Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66062 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 330(@200wpm)___ 264(@250wpm)___ 220(@300wpm)
Aiden didn’t want to go yet. He wanted to stay. He wanted—needed—to learn more about this man, because… “know thy enemy” and all that. “That wouldn’t be very fair, would it? When I’m just following your orders and trying to learn stuff about your brother in order to become the perfect little sex pet of his dreams?”
“Five seconds now. And stop saying those words.”
“But I’m being cooperative here! Hey!”
He was hauled off the bed and unceremoniously dropped on the floor of the corridor again.
“Ouch! My butt hurts,” Aiden complained, rubbing his abused ass and scowling up at Zain.
The bastard gave him an unimpressed look, somehow managing to look impossibly superior despite wearing only a pair of black boxers, his dark hair rumpled from sleep. “Say thank you.”
Tearing his envious gaze from his tall, powerful body, Aiden blinked up at him, utterly confused. “What?”
Dark eyebrows lifted slightly. “I don’t make empty threats. If you were still in my room, I would have been forced to follow through and lock you up again. So say thank you.”
Spluttering indignantly, Aiden choked out, “You insufferable ass—”
“I’m still not hearing a thank you.” Zain’s eyes narrowed in contemplation. He made a mock-thoughtful sound—or at least it seemed mocking to Aiden. “Come to think of it, a mere thank you wouldn’t be enough. We can’t have you showing this attitude with Gadiel. He’s far less thick-skinned than I am. From now on, you will watch your tone. Insults will not be tolerated. You will address me respectfully. Remember your place.”
Rage filled Aiden’s chest.
“And what is my place, Your Highness?” he bit out, glaring at the floor resentfully.
Zain put a finger under Aiden’s chin and tipped it up.
The contact made Aiden shiver violently. Was it revulsion? Maybe it was the rage. Either way, he couldn’t breathe. He wanted to squirm away from the contact, his skin burning where the other man was touching him.
“You don’t have one,” Zain said softly, his eyes boring a hole in his face. “You will be whatever I want you to be.”
Aiden shook his head dazedly. He was trembling, his ears were ringing, and his head felt floaty and weird.
“Right,” he croaked out. “Because I’m a lowly slave and you’re my owner.” His tone was supposed to be sardonic, but he missed the mark by a mile.
Silence fell—and it felt a little weird. A little off. A little something.
“That’s ridiculous,” Zain said, his voice low and rough. His eyes seemed black. Were they not brown? “I told you you weren’t a slave. Much less mine.”
Aiden moistened his lips with his tongue. They felt dry. Parched.
“Go,” Zain said, letting go of his chin and stepping back. “Return to bed—your own bed. If you disturb my sleep again, you will regret it.”
Aiden stumbled to his feet and strode away, a hot feeling twisting his stomach into a knot.
He told himself it was hatred, but there was a weird edge to it.
Something he couldn’t put his finger on.
Chapter Seven
After that night, something changed. Or maybe it was all in Aiden’s head.
That mocking owner shouldn’t have changed anything, but the word, once said, seemed to be constantly present in the room with them, like a giant pink elephant impossible to ignore.
Owner.
Owner owner owner.
Aiden now felt very self-conscious, acutely aware that Zain owned him. This man really could do anything to him. He’d known that already—rationally—but the owner somehow had made it so much more real.
“Gadiel wants to meet up with you,” Zain said, breaking the silence that had fallen ever since Aiden came to the dining room.
Aiden looked up—met the chocolate-brown, piercing gaze—and swallowed. “He’s coming?” His voice came out more high-pitched than he would have liked.
“No,” Zain said. “He wants to meet you on neutral ground.” His lips curled slightly, his eyes glimmering with wry amusement. “He said he wants you to feel comfortable in his presence when you talk.”
“So he does have some human decency,” Aiden said.
Zain took a sip of his coffee. “Don’t be naive. It basically means that he’s accepting my conditions but wants to assuage his conscience first. To pat himself on the back for being a good person.”
“Have you always been such a cynic?” Aiden said, even though he couldn’t say he disagreed with him this time. If Gadiel truly were a good person, he would refuse to use a person who had been bought for him, period.
“I’m not a cynic,” Zain said. “I’m a realist.”
Scoffing, Aiden rolled his eyes. “So, you’re taking me to Dubai?” His heart sped up at the thought. Dubai meant a chance to escape.
“Yes. But don’t get too excited.” Zain looked at him steadily. “I’ll keep an eye on you, always.”
Aiden’s stomach clenched, that weird self-consciousness making itself known again. Owner.
“What, you’re going to be the third wheel?” he said, clearing his throat a little and chuckling. “That would be a tad awkward, wouldn’t it?”