She’s close. So close.

Happiness and joy spread from my heart, battling back the monsters inside. Just a little more.

I cursed my shuddering body as I loomed over her. “Not f**king scared, huh? Then what are you still doing here? Give me what I want, and I’ll let you go.”

Ask what I want. Please f**king ask what I want. Then I wouldn’t suffer guilt when I raped her. I’d be free to do whatever the hell I pleased.

Her eyes went from grey to star-bright.

Fierce awe shot into my heart.

“I want my freedom.”

Yes. I’d done it. She’d demanded it. She’d claimed it. I backed away, fumbling for the door handle to run.

But then her fierceness fizzled; a small cry crawled from her mouth. “No wait! I’m sorry. You’ve always wanted to f**k me. Do it. A trade. Then I’ll know I owe you nothing. Do it and leave me in peace.” She sucked in a breath, eyes glassy with tears. “Please, swear if I give you what you want, you’ll let me go. Promise you’ll never come for me again. Promise you won’t make me hurt any more women or sell me or ruin my life. Please!”

She crawled toward me, latching onto my trouser leg. “Please. You wanted me to beg? I’m begging. You told me I would one day. And it’s come true. I’m begging you to end this once and for all. I’m giving you what you want in return for freedom.”

She climbed my body. I knew I stood no f**king chance of saying no. I would ruin her all when she’d been so damn close.

Her tears rained, sobs taking over her voice. “Please. Promise me that this will be over. How many times do I have to pay?”

Her hands fumbled on my belt buckle. “Do it. Do it!” Tess cried, almost crazed with the thought of being free.

I groaned as she squeezed my length, dragging me forward by it like I was a plaything. Every place she touched scorched my willpower. I almost came on the spot at the thought of getting what I wanted so badly.

I wanted to f**k her like the criminal she thought I was. I wanted to hit her and bite her and use her with no remorse. I wanted blood and bruises and pleasure.

And I wanted Tess to scream. But I wanted her to scream my name. Not some f**king kidnapper’s.

The ultimate ownership of her pain and screams belonged to me—not them. And I wouldn’t, wouldn’t, let her take that from me.

With a howl, I knocked her hands away from my c**k and threw her over my shoulder.

Her softness and tiny fists pounding my back twinged the last remaining thread of my self-control. I had just enough to do what I had to. Just enough to end this. For good.

I dumped her into the overflowing bath.

Slamming to my knees, she had time to grab a breath before I grabbed her skull and shoved her underwater. The liquid crashed over her face, sucking her down like eager death.

Her scream broke the surface in forms of large frothy bubbles. Sound ricocheted as the noise left its bubble, escaping into the air.

Tess went wild. Her legs kicked, smashing into the soap dish and ornaments around the bath. Water sluiced everywhere, drenching my trousers and shoes. I held her down while my headache turned my vision to tunnel.

I held her down as my blood mixed with the water thanks to her sharp nails on my arms.

Every second I drowned her, I thrust my h*ps against the bath, bruising myself, deliberately bashing delicate flesh against hard fibreglass, trying to teach the beast in me a lesson.

This was the bastard I was. This ass**le who drowned the woman he loved.

Ten seconds.

Tess was berserk, fighting with everything she had.

Fifteen seconds.

Her fight stuttered, succumbing to lack of oxygen.

My heart felt like it would explode and my brain disintegrate—I let her up.

I couldn’t catch my breath.

This was it. This was the moment where everything I’d done better work. If it didn’t, I had no other hope.

Such a short amount of time left. Come on, Tess! My hands clenched, hanging onto my last shred of discipline. The last defence against the beast from f**king her senseless.

Scrambling to my feet, I backed away. Grabbing the last item I needed from my pocket, I kicked off my drenched shoes and trousers. Standing in black boxer-briefs with my c**k standing so f**king stiff, I braced myself for what was to come.

Tess exploded out of the tub like a mermaid queen. Her skin was white, blonde hair clinging to her br**sts and shoulders in molten gold. Her chest rose and fell as she went from drowning to surviving. Everything about her said fighter.

But it was her eyes I latched onto.

They were otherworldly. So f**king manic.

“You bastard!” She flew at me.

I backed up, crashing against the wall. She slapped me, kicked me, pummelled every inch. Every strike made me want to grab her hair and force her to her knees. I needed to be inside her. I needed to release this overbearing burden inside but I locked my hands behind my back, holding tight to the final key. I shut down my thoughts, my needs—I let her do whatever she wanted.

I let her pour everything from her soul into mine. I would bear it all for her. I would make her whole by sharing her pain.

“You deserve nothing! Nothing. You f**king bastard. You deserve to die.”

Yes, Tess. Go on.

Take her. What about what you want? She owes you. Do it!

I shook my head, dispelling the thoughts before they could swallow me.

“I’m taking my freedom. I’m not asking. I’m not begging. I’ll never beg again in my life.”

My heart raced and soared.

Come on. More!

Everything I’d hoped would happen, came true. With every hit, Tess seemed to shed an outer layer. One tarnished with fear, uncertainty, and whatever foulness she’d lived with for so long. Everything she never let me see, all her lies, and secrets fell to the floor.

My cheek burned as she slapped me with all her strength. Standing before me was the woman I’d fallen madly f**king in love with.

I said goodbye to the slave I’d reclaimed in Rio and welcomed back the girl who claimed me when she returned from Australia.

The disease was gone—the festering over once and for all.

Everything disappeared. All the nightmares, the tears, the anger. All of it.

This woman was stronger than I could ever be. And I didn’t know how I f**king deserved her.

My hands unlocked, begging to touch. But I couldn’t. Not yet.

She had to say one more thing to be completely saved. I held my breath, waiting, waiting.