Page 732 of Coal Hearts

“So be it.” His hand came up, his thumb pressed down.

And...

I dropped like a sack of stone onto the ballroom floor as the hottest, coldest, fastest, wickedest current arced through me.

My teeth clamped down on my tongue as I twitched and thrashed.

I couldn’t stop it.

Couldn’t help it.

Every wallop of electricity felt as if I was back in that cave. Back on the ground while seven men kicked the living shit out of me. It didn’t flow like fire. It punched and kicked and strangled. Fisting my heart, my lungs, my stomach, my spleen.

I couldn’t see. Speak. Or breathe.

My fingers curled involuntarily. My toes clenched. My towel came free as I jerked like his fucking puppet by his feet.

Stop.

Fuck...please—

Christ, I’d done this to Ily.

I’d pressed that fucking button and delivered this agony to Peter and all the jewels.

I deserved this.

A dose of my own medicine but goddammit...I needed it to end.

My organs shut down the longer he shocked me.

Pain became agony and agony became unbearable.

I couldn’t even beg for an end.

Nothing worked.

Nothing existed apart from thwacking, whacking pain, pain, pain.

And then, it was over.

My ears rang.

My mouth full of blood.

My bare body twitched as aftershocks worked through me.

“Chain him to the stage.”

I groaned as hands landed beneath my arms and dragged me over the smooth dance floor. Tossing me face first onto the stage, a length of chain jangled like demons clacking their teeth and locked onto my collar.

The guards stepped back just as Victor helped flip me around and sit me up.

My bare ass stuck to the polished wood beneath me. Cupping my cock and hiding my vulnerability, I spat in his direction.

He danced out of the way as the glob of blood splashed on the floor. “Oh, we’re going to have so much fun, you and I.” Bending over, he pressed a kiss to my sweaty forehead.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” I wrenched away but he grabbed a handful of my hair and whispered, “Until tonight, Henri. I suggest you get some rest. You’re going to need it.”