Page 53 of Wicked Lord

Despite the nausea churning in my gut, I plastered on a beaming smile. “Thanks so much for that, Tate. It was so thoughtful.” Forcing my last season’s Valentino sandals forward, I marched toward my ex-almost-fiancé. “What are you doing here?” I gritted out when I reached the silver Rolls.

Brock leaned against the hood, that practiced smile firmly entrenched across his jaw. “I understand you’ve been seen with Axel Vanderhart again. And this time, you weren’t simply dry-fucking him at a charity event. You were trespassing in the home of a prestigious family.”

My stomach bottomed out, plummeting to the soles of my flats. How the hell did he know? Somehow, I managed to keep a straight face.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, feigning innocence.

He jerked his phone from his pants pocket and flashed me the screen. There in black and white was a video of Axel and me in that house he’d stolen the laptop from. Shit.

“What the fuck are you doing spying on me, Brock?”

His hands closed around my upper arms, and he dragged me toward the back door of the enormous car.

“Let go of me,” I screeched.

“I urge you not to make a scene, Lorelei, or the consequences will only be worse for you.” His hot breath hissed across my face, and goosebumps rippled over my arms.

Lowering my voice, I braced myself against the door. “I’m not making a scene, but I’m also not going anywhere with you.”

“Damn it, Lorelei, don’t you see what you’re doing?” He flashed the screen at my face once more. “If this video got out, it could ruin both you and your precious Axel.”

“So why would you want to be associated with someone like me? Just let me go and find a new woman to torture.”

“I already told you I need your father’s vote.” He loomed closer, pinning me against the car. “And to be perfectly honest, no one says no to me. This brazen attitude has done nothing but increase my interest in you. I cannot wait to fuck the disobedience right out of you once you’re my wife.”

“Never,” I hissed. “I’d rather be penniless than ever let you touch me again.”

“Don’t deceive yourself, Lorelei. You wouldn’t survive a week without the comfort that wealth provides. And you can deny it all you want, but I saw the excitement in your eyes when I forced you on your knees then shoved my cock down your throat. You enjoy the degradation. You’re as depraved as I am.”

Tears sprang to my eyes, his words striking a chord, but I blinked them back refusing to let him see the power he held over me. “I’m nothing like you,” I spat.

“We’ll see about that.” He jerked the door open and ticked his chin at the sprawling back seat. “Just get in the car.”

“No!” I squirmed and kicked, but his hold was relentless. My heart punched at my ribs, desperate to break free.

“Hey, what are you doing to her?” A familiar voice rang out, and of all people, I never thought I’d be so happy to see her.Or her.

Cordelia and Lexi.

“She said no.” Lexi stepped closer, her gaze fixed on the asshole in a suit trying to force me into his fancy car.

Cordelia moved in next, her gaze murderous. “Were you trying to force yourself on her?”

Brock slipped on the smooth mask. “I’m sorry, ladies, there has been a mistake here. I was only helping Lorelei into the backseat.”

“That’s not what it looked like,” Lexi snapped. She clutched her phone in her hand, her finger an inch away from the glaring red SOS button.

“Are you okay, Lorelei?” Cordi glanced from me to Brock and back.

Guilt rushed through me, lancing across my heart. God, I’d been a total bitch to this girl only two days ago and here she was coming to my rescue, not to mention all the horrible things I’d done to Lexi last year.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I finally mumbled. “Like Brock said, it was a misunderstanding.”

Both girls glared at me and that piercing guilt only grew more potent.

Brock’s furious gaze flicked to mine, the icy chill reaching bone deep. “I hope you’ll consider what we spoke about. I will be gone for the next few weeks in the Middle East on business. When I return, I expect you’ll be ready to go ahead with the official announcement.”

“Doubtful,” I muttered through clenched teeth.