Married To His Cruelty, Not His Love

na

s. He carried me through it all, a strange, possessive anger radiating from him. I felt his muscles tense, his ja

leather interior felt cold agains

ped at the driver. "Ge

. "No one will see those photo

wisted something inside me. He wasn't protecting m

use. Not the hospital. He wan

ked at the doorman. "And

bedroom. Gentle. The same man who had stood b

r now. "I've handled it. That ba

that meant. His immense power, used to c

d in protest. I drifted in and out of sleep, haunted by images of my

ed rang. I forced my e

call button. I didn't want to hear

a moment later. A tex

doesn't change anything. Your mother. She's still alone in t

y mother. She was t

rated fury coursed through my veins

fractured ribs. My broken arm hung uselessly at my

The streets below blurred. I hailed a cab, bar

esh waves of pain through my body. But the fear for my m

as just beginning to set. I found the cl

dn't subside. Kiarra. She had dared to th

of Kiarra' s favorite bars in town. A dimly lit, ups

eyes scanned the shelves. A bottle o

ds shaking. Then I wa

door. My eyes immediately found Kiarra. She was at a corner table, s

altered. Then, a slow, malicio

over the music. "Look what the cat dragged

he bottle felt heavy

y voice barely a whisper, but laced w

ng, did I? I'm sure it was

escended ove

am, I brought the

' s head. A sickening th

back. She slumped forward. Blood bl

ed. A stunned silence fell over th

someone

arm. My broken arm. My

ana?!" Clayton' s voice roared i

of pain, sharper, more excruciating than anything before, sh

My face drained of

d in a mask of rage. "You could have killed her! This

. My mother. My

the word a ragged sob.

Her face, pale and streaked with blood, twisted into a mask of pure hatred. But then, a

ghly into a chair. My

"Don't move. I'll get you a doctor. But f

at me, a mixture of fear and disgust on their faces. They were Kiar

amatically, whimpered. "My h

. "Look what you did, you psycho. Kiarra was just tr

lay a game. A 'King's Game.' And the loser gets a punishment. Or... they can pay their way out." She smiled,

d through the crowd

one sneered. "Trying to claw her wa

way out, flashing designer watches and

y turn.

aming. "No money to pay your way out,

ter. My fa

stick. She leaned over me, her eye

voice sweet as poison. She drew a garish, clown

ana will stand outside the bar for five minutes.

ut Clayton's hand, heavy and unyie

a," he murmured, his vo

h red lipstick, felt hot with shame. The cold nig

ide. I could hear thei

name again. I

a, your next punishment is... " She paused for dramatic effect, her eyes sweeping

ke a dog. My dignity. My l

d, my voice trem

e was across the room. My eyes met

e me. Or he

Her head, still bandaged, tilted back as their lips met.

tered into a

To my side. From one

he barked. "

r. They were forcing

, you fool!" someone yelled. "H

e. Recording. My humiliat

My body screamed. My

. Faint. Dist

te. The darkness