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The warning was crystal clear; my brutal attack on Daniel Vera was fresh in everyone’s minds. Questioning my decisions would not be tolerated, especially when it came to Carmen.
Arturo knocked back his whiskey, his face flushing. He’d always been too proud for his own good, and he only embarrassed himself that much more when he chose to throw around his weight in front of the others. “I’m simply relaying the gravity of the situation. Armendariz is determined to get Carmen back.”
Carmen cringed, and her fingers released my shirt to claw at her nape, searching for the clasp that would release her collar.
I grasped her hand and pulled it to her lap, restraining her from removing the gold band that marked her as my pet.
Something was very wrong with my sweet kitten. She wouldn’t try to take off the collar in front of my associates as a power move; she’d been honest in her intentions to endure this night of humiliation for our long-term security.
“I will deal with Armendariz,” I said aloud for the benefit of the men, but my focus remained on Carmen. “You all will have to excuse me. I think my pet is unwell. Please stay and enjoy yourselves as long as you’d like.”
Keeping Carmen in my arms, I stood and carried her away from the sharks. I wasn’t certain what had triggered this level of distress, but I was determined to find out. My kitten had been living in fear for far too long, and I would destroy anyone who caused her pain.
Chapter 20
Carmen
Heat flashed beneath my skin, rolling through my flesh in nauseating waves. The feverish intensity made me dizzy, a sensation that worsened when the elevator lurched into motion, carrying us back up to the privacy of Stefano’s penthouse.
I struggled to practice the breathing exercises that I’d studied in order to deal with these surges of panic. Surviving Miguel hadn’t simply been accomplished on the day that I convinced Pedro to take me back into our family estate; recovery from the devastation of his captivity was an ongoing battle. If my memories of that horrific time in my life were triggered, visceral terror engulfed my senses. The episodes were debilitating, but I usually had the personal freedom to excuse myself to a private place when I felt the symptoms setting in.
Ever since Stefano had taken me, privacy hadn’t been an option. Especially not during tonight’s disgusting party, a celebration of my defeat. My panic had taken root at the mention of Miguel wanting me for himself, and I hadn’t been able to remove myself from the triggering conversation.
With every thundering heartbeat, my body became more tightly wound. My lungs seized, and I struggled to breathe. The collar was far too tight on my neck, pressing on Miguel’s brand as I gasped for air.
I twisted in Stefano’s arms, wrenching my hand free so that I could claw at the gold band.
“Stop that,” he commanded roughly. “I’ll help you take it off when we get upstairs. Just a few more seconds, kitten.”
My panic spiked. I needed it off now. The fact that I couldn’t manage to do it myself exacerbated my crippling sense of powerlessness.
“You’re going to hurt yourself,” he bit out tersely. “Stop.”
I gasped, but I couldn’t seem to draw in any fresh oxygen. My heart slammed against the inside of my ribcage, threatening to burst.
“I can’t breathe,” I wheezed, raking my nails over the back of my neck in a desperate effort to catch the clasp that would remove the collar.
Stefano cursed, and the world tilted. My knees hit the carpeted floor in his living room, and cool air froze the sweat on the back of my neck when he swept my hair aside.
His deft fingers found the clasp, and the heavy gold band fell away. I heaved in a breath, but the absence of the collar did little to clear my airway. Stefano had removed the adornment that marked me as his property, but I would never be free of the brand that Miguel had etched into my skin.
I didn’t realize that my hand was clamped on the mark until Stefano pried it away. His fingers brushed over the brand, touching it directly. A shudder wracked my body, and my stomach lurched.
“You scratched yourself, pet,” he murmured. “It doesn’t look like you broke the skin, but I can’t quite tell under this pretty tattoo.”
I cringed away from his tender touch against my darkest secret.
His fingers slid into my hair, holding me firmly in place for his inspection. “Don’t be difficult, kitten. I know you’re upset, and I’m sorry. That’s why I excused us from the party and brought you up here. But I need to make sure you aren’t bleeding.”
I felt the moment he noticed the brand. His touch faltered, his fingertips finding the first ridge of scar tissue before following the M pattern.
