Chapter 45: It’s Very Effective

It was nothing like my rigid attempt. He took control instantly, his mouth moving over mine with a deep, consuming pressure that completely erased my ability to think.

His tongue parted my lips effortlessly, claiming every inch of space, stealing my breath before I could even gather enough air to react. His grip on my waist tightened, pulling me so hard against his chest that I could feel the violent, irregular drumbeat of his heart against my ribs.

My mind whirred into overdrive, desperately trying to analyze the situation, but my body refused to cooperate.

Just why was it so easy for this guy to overpower me?

Was it because he was an Alpha? Was it because I was trapped in this useless Omega shell? Or was it simply because he knew how to mess with me, driving me out of my mind even after knowing full well what he’d done wrong? Was this the suffocating reality of the dynamic—the absolute, unavoidable hierarchy problem?

It vexed me regardless.

I hated the overwhelming heat radiating off his body, I hated the way his scent completely flooded my senses, and above all, I hated how effortlessly he reduced all my assassin instincts to useless static.

I tried to plant my hands against his chest to shove him back, but he caught my wrist without breaking the connection, pinning it against his heart. I struggled, but to no avail.

He deepened the seal, his purple eyes burning into mine from a hair’s breadth away, utterly intoxicated by my resistance.

If this was his idea of showing me how to ’suffocate’ someone properly, he was doing a terrifyingly thorough job. My knees felt dangerously weak, my lungs burned for oxygen, and every single warning signal in my brain was screaming at me that I was being completely, systematically undone.

The moment he finally released my lips, he leaned back just an inch and casually licked the corner of my mouth like an unhinged, satisfied dog.

"You were right," he murmured, his breath still coming in warm, shallow hitches against my cheek. "It’s very effective."

I stood there, pinned against his body, my chest heaving as my lungs fought to reclaim every lost molecule of air.

In my past life, I had been tortured in different ways. I was an assassin trained with blood until I mended with the shadows, and I was very confident when I said there was no torture method I had not experienced—from bone-breaking pressures to toxic nerve agents. And yet... this.

This absurd, suffocating method that sent a violent shockwave through my entire body, sending my pulse hammering against my ribs at a terrifying speed... this was a complete first.

I stared into his sleepy, unhinged purple eyes, my lips still burning and my mind a completely chaotic wreck. I didn’t know whether to thank Benjamin for introducing me to a weapon that could immobilize my senses so thoroughly, or if I should just kill him where he stood for daring to test it on me.

I raised my sleeve and forcefully wiped my mouth, scrubbing away any trace of his touch. "You can kiss your vault goodbye."

Benjamin didn’t even flinch. Instead, he pouted slightly, leaning back against the wall with an utterly shameless grin. "Aww, don’t be like that. Will you forgive me just this once again? I’ll definitely apologize."

I stared at him with a deadpan expression, my eyes completely devoid of warmth.

What was the point of an apology if he was just going to keep doing this over and over? He said the words, but his actions remained completely unhinged. Until I found a way to resist this absurd, body-numbing torture method, I wasn’t safe anywhere near him.

Yet, we had a deal. I needed his resources to build up this weak Omega shell for the tournament. Outmaneuvering him meant staying close, even if it meant walking directly into the wolf’s cave every single day.

I let out a loud, frustrated grunt, dragging a hand down my face.

"Ugghhh... I hate this life."

Benjamin let out a low, rumbling laugh, completely unbothered by my irritation as he casually straightened his posture. "So, about that vault... are we still going, or do you need another lesson in breathing techniques first?"

"Shut up," I snapped flatly, pulling my hood over my eyes. "Just take me to the Casino before I decide to test a lethal method on you instead."

He tittered, but he didn’t push further—he knew when to back down. Still, his fingers lingered near my ear for a beat too long, the heat radiating off his skin burning against mine. I pressed my lips together in a tight, rigid line.

I hate this guy.

The brutal reality was that the more resistance I showed him, the more entertainment he seemed to derive from it. He fed on the friction. If I wanted to survive this dynamic without going insane, I couldn’t let him get into my head. I needed to lock my emotions back down, treat him like an unpredictable asset, and keep my eyes on the objective.

Once we got to the Casino, I’d tell Edgar I forgave him, and head straight home to process this mess in peace, wihtout getting caught by Jayden of course.

"Lead the way," I said, my voice dropping back into its cold, flat baseline as I took a deliberate step back, severing the lingering heat between us.

Benjamin’s shameless grin widened, but to his credit, he dropped his hand and turned toward the exit of the lobby. "As you wish, Brianna."

We walked to the Casino since it was just around the corner. He stuck close to my side like a kid who was scared of getting lost, but I noticed how he clenched his fists from time to time, gritted his teeth and took out his specialized cigarette to smoke and calm his wolf as we walked.

It was certainly noisy on the streets.

When the doors parted, we bypassed the roaring noise of the high-stakes floor and went up directly to Edgar’s office.