someone’s vocal noises were making me shiver. Despite the warm blankets draped over my body, his chilling presence made a sickening cold seep through my bones.

“So you’re telling me my wife-to-be is notintact?”

How can I be intact when you constantly rape me asshole?

There was more silence, and it was so loud that it was almost painful. The doctor finally cleared her throat to speak.

Crash!

My whole body jolted. Pills fell to the ground, plastic containers bounced on the hospital floor, and bottles burst open from the impact.

A final bottle or lid swirled around like a top until it stopped, and then a thud that sounded an awful lot like a body hit the floor. My heart rate picked up, but I kept my eyes closed. I could hear a monitor beeping faster beside me, sending a silent prayer that it would shut up.

Prayer denied because I now felt his presence behind my closed eyes, but no other sounds from the doctor.

Had she left?

“Wake up, Pet,” he said, sliding his hand down my face to my jaw.

I swallowed and opened my eyes, knowing I couldn’t feign sleep with that stupid monitor wailing in my ear at my bedside. Blinking, I tried to get my bearings.

Ferdinand’s cold stare was blocking my vision, his face so close to mine I could smell a weird metallic scent mixed with his aftershave.

“Good morning, Fallon. You certainly had an interesting night while I was away, didn’t you?”

I swallowed again, the lump in my throat making it hard to speak.

“Hello, dear,” I said, trying to regain some formality.

“You certainly deserved this punishment, don’t you think?” He gestured to my body, covered in tight blankets with heating packs.

I was hooked up to a stupid IV, but I wanted to run.

“I saw someone in need of help, and I tried to help them,” I said stubbornly, sticking to the truth because, as weak as I felt, I had no desire to lie.

He smiled, and it looked even scarier than his glare. “Oh yes. A male in distress. Silly me for not thinking my wife to be would be the first to put herself in harm’s way.”

I started to speak up, but his hand came up before I could move away.

Smack!

A palm-sized sting heated my cheek, and a metallic tang seeped onto my tongue. Fuck, my lip was beginning to swell.

I glanced down at my hospital attire. There was blood dripping down and pooling into the fabric. Wanting to touch my lip but not daring to, I knew it was busted open.

“Look what you’ve done, Pet!” he shrieked, running to grab a tissue paper and shoving it on my wound. “You made me angry, and now you’ve gotten a mark.”

I didn’t speak, and my head felt dizzy from the backhand.

“What have I told you about protecting my assets? You belong to me. I won’t have you risking your pretty little neck for some louse that managed to put himself in peril.”

I continued to stare at the blood stain, the bright red sinking deeper and deeper into the material. I wished I could sink deep into the blankets…get away from this man and everything and everyone.

Just…be free.

A nagging feeling pulled at my consciousness.

Pharaoh.