Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 104165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
I love you, Domhn, she used to throw her arms around me and whisper. Swear we’ll run away together? Just you and Moira and me. Her sweet voice in my ear and the scent of her jasmine perfume drugging all my other senses. I’ll love you forever.
I was such a stupid, obvious, unloved little piece of shit, she and her paps probably scouted me a mile off. The memory creates such a sharp, painful ache, I want to run my fingers through her hair all right. And then yank her head back to demand answers. Will she cry prettily for me? Her uncertain hazel eyes flicker back and forth to check out her surroundings, giving her a Bambi look. I’ll so delight in making the mascara run down her cheeks.
Yes, Moira and I had to flee our home country because of Mads but her betrayal goes so much deeper.
I know. I saw last night. Oh god, Domhnall. I saw.
I turn away so she doesn’t see the gut-churning rage on my face. I slip into a nearby room, and when I come back out, I have a black silk blindfold in hand.
Finally, fate has smiled on me by allowing this foolish woman to dare show her face to me again. I always knew one day I’d find her. I never expected her to surprise me, but oh, how I’ve waited for this.
Finally, I’m going to take back the power she and her father stole from me.
“I’m going to put this around your eyes now and lead you into the bedroom,” I say, offering one of my gentlemanly smiles out of my suitcase of facades.
I’m very handsome, I know. It disarms her.
Does she think I’ve bought her ludicrous amnesia story? Or does she know I know we’re back to our old chess games and just think she has the upper hand because she always used to be able to lead me around by my dick?
Her eyes flick to mine uncertainly, but she stands still as I slip the blindfold over her eyes. Only once she can’t see me do I allow myself to really smile. With all my teeth like the wolf I am.
Then I open the door wide and lead her inside to my room with assorted whips, cuffs, chains, and cages.
SIX
BROOKE
The blindfold is so snug and thick, I can’t see a thing.
My heartbeat is loud in my ears, at least until the man I’m with flips on a stereo system. Music fills the space with a slow, sensuous beat.
And the elevator went down to a basement. I’m pretty sure, anyway, because there weren’t any windows.
Could anyone hear if I screamed? Should I try to scream now? For help?
Or is the music meant to cover the sound in case he makes me scream in a different way? Is he interested in my pleasure… or pain? I tremble, suddenly afraid I’ve been the stupidest, stupidest girl on the entire planet. Moira was nice, sure. But she’s naïve and the auction could have had more dangerous bidders than she knew.
Fuck. Fuck, what have I gotten myself into? I try to lift my hands to take the blindfold off, but he catches them and kisses my palms gently.
It reassures me but doesn’t stop my hammering heart.
“Are you going to hurt me?” I ask, trembling.
He tugs me forwards. “Sit,” he says in his deep voice, taking my hips and directing me to sit on a soft mattress. “Don’t take off your blindfold or I’ll have to punish you.”
“Punish me?” I squeak.
“Yes,” is all he says.
His hands slide down my thighs to my knees, then sensuously to my calves, and finally to my ankles, where he begins to untie my shoes. I shiver, at the same time I’m calmed by his gentle touch. Even though he just talked about punishing me.
But I wasn’t lying earlier when I said something in me seemed to recognize him. He says he doesn’t know me, so is this what people mean when they talk about trusting their gut? My gut says he’s a safe person. It’s why I got in the car. But maybe it was this kind of thinking that got me in an alley with a pipe or whatever to the head in the first place.
“You never answered me,” I whisper. “About whether you’re going to hurt me or not.”
His hands massage my foot and back up to my calf. “Did Moira explain about a safe word?”
“Yes,” I hurry to say. “Red. My safe word is red. I saw a woman use it at the club when we visited.”
“Good,” he murmurs, low and reassuring. “If anything gets to be too much for you, all you have to say is your safe word and I’ll stop touching you.”
I breathe out in relief, then double check, “No matter what?”
“No matter what.”