And I jumped.
“Ke nighg-ya,” he said.
What?
My dog yanked out of my grasp and trotted away on the command.
“What are you doing?” I darted forward. “Give me my dog.” And then I called, “Mikhail!”
But I didn’t feel either of them near me now. Where did they go? What was that he said? Was that Russian? Mikhail didn’t know any commands in Russian.
I heard the dog’s collar and tags jingle from a few feet away, and a lump filled my throat.
“That’s a good boy,” I heard Damon coo to him. “He’s smart. He knows who his master is.”
Mikhail went to him?
“Mikhail,” I said. “Mikhail, come here.”
“Now the question is…” Damon continued, and I heard him approach again. “Do I keep him or give him to my father. I haven’t kept a dog as a pet in years. Not sure I have the knack for it.”
My nerves fired. “Give me my dog.”
“You want him back?” he asked, getting closer. “Then beg me.”
“Fuck you!”
He grabbed the back of my neck, fisting my hair. “A dog is a dog and a bitch is a bitch,” he bit out. “Neither of you is very much use to the world, so I don’t care either way.”
I planted my hands on his chest, trying to pull away.
Mikhail.
No.
“Beg me,” Damon taunted. “Beg. Just whisper it. Just say please.”
He couldn’t take my dog from me. What was he going to do to him?
My face started to crack as I thought about Mikhail, and I wouldn’t know where he was or if he was okay. If he was hungry… Would Damon take him away?
Damon kneaded my scalp, still gripping my hair. “Whisper it,” he said, his brea
thing turning ragged. “Whisper it like I did your name the morning they found me in your bed and arrested me, Winter. That’s all I want to hear. A little whisper.”
His hand shook where he held me, and my stomach knotted so hard, I was in pain. Please stop. Don’t do this.
“Killing him would probably be more merciful than giving him to my father,” Damon added. “He’s not good with dogs—”
“Please,” I burst out, a tear falling. “Please just give me the dog back.”
“On your knees,” he ordered.
I closed my eyes.
Goddamn him. He knew exactly what to do. Every time.
I wanted to rip him apart.