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“Again, why do you care?”

I smiled darkly. “So you can fuck the anger out of me.”

“Well, when you put it that way, I definitely want to get better… Not.”

I smiled, pleased to hear that old spark back in her tone. “Oh, you’ll get better, and if we have to work at it together, we will.”

“Just a minute ago you wanted to make me pay for betraying you. Now you want to help me get better. Which is it?”

“The two go hand in hand, baby. Once you’re better, I can fuck you the way I want to.”

That was another reason I’d kept my distance from her when we first crossed paths. I fucked hard and ruthlessly, often binding and gagging my women. Their pleasure was always guaranteed, but it also came with pain at times. The wide-eyed young woman I first met was too innocent for that, and this woman was too plagued by the demons of her kidnappers.

“So now what, Ty?” she asked. “I go to therapy and then, once I’m cured, you start punishing me so I’ll need therapy again?”

I grimaced.

Yeah, that didn’t sound like a great plan.

My initial plan had been simple: fuck her senseless, make her addicted to my cock, and then marry her. As my wife, I’d be protected by spousal privilege, which would keep her from testifying against me.

I had to be a fucking bastard, but I didn’t give a damn. She’d be mine one way or another, and I’d ruin her with my cock and my mouth. The way I saw it, it’d be a win-win for both of us.

Of course, that plan got slightly derailed by the ghosts of her kidnappers.

“It’s very simple, Sienna.”

I passed through the gate that connected the walls surrounding the castle, then shot a look toward the guards I’d stationed around the perimeter and ordered, “Lock the gates.”

Once the gates were closed, I focused back on the woman in my arms.

“You’ll marry me, and together we’ll get over the obstacle of your panic attacks. We’ll make up for five years’ worth of deprived orgasms and you’ll give me children. After those five years and at least two children, you’ll be free.”

Her expression morphed into one of shock. “W-what?”

I sighed and started to repeat my previous statement. “You’ll marry me, and⁠—”

“You can’t be serious,” she cut me off, shaking her head in disbelief. “Why would we get married?”

“You’ll find our marriage to be very beneficial. You’ll be rich, protected, and in return, you will refuse to testify against me based on spousal privilege.”

She shook her head. “I won’t marry you, but I promise I won’t testify against you.”

Whether she wanted to or not, she would marry me. I’d prefer she did it willingly rather than dragging her to the priest, kicking and screaming. However, I wasn’t beyond doing what was necessary.

“You will marry me.” I enunciated every word. “And I’ll offer you and your family protection.”

“Protection from whom?” She eyed me suspiciously.

“From me,” I deadpanned.

“From you?” Her voice was a whisper as she stared at me wide-eyed. Fuck, when she watched me like that, it took all I had not to just stop right here, pin her against the castle wall, and pound into her. Unfortunately, there was the little matter of her panic.

Why in the fuck did I care when the woman was responsible for my last five years behind bars?

“Yes, from me,” I drawled. “Did you really think your family wouldn’t answer for your betrayal?”

“They had nothing to do with any of this.” She lifted her chin, defiance and stubbornness hardening her features. “They don’t even know about you.”