Page 90 of Irish Betrayal

Blair swallowed roughly past her bruised throat, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. She could not let him overwhelm her. Break her any more than he had already.

She would not.

Her father was coming.

Daniel was coming.

Secrets meant nothing in the face of the sick creature watching her.

When he gripped his erection through his pants, Blair wanted to scream at him, how much she reviled him, hated him.

She had to be smarter and tougher. She needed to be the genius that everybody claimed she was.

Peter thought he could still manipulate his student.

He forgot an important truth. She wasn’t a little girl anymore. She wasn’t his student, and every blinder that he’d adhered to her eyes over the years had already been ripped off. She knew every trick he’d try to employ, and she planned on staying one step ahead.

No matter what.

“Why are you being so mean, Peter?” she asked, her voice probably sounding more roughened and odd than normal, but he heard her. Her heart was beating so hard, Blair couldn't be sure how she sounded.

He looked at her when she spoke—there was such rage. He needed to be placated, needed her unsure.

“Peter. Please. I’ve been depressed. I eat all the time. American food…” she didn’t finish the thought, only shrugging, like she was embarrassed.

“I don’t know if I believe you,” he hissed, getting up close to her face where her eyes practically crossed trying to watch his lips and make out what he was saying.

He leaned back enough for her to understand him. “Are you still pure, Blair?”

“Of course, I am,” Blair said, gasping, as if she was offended. “You taught me that I was only beautiful if I stayed pure.

“I don’t understand any of this. Why did you kidnap me? Why are you tying me to a bed? You know my family will be looking for me, Peter. Let me go.”

He lowered her arms but kept a firm hold on them, leading her back to the bed. All he had to do was push her down on the mattress and cover her body with his to incapacitate her.

Both hands were bound before she could think of something to say to de-escalate the moment.

He sat up, leaning his ass on her legs. There was no warning when he slapped first one breast and then the other. She cried out when he slapped her small baby bump, once and then twice.

“You’ll be getting rid of this body one way or the other unless you like looking like a whore. If you do, my girl, I’ll treat you like one and not the special little girl you are. Would you like that? Is that what you’re trying for?

“Ahh,” he said like an idea occurred to him, “is that what you want? What Mindy got?

Panic screamed through Blair. Trying to divert his train of thought, she pleaded. “I’ll lose the weight. I promise, Peter.”

“And what have you promised Daniel?”

“What…what do you mean?” she stuttered.

“Have you been seeing him behind my back? I come all the way to America to prove my devotion and all you’ve done is ignore me. Have you made some promise to that O’Faolain shit?”

“No. I swear,” she pleaded, crying harder as he slid down her body and restrained first one ankle and then the other.

Her body was now completely splayed and vulnerable. She tried and failed to bring her legs together, to stop him staring at her sex.

He knelt at the end of the low bed, his head still high enough that she could read his lips. “Tell me the truth; otherwise I’m going to reacquaint myself with the taste of you.”

“I…I…I told you, Peter. I haven’t seen him for over four months.”