Page 34 of The General’s Captive (The Rift #1)

He moved quicker than my eyes could track, and he grabbed my wrist, using my own momentum against me as I was spun away from him. Then he swiped his leg out and dropped me to the floor, his hold on me making sure I landed without injuring myself.

However, before I could scramble to my feet, he was on top of me.

Quick to pin my hands above my head with one of his knees to the side of my hip as he held himself above me.

Which meant despite the counterattack, he was still careful enough to keep his weight off me.

His eyes glowed white in the darkness as his anger surfaced.

“Foolish little human,” he taunted.

“Bastard.”

“Oh, but you have no idea, Little Bird, but you soon will. Now have you finished your tantrum?”

I sneered at him, hating how weak he made me feel.

“Let go of me!” I snapped.

“You have courage, I will give you that, for there is not many that would dare attack me unless they wished for death to follow,” he warned.

“Yeah, well shame then that you need me,” I mocked in return, making him snarl as if he hated the reminder.

“Careful, for you forget yourself … or should I say, what I hold within my grasp to break if I so wish it,” he threatened, talking about Riley, making me suck back a quick breath. It also prevented the next lot of insults I wanted to hurl his way from spilling out.

“That’s what I thought, not so quick with your temper when being reminded of what you want from me,” he said in triumph, making me grit my teeth as I forced out,

“Get off me.”

But this was when he lowered closer and ran his nose up my cheek before whispering, “Say please and I will think about it.”

I closed my eyes at this and in a strained voice, one full of loathing, I gave him what he wanted.

“Please.”

After this he whispered against my cheek, his lips against my skin.

“Good girl,” he praised, igniting a shiver from me, one I knew he felt for himself because I felt his arrogant grin against my cheek.

He then transferred both my wrists into one large hand before pushing off the ground.

The action raised me up until I was back to standing, after which he let me go and I went staggering back, putting more space between us.

“I want your word you won’t hurt him,” I said after a moment had passed for me to get my pounding heart to calm.

He huffed. “Then I suggest not keeping me waiting too long… I might get restless,” he warned, making me glare at him, wishing looks had the power to kill after all.

“I need time to get to where you are,” I pointed out.

“But of course, I am not a tyrant,” he commented, making me snort a scoff, as if I didn’t believe it for a second. He raised a single brow as if daring me to say more. Which I wisely didn’t.

“So, am I to know where I am headed?” I asked because I was more than ready for this dream to end. To which he held out an arm and like before the scenery changed now showing me an old stone building that was close enough for me to read,

“Idaho State Penitentiary?”

“Do you know of it?” he asked, making me scoff,

“Well, as someone who has never spent any time in prison no, I can’t say that I do,” I replied sarcastically.

“Says the one who just spent the last two and half years at Jerome County jail,” he countered.

“You know what I mean… hey, how did you know how long… oh, of course, my journal,” I said, making him smirk.

“It has been quite insightful, I must say,” he taunted, and I swear I would need fillings in my teeth before long.

My jaw was even starting to ache with how much this guy made me grit my teeth when around him.

“And I want my journal back,” I added, making him raise a single dark brow.

“Is that so…? I must say, your list of demands is growing.”

“Is that a yes?” I pushed.

“No, it is not,” he stated.

I was ready to argue when he held up a hand to stop me.

“I think you will find I have been more than generous with you. So, I advise not pushing it, Little Bird,” he said, reminding me of what he had called me earlier.

Another new nickname… making me wonder if he was collecting them or something.

And always with the fucking little! It wasn’t my fault he was a fucking giant!

“Now do we have a deal?” he asked, holding out his hand for me to shake, and I swear it could have been a snake given the cautious way I looked at it.

“I don’t bite Alexandra…” he assured, making me put my hand in his.

As soon as his long fingers enveloped mine, he tugged me toward him, the strong yank causing my body to stumble, forcing me to put a hand to his chest to stop me from faceplanting against him.

I looked up at him slowly, my eyes wide and unsure because this was not where I wanted to be.

But then his face lowered to mine so he could finish his sentence.

“…Unless provoked. So, I suggest not trying my patience and doing anything foolish, for your clever little tricks will not work with me… understood?” he asked, making me nod because I was too afraid to do anything but agree.

“Good girl, now you have somewhere to be, and I have a prisoner to make comfortable… something that can change, remember that” he threatened.

“I won’t,” I forced out, hating how I was compelled to submit to him.

“No, I suspect you won’t,” he agreed, raising his hand to run the backs of his fingers down my cheek, before he started to disappear, the last of his words spoken directly in my ear. As if whispered from behind me before the dream ended.

And with it, my time was up as he said…

“See you soon, Alexandra.”