Page 33 of Marked By the Devil

Assess, ascertain, and act?

I covered my face with my hand and winced under it.

Just like that, I caved. I surrendered to him and completely gave in. It wasn’t the emotions as much as it was my body betraying me, my traitorous body coming to life and snapping into action for him.

I had so badly wanted to refuse to play that game with him. A kiss for a question, but I hadn’t lasted at all. The first touches of his mouth on mine unraveled my control. The first strokes of his fingers on my pussy destroyed my patience and common sense.

One time.

That’s it.

Now that the edge was taken off—for me—I could know that it wasn’t enough to make me repeat this mistake. No more “kiss for a question” antics. No more deluding myself into thinking that he’d ever be rational about keeping me here.

I slipped.

That was all this was. A lapse in judgment. One I wouldn’t make again.

I fell asleep to that idea, sleepier since the rush of coming so hard. Even though I knew he was in his shower, no doubt jerking off, I drifted into a deep slumber that stayed with me until morning.

I’d slept in, actually, and groaned at the irritation in my eyes.

“You forgot to take your contacts out.”

I blinked at him standing next to the couch.

Fully dressed. Holding out a cup of coffee.

“I was preoccupied,” I muttered dryly as I sat up.

“Me too.” He set the cup on the table and straightened. “Go handle your contacts and come downstairs.”

Without waiting for me to say anything after his orders—which were more curt and direct than he usually was—he strode out of the room.

I frowned at the steaming cup of coffee.

So… that’s how it is now?

Still stuck here.

Still a prisoner with no clarification about why.

And pretending what happened last night didn’t happen?

I shook my head, so exhausted from being confused about what he wanted from me.

I sipped the coffee then got up to take out my contacts and shower. Under the strong pressure of the hot water spraying down on me, I sighed and willed my body to wake up. Willed my mind to snap into focus.

How is this my life? What is this supposed to even be anymore?

While I was captive in the sense that I couldn’t leave the house and guards surrounded me and I had no access to call for help, it was harder to feel like a prisoner.

I was fed, clothed, and had a place to sleep. Viktor suggested that he wanted me in his bed and I was surprised he’d “let” me avoid him and stay on the couch.

Maybe it was his idea of meeting me in the middle.

I smirked, washing up.

He captured me and held me against my will, yet he still seemed to be flexible about it.