t of joke? Becaus

oke. Your

would not

ou're mine. I will decide what is b

sn

u need

o him. Get him on

e me fully and shift my hands to her shoulders. Her hands close over my forearms, and she stares up at me. Her long black hair

you her

over my shoulder, tears on the verge of falling, but she refuses to allow that. Ins

you here?

es and lowers her gaze. A fat tear drops onto the back of my hand. I watch it,

pull her to me and tell

roat and catapults me ba

e," I say

angry eyes to mi

his woman will test me. I take a deep breath in

at question. Now," I start, releasing her and stepp

tting it tangled in her hair as she pulls it off and th

ng on one foot, daggers cutting me through as she holds my gaze and st

htening to stand at her full

slit of her sex. I push my hands into my pockets, clenching them into fists, nails digging into my palms. My jaw tightens as I remind

and see that her hands, too, are clenc

I say, my

e as she gazes from me to Miriam and back

ther moving nor taki

g this, and when the older woman raises her arms to strip the rest of her clothes, Erica grips her wris

are touch me! Get th

iriam and runs, but Miriam is quick to s

alters then. I wonder if she's remembering the event that led her here, that has her in

I watch her, the already puffy skin around her eyes growing wet.

head, she opens her eyes, gl

hardening myself against the wounded crea

reaches behind her to unhook her bra and strip it off. She drops it to the f

to reveal the pretty slit. The latter makes me stop. Has any oth

aking them would shame her brother and incur his wrath. Besides, that's not why she's here. But her nakedness, st

iriam in

t," I t

Exhale. Getting hard at the mere sight of her is anything but controlled. She'll be stripped bare mor

eaves. I wait until

done quietly for certain members of The Society. Not a single one of them

djoining bathroom, taking a moment there. Gripping the edge of the co

le of the large bed, clutching the thick duvet to herself. Again, I think about how small she looks. How different to t

imal insid

dable. She's good at that. Always has been. Probably had to be. I know a little of her upbringi

and sit on the

ets closer, inchin

k at

aw cl

h the hair from her cheek. The gash is already closed up, the blood is dried, and a bruise is taking shape. I'm surprised this is all she walked away with considering. Erica De La Rosa m

thought of losing her brother's love are more pun

yes on my face, and I take my time doing it. Once I'm finished, I set the ointment aside and pour a glass of water o

ks at t

get a good

e says, turnin

l help,

g. And this once, I'll allow it. She reaches a tentative hand to pluck the pill from me a