"How long do you expect this to last, then?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“It will last until I grow tired of you.”
Those cutting words were designed for nothing less than pure humiliation. They hung in the air between us, a stark reminder of my powerlessness in his world.
For a single, reckless heartbeat, I wanted to scream my defiance at him, but cold, hard logic quickly won out. Crossing Alpha Damien in any meaningful way would be professional and social suicide.
It was time for Plan B: absolute submission.
"I’m so sorry... I spoke completely out of turn." I forced my eyes to glisten, summoning a look of fragility as my lip trembled.
He saw through the performance instantly. "Turning on the waterworks now? When have I ever pretended to be a saint?"
I worried my lower lip b
