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He climbed onto the bed and straddled her, placing a hand on either side of her head. The position
brought his pelvis into contact with hers. The butt of the gun pressed into her abdomen.
"You betrayed me, Avery. You betrayed us."
"Don't talk to me about betrayal. You killed my father!"
He laughed softly and trailed a finger down the curve of her cheek, then lower, across her collarbone to
her breast. "You always were too smart for your own good. Too opinionated."
He bent and kissed her. Lightly at first, then deeply, forcing his tongue into her mouth.
Avery fought the urge to fight and instead lay frozen beneath him. Her lack of response seemed to
frustrate him and he broke the contact.
As he did, she spit in his face. He jerked away, face flooding with angry color. Rearing back, he slapped
her. Her head snapped to the side; she tasted blood and saw stars.
But she didn't cry out. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
"You know what?" He curled his fingers around the neck of the T-shirt Cherry had lent her. "For a smart
girl you do some really stupid things."
He yanked the fabric so hard she came off the bed. The T-shirt gave, ripping from neck to belly button,
revealing her naked breasts. He covered them with his hands, squeezing tightly. "Like pissing off the guy
who holds your life in his hands. And now, your breasts as well."
He tightened his grip, pinching the nipples, twisting. She swallowed the whimper of pain that flew to her
lips. He bent forward so that his face hovered just above hers. His stale breath stirred against her cheek.
Avery shuddered. If the eyes were the windows to the soul, he had none.
"You were supposed to be mine. I chose you. Not once, but twice. And you broke my heart. The first
time by leaving. The second by giving yourself to my brother."
He laughed. "You look so surprised. How stupid do you think I am? I was suspicious that day at Tiller's
Pond. Like a fool, I gave you the benefit of the doubt. After I found you at his place that morning, I
knew."
She whimpered, thinking of Hunter. Of what she had gotten him into.
And what she had suspected him of.
Matt's mouth twisted into a thin line. "Did you think of me, Avery? While you fucked my brother? While
you betrayed " He bit the words back, though he shook with a rage so potent the bed quaked with it.
He could kill her now, this moment.
He wanted to.
Avery shrank back against the mattress, losing her grip on her emotions. Fear became terror, rampaging
through her.
For the first time, her own death became a stark reality. She pictured it. Matt's hands around her neck,
squeezing and squeezing...being unable to fight him except with her frantic thoughts. Her silent screams
for help.
Her fear seemed to calm him. He looked pleased. "I like you this way," he said softly, straightening.
"Helpless."
He moved his hands over her breasts, his touch changing from punishing to coaxing. He brought his
hands to her waist, then curved his fingers around the waistband of her drawstring pants.
"Remember how it used to be between us?" he asked, trailing his fingers across her abdomen, dipping
them lower and dragging the fabric down. Revealing her belly button, then abdomen, the top of her
panties and pubic mound.
He bent and pressed his face to the vee, breathing deeply, making a sound of pleasure. "When we were
together this way?"
Bile rose in her throat. She fought gagging.
"It was so good. Nobody's ever come close to making me feel the way you did. We were meant to be
together."
Get smart, Avery. Play along. Give him what he wants.
There was always a chance. Always.
"Yes," she whispered, voice quaking. "I remember."
"How did we come to this?" he whispered. "You left me. Why?"
"I was young. Stupid." She looked up at him in what she hoped he would take as adoration. "I didn't
know how strong you were. I didn't see your power."
His mouth thinned in fury. "Don't bullshit me. You left. You fucked my brother. You "
"I'm not!" she cried, cutting him off, trying another tack, using his own words against him. "I see it now, I
understand why I left. I thought you were like...that you were going to be like your dad. I love him but
he's not...not strong like you."
Matt stilled. His gaze bored into hers. She pressed on. "You were so brilliant. You sailed through school.
Your SAT scores were perfect and yet...you chose to stay in Cypress Springs and go into law
enforcement. Like your dad. You see why I thought that, Matt?"
He studied her a moment more, then inclined his head in agreement. "I needed to lead. I had a mission."
"I understand that now."
"Dad's weak. He's been a disappointment."
"Unwilling to do what's necessary," she said, making a guess.
"Exactly." He looked at her as if he was the proud parent, she his gifted child. "Too often, his emotions
rule. His heart."
He shook his head sadly. "A leader can't be swayed by emotion. A leader must always keep his focus on
the big picture."
"The cause. In this case, the good of the community."
"Yes." Matt searched her gaze. "Dad was the leader of the original Seven. Did you know that?"
She shook her head.
"He proved too weak to lead. He bowed to pressure from others in the group. Mostly your father."
"My dad?" She struggled to inject just the right amount of surprise and disappointment into her tone.
"Oh yeah, your dad. The great Dr. Phillip Chauvin." Dislike dripped from each word. "He threatened to
go to the Feds. They had crossed the line, he'd claimed."
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