Page 27 of Dancing for the Minotaur

“You fucking bitch!” he snarled.

The sudden fury in his voice was almost more frightening than everything that had come before. For the first time, Viktor Orlov's smooth mask had completely disappeared. His pale face was twisted with anger and his eyes were flat and ugly.

“You think you can tease me and then run off with some fucking animal?” he demanded. “Well you can’t, Bunny, because you’re MINE.”

Terra's heart pounded.

“I never teased you and I’m not yours!”

Orlov glared at her.

“You dance for me. You smile at me. You rub that ass against my cock and then you act like I disgust you.”

“You're a customer! That's my job!” she protested. “I’m a dancer.”

His mouth twisted.

“You’re nothing but a whore.”

The word hit her like a slap–maybe because she feared that was exactly what other people would think if they knew what she was doing for a living.

Then, strangely, Terra thought of Taurex. Taurex, who had watched her take off every stitch of clothing. Taurex, who had seen her touch herself and come in front of him. Taurex, who had somehow seen straight into her mind and known that she stripped because she was trying to feed her children.

He hadn't called her a whore–he had told her she shouldn't have to do something she hated in order to survive. He had even offered her another job.

And when she'd told him to go, he had gone. He hadn’t threatened her or stalked her or called her demeaning names.

Terra suddenly understood something she hadn't before. Taurex might look like a monster and Viktor Orlov might look like a man, but appearances didn't mean a damn thing.

“Stay away from me,” she said, her voice trembling despite her attempt to keep it steady. “And if you ever go near my children again, I'll call the police.”

Orlov's face smoothed almost instantly–the transformation was chilling. He straightened his suit jacket and gave her a calm little smile.

“So you’ll call the police? And tell them what?”

“That you've been stalking me!” Terra exclaimed.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Ah, but you have no proof.”

Terra stared at him in horror. He was right–the only proof she had was on his phone.

“The picture!” she protested.

“What picture?” He slipped the phone back into his coat. “There is no picture here.”

“You showed it to me!” she exclaimed.

“Did I? Or did you imagine it?”

The smugness in his voice made her want to claw his face.

“You sick son of a bitch.”

He smiled.

“My Bunny is upset. What a pity.”