Page 63 of Sweet Temptation

Shit. I had forgotten this river was on the same land as Mother's mansion. Hanna's whimper sounds beside me.

My eyes glimpse a black dress as she walks into the moonlight, showing her face. "So, what the hell are you doing here?" my mother growls.

Hanna sticks to my side like glue as Margarita gets closer to us. "Mother," I address, not wanting to mention Hanna's name.

"I see, I see. You're lucky you're standing, boy. I should kill you for this." Her voice unleashes like venom.

Hanna presses into my side, trying to hide herself. "I understand. I will stay away from here. Just let her go," I whisper.

Mother laughs, she's fucking laughing. "Let you go? No, no. Death would have been too easy. I think you should suffer," she replies, her eyes shooting to Hanna, who's practically a part of my body by now.

"You really… you don't want to do this." I will surely kill my mother before anything happens to my baby or Hann.

My mother steps up to me, nose to nose. "Actually, I do. You don't deserve happiness. It's a weakness. Taking it away is the better idea." She smiles wickedly. One of her soldiers wrenches Hanna away from me, and my first instinct is to attack. Until two others grab onto my arms and hold me back.

"Please! You don't want to do this!" Her rippled scream fills the clearing. I can't see her, I have no idea where she is. She could be two feet in front of me or miles away. A giant light fills the clearing as my mother lights a fire.

She smirks, her nude-painted lips pulled into a grin. "Much more like it." My eyes drop, Hanna's on the ground next to one of my mother's soldier's feet.

I pull on my arms, needing to get to her. The two goons behind me hold me back tightly, keeping me away from her. "Now. What should I do…" My mother grins, kneeling in front of Hanna.

She flinches away, hitting the man's legs behind her. One of the soldiers tosses something silver toward my mother. To my horror, I realise it's a knife. This can't be happening. I will die first.

"Please!" Hanna screams. A rippled growl escapes my lips as I watch my mother.

Her face turns toward me and she grins. Switching the knife open, she leans into Hanna. "Don't scream, and I might let you live." But I know my mother will kill Hanna, anyway.

A snarl rages out of my lips as I try to pull myself free. "Hold her!" my mother demands. The large soldier behind Hanna grabs her arms and holds her still as my mother leans closer.

I hear a slice as the knife cuts into Hanna's hip. Her scream ripples through the air as my heart tears apart.

I will fucking kill them all.

Snarling, I lunge forward, only to be held back again by the two goons behind me. She moves the knife up to her stomach and eyes it curiously.

"Stop! She's pregnant, remember!" I yell, trying to pull out of their grip. The moment the words leave my lips, the soldiers drop my arms, stunned as I race toward Hanna. She has to live. I will die to protect her.

My mother eyes me closely as I kneel beside her. "I know this, son, but why should that matter to me?" She turns to me and tosses the knife back to one of her soldiers. My eyes turn to slits as I glare at her, my teeth bared in a snarl.

She's a dead woman. "What the fuck do you want from me aside from no emotions!" I snap my sanity barely hanging on.

"Fine! When that child, girl or boy is eleven. You bring them to me. That's the deal, unless you want her dead.'" My mother smiles up at me.

I know what that means. She wants another made man. In her eyes, gender doesn't matter though.

Chills break my body as I think about this offer. I can't give up my child. I also can't give up Hanna. Fuck! "Fuck! Fine!" I growl, pulling Hanna into my arms. My mother grins at me, getting to her feet.

I will never give my child to her, but I’ll let her think that while I plan her cold-hearted death. "Don't disappoint me," she growls, snapping her fingers for her soldiers to follow her back into the trees.

Picking up Hanna in my arms, I carry her back to the car, setting her in it. Once I'm in the driver's seat, I speed off toward the jet. "My baby! How dare you give it away as a bargain!" Hanna screams. I grip the steering wheel to control my anger as we drive back to the jet.

She doesn't understand the lengths my mother will go to and maybe she never will, but our child is no bargaining chip. At least now I have a chance to plan my mother's death.

I come to a stop next to the jet and hurry my girl into the jet as I bark orders at the staff to take off as soon as they can possibly leave. Hanna's green eyes burn daggers through my skin as she glares at me. "Jesus, Hanna! I'm not giving a child away. How else was I supposed to get you out of there?" I growl as the feel of the jet taking off rumbles around me.

She flashes me a worried look as I rest my head against the back of my seat. "But what are you going to do?" she whispers.

Whatever I have to do. Anything I have to do.