Page 4 of I’m The Worst

I can’t look at him.

I can’t breathe.

He grips my throat tightly, and the pressure forces the collar to dig into my skin.

“I said, look at me.” His fingers clamp harder, cutting off my air until my vision blurs. “That’s better.”

As he loosens his grip, I gasp, drawing in a burning breath. His hand slides beneath my dress, hiking it up, the fabric catching on the rope.

“AJ, your father sent me. I’m a Sovereign.” His voice is a harsh whisper that causes my body to jump. “I’m going to get you out of here.”

“What?” leaves me on a shaky exhale.

The bristle of his beard drags along my skin as his mouth moves against mine. It’s not a kiss. It’s something meant to look like a kiss.

“Shh, it’s okay. Just trust me.”

He pulls back, his face inches from mine. His green eyes are hard and cold. There’s a flicker of something—pity, regret?—only there for a second before disappearing.

“We have to make this look real.”

Before I can speak, his mouth crushes mine. He forces my lips to part, his tongue pushing in. I try to twist away, but his grip tightens, his thumb smearing my tears.

“We have to do this,” he mutters into my mouth. “Play along.”

Bile rises in my throat, my stomach twisting into knots.

“Please don’t,” I cry.

“We have to.”

His hand is on my thigh, sliding higher, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. My body jerks in response, a whimper escaping me. The crowd cheers as their excitement increases.

The heat of his body seeps through the fabric of my dress as he squeezes my breast. His other hand moves down my side, gripping my hip.

His lips stay near mine. “Eyes on me. Only me.”

I stare up at him, unable to speak. He shifts his weight, and his erection presses against my entrance. I clench my teeth, fighting back a sob.

“Stay with me, AJ. You can do this.”

He slowly pushes inside me, his huge cock stretching me. The pain is searing. I bite my lip, trying to keep from crying out.

The smell of him, the heat of his skin, the feeling of his cock buried deep inside me—it’s too much. I can’t take it.

I can’t do this.

“Look at me.”

“It hurts,” I choke out.

“Pain is better than fear. Hold on to it.”

Something sharp stings along my collarbone, making me hiss. That’s when I notice he’s holding a knife⁠—

The blade digs in. Warm blood trickles.

“Focus on this. It’ll drown everything else out.”