He tilts his head and my mouth slams closed. “Because if you ever want to see your papa again, you’re going to do exactly as you’re told—” He squeezes again, forcing me harder against the bush. “Because if you don’t, Ruby? I’ll kill you like I have the other three hundred and however many marks are indented into this skull.” My blood turns cold as I trace every line with new eyes. Literally. “So you’re going to do as you’re fucking told.”

“No—” I bite out. “I’m not.” His hands fly beneath my thighs and he lifts me off the ground. He knew that if I didn’t wrap my legs around his waist that I’d be left hanging by his hand around my throat. Fuck.

“You will.” His lips touch mine and heat rushes to the surface. “Or I’ll make it hurt enough until you do.” He smirks over my mouth. “Go on—” He kisses me like he did that night. “Fight me.”

I force my lips closed, moving my head away from him when he brushes his hand over my underwear. I try not to give in, but my breathing turns heated.

“You gonna stop me?” He presses his thumb against my clit. “Because I wouldn’t.”

His other hand moves to cover my mouth and he splits my legs wider as he moves my panties to the side, his finger dipping inside my pussy. I squeeze around him, unable to hold in my restraint.

“Look at me, and I won’t drug you to do this.” I don’t. I keep my eyes locked on the leaves that grow out of the hedge.

He forces my face to his, and my heart snaps in my chest when I come face-to-face with the monster he has been all along. “Ride me.” Do I do it? It wouldn’t be giving in if I did. It would simply be me taking charge.

I roll my hips forward as his lips crash onto mine. He opens up his robe and unfastens his belt buckle, pulling his pants down as he bites against my chin.

“This is gonna hurt…” He forces my body onto his hard cock and I yelp out a scream, my nails digging into his shoulder blades. He pushes into me, kissing my lips. “Sorry, baby…” Something pinches my arm, and my eyes fly to his, wide as the colors mix together like a watercolor painting.

He drops me back to the ground and I dust off his feeling from my body. Just as I take another step, I lose my footing and my mind turns fuzzy. A loud siren noise pierces through the air, and I chuckle manically. “Oh, what’s that mean?”

Wicked pauses, his head moving to the side when his eyes narrow on a spot in the corner of the hedge. “Fuck.”

“What is it?” I joke, rolling my eyes. “Someone escape? Lucky them!”