Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 101988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101988 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Instant regret.
Hollowing remorse.
Henri looked as if I’d poured acid into his heart.
I froze, completely shocked at how far I’d fallen.
How terrible I’d become.
God, if Krish could see me…he’d be so disappointed, so sad.
“Henri, I—” I clawed the grass. I gagged on apologies. Hating that I wanted to give him a thousand, all while he owed me so many in return.
“It’s fine.” He huffed, removing his fingers from inside me. “I deserved that. And you’re right.” His voice turned stark and emotionless. “Loneliness is my cross to bear because I’m not worthy of anything else. You don’t have to curse me with it. I already suffer. Thank you so fucking much for reminding me.”
Arctic darkness wafted from him as he palmed my ass. “This is my fault. I’ve been too soft on you. I’ve let you think you have a say in what I will and will not do. But the truth is, you’ve just reminded me that I can’t be two men at once. I asked you to play along with me. To be mine so I can be yours. But…I see now that only you can make that choice. I can’t make it for you, no matter how much I beg. And so…here is a little lesson.”
Pressing his large palm on my ass, he squeezed me fondly. “You need to decide, little nightmare. A decision that will ensure your life here will be heaven or hell.”
I didn’t want to ask, but the words spilled anyway. “What decision?”
“The decision to play along with me as my wonderfully obedient wife or…be forced to submit as my badly broken slave.”
My heart fluttered. “You wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I?”
The way he said it.
No warmth of before.
No connection.
He’d killed our bond the moment he’d bled me in Victor’s massacred menagerie.
“Henri…don’t.”
“Ten strikes.” His hand suddenly left my ass, rising above his head. “Five to kickstart your deliberation and five to punish you for ever thinking you could manipulate me. Once you’ve screamed and your skin is bright red, you will get on your knees and blow me. If you satisfy me, I’ll grant you one request. I’ll repay you for your obedience, and you’ll learn it isn’t so bad to belong to me. If you play with me, I’ll play with you. We can have more than what the others have. We can have sex, but we can also have closeness, and if I’m perfectly fucking honest—which I always stupidly am with you—that’s the part I want the most. I want to feel connected to you while I hurt you. I want to adore you while I heal you. But if you deny me that closeness, then…maybe you’re right. Maybe my suggestion of monogamy is ridiculous, and I should just revoke my exclusivity over you and give you to the others.”
Before I could reply.
Before I could tell him that he terrified me and not just because of the harm he caused my body—
He struck.
I yelped as he planted a bruising hand on the small of my back to keep me in place, then spanked me hard.
So hard.
Far harder than he spanked me with the book in the library.
That’d been for show.
This was for him.
Only for him.
“Henri—” I scratched at the grass as he struck me again. “Ahhh!” Stinging pain. Five fingers of sting. “Stop it. I get your point. Stop—”
A third swat.
Agony layering upon agony.
A fourth, fifth, sixth in quick succession.
Agony, agony, and…an awful kind of thrill.
Seven.
I screamed.
I couldn’t help it.
I cried out as fire blazed, feeding through my throbbing flesh.
“Henri!” I clawed and mewled, trying so damn hard to get away. But he kept me wedged on the grass, my back locked in place, my hips exactly where he wanted them.
“Christ, you look incredible with my mark on you.”
Eight.
I gasped.
Grunted.
My insides trembled.
Clit ached.
Nine.
“It’s like a brand. My own brand. A bright red stamp that you belong to me.”
I groaned and moaned, grass sticking to my lips and sweaty skin.
Every cell forsook me, turning hot and heavy.
But I didn’t cry.
Didn’t even have the urge.
I choked back the fiery flush.
I grasped onto merciless revenge.
And when the final strike landed, and Henri stumbled back to the lounger…
As he spread his legs, and dragged me between them…
As he stroked my cheek like he loved me then positioned me like his whore…
I knew exactly what I would do.
I gathered all the wrongness, all the lewdness and…used it to break him.
He wanted to play Master and slave?
Fine.
Let’s play.
Sucking in a deep breath, taming my out-of-control panting, I wrapped my fingers around the thick base of him.
I looked up.
His gaze flared with mistrust.
His hand hovered as if to grab my wrist.
I squeezed—
“Fuck.” His voice mimicked a thunderstorm. “Behave, little nightmare. Suck my cock like a good little jewel—without teeth—swallow every drop that I feed you, and then…I’ll reward you.”
His voice stroked the greed in my blood.