Chapter 140:
Makenna’s POV
The night stretched on endlessly, each moment blurring into the next. Bryan’s relentless assault left me hovering on the edge of consciousness. I blacked out more than once, my body giving in to exhaustion—only to be dragged back by the brutal force of his thrusts. It wasn’t until dawn’s first light that the torment finally ended.
When I stirred again, the sun hung high in the sky, its harsh glare piercing through the window. I lay motionless on the bed, every bone in my body aching as if crushed. Even the slightest movement sent sharp jolts of pain through me.
Beside me, Bryan slept soundly, his face unguarded, almost serene. A slow-burning resentment coiled inside me.
Since the day I’d been dragged into this palace, this wretched man had subjected me to every imaginable cruelty. Now, he’d gone as far as abducting me, treating me worse than an animal.
My gaze landed on the belt discarded carelessly on the bedside table. The memory of it tightening around my neck last night sent a fresh surge of hatred through me.
Would I finally be free if I strangled him in his sleep?
The thought took hold, urging me forward. Visions of everything Bryan had done flashed through my mind, and a dark whisper echoed in my head: “Freedom lies in Bryan Reeves’ death.”
Before I could second-guess myself, I snatched the belt and crept closer, the air thick with tension.
But just as I moved to loop it around his throat, his voice shattered the silence.
“Planning to strangle me, Makenna?”
I flinched, the belt slipping from my grasp as reality crashed back.
Frustration burned in my chest, and I spat out bitterly, “I’m just a lowly sex slave. What makes you think I’d have the nerve to kill you?”
The words tasted bitter—true, yet hollow. I was nothing more than his plaything. And yet, for a fleeting moment, the urge to end him had burned so fiercely. How foolish I’d been.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝖌𝖆𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀﹒𝗰𝗼𝗺
Bryan’s POV
Bryan’s eyes snapped open, his piercing gaze locking onto me with icy disdain. A sardonic smile twisted his lips as he spoke, “You had the nerve to defy my orders. What’s stopping you now?”
A hollow laugh escaped me, my voice shaking with exhaustion. “Do you think I had a choice? You and your kind wield power with a mere word. I’m nothing more than a pawn in your games, trapped with no way out.”
I often wondered why the powerful couldn’t settle their disputes among themselves. Why did they always drag helpless people like me into their twisted conflicts?
Bryan’s smirk turned vicious. “I didn’t see you hesitating when you chose to run off with Dominic.”
I lacked the strength to argue. How could someone of his privilege ever understand my reality? And he was right – I hadn’t wanted to leave with him that night.
“Your Highness,” I pleaded, my voice raw, “can’t you just let me go now? I’m ready to return.” I had no desire to continue battling with a madman. The chain around my wrist clinked as I gestured weakly, appealing to whatever humanity might remain in him. He’d already taken his rage out on me. Why keep me prisoner?
But Bryan’s response chilled me to the core. “You’re not going anywhere,” he declared, his voice sharp with cruelty. My eyes widened in disbelief. “Why not? What more could you possibly want from me?”
His lips curved into a faint, merciless smile. “Did you forget my warning about consequences? I intend to keep you here for the rest of your life. Consider this your punishment.”
