Chapter 9 · Collar Tight

"Don't you fucking lock me!" His thumb was already on the sync behind my ear and my whole body shorted out.

"Too late, love." Silas didn't even look sorry about it. He just pressed harder. "You were screaming in your sleep. In your own voice. Telling yourself to run from me."

I tried to swing. My arm didn't listen. The new chip he'd slipped under my skin last night was hot, buzzing, syncing with the collar like they were talking without me.

"Get your hand off me," I spat. My voice came out thin. Shaky. I hated that.

"No." He tilted my chin up with his other hand. Close. Too close. I could feel his breath, smell the clean, cold scent of him, feel the heat coming off his shirt. "You want to know what you said? Word for word?"

"I don't care what your toy recorded."

"You said, 'Don't let him make you forget again.'" His eyes locked on mine. Grey and absolutely still. "Again, Hera. So tell me. How many times have I had to make you forget?"

My stomach dropped. "You're lying."

"Am I?" He finally let go of the sync, but he didn't step back.