After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 12

Rebecca answered by biting his finger hard.

She put all her pent–up anger into the bite, clamping down with surprising force.

Jeffrey winced but didn’t let go. Instead, he cradled her face, his voice still gentle. “Since when did you get so feisty?”

Rebecca responded by biting down even harder.

Jeffrey tightened his hold on her face just enough to make her release his finger.

“Keep that up and I’ll return the favor later,” he warned, his tone deceptively soft as he tilted her chin up. “I’ll have you crying and begging me to stop.”

“Let me go!” she demanded, struggling against him with tears of frustration in her eyes.

Her resistance only made him want to see her defiant attitude crumble into pleading submission.

He pulled her firmly against him, and when she began struggling again, he leaned close to whisper, “If you keep squirming like that, I won’t wait untii we’re somewhere more private.”

Rebecca froze as she felt his body tense up and his skin grow warm against hers. After five years of marriage, she knew exactly where this was heading.

“We’re in a hospital,” she said, her eyes widening with alarm at what he might try “Have you lost your mind?”

“Nobody’s coming in here without my permission,” Jeffrey said, his intense gaze never leaving hers as his hands grew more daring. “I’ll give you time to think about whether you’re going to apologize.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong,” Rebecca protested, trying to stop his roaming hands. “Why should I be the one to apologize?”

Jeffrey lowered his head and nipped at her neck, leaving a faint mark behind. “Just think about it. I’m not asking for an answer right now!

Rebecca pushed against him with all her strength, but he didn’t budge an inch.

“You can’t even scrape together fifteen grand right now,” Jeffrey said, his hand sliding higher on her waist while keeping a straight face. “How are you gonna come up with a hundred fifty? Unless you don’t really want your mom to wake up.”

Trapped against him, Rebecca bit hard into his shoulder.

Jeffrey caught her chin, forcing her to release him and look at him.

“You’re not the only one with money in this world,” she shot back, her chin throbbing but her defiance unwavering. “I may not have the money, but I’ll

find someone who does”

“Is that so?” Jeffrey’s voice turned icy.

“Yes,” Rebecca shot back, her eyes rod but blazing.

her harsh words would make Jeffrey storm off. He’d always been possessive, never allowing anyone else to matter more in

did.

she’d misjudged the situation. Jeffrey was afgry, yet he

always seemed to form the words that infuriated him most. Releasing her chin, he gripped the back of her head and

coppery taste of

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Chapter 12

intensely. His free

Rebecca’s eyes, but

body too well–chery spot his

she gasped, pushing against him with all

especially sensitive to

murmured, gently

know what this is, right?” Rebecca asked, her voice

“What are you calling it

“Rape.”

shot back without hesitation.

serious

when is flirting with my own wife considered rape? We’re not divorced yet,” Jeffrey said smoothly, doing what he always

talent for twisting words too well. No matter what she said, he’d find a way to spin

said, checking his watch and

your decision?”

she was free, Rebecca scrambled away from him like

didn’t even

time ago, Rebecca said firmly. There was no way in

still warm from

silent, her stubbornness speaking for

up, looking as composed as if they’d just had coffee instead

straightening his cuff. “But

you trying to do?” Rebecca asked, her

said, moving closer. “But we’ll have a problem if you try to borrow money

her sides. She actually had been counting on borrowing from Jessica

drawled, making

at his wrinkled

had been suppressing finally overflowed, and she swung

firmly in mid–air. She tied to pull back, but he maintained his tight grip on her

for a moment longer before releasing it. As he turned to leave, he

your concern, Rebecca retored, her

to its usual detached

looking back, as if