Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 458(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
I needed her to stew in her emotions, let her anger simmer a little, and give myself a chance to cool off because I really, really wanted to fuck her and knew if I didn’t leave, I would’ve done just that.
Briefly, she glances up at me before turning her head away.
I sit down on the side of the bed and set the tray down between us. Breaking off a piece of blueberry waffle, I hold it out in front of her face.
“Time to eat.”
“Untie me then,” she says while still looking away.
“No, I’m feeding you.”
“I’m not hungry, then.”
“I’m not untying you any time soon. You will let me feed you, or you will not eat at all.” I swear she is pushing every one of my buttons just to see if I’ll snap again.
She shakes her head but still doesn’t look at me directly. “You are sick, you know that, right? That there is something seriously wrong with you?”
“There is something wrong with all of us. Now, are you going to eat, or do you need some more time to calm down?”
“I need to use the bathroom.”
Sighing, I shake my head and get out the key to uncuff her.
When her hands are free, she rubs at her red wrists and scurries off the bed, disappearing into the bathroom. She slams the door shut behind her like an angry teenager, and I can’t help but smile at the notion.
She returns a few minutes later, and I have to look away because she’s naked, and it’s doing shit to my head again. I’ve reached my limit today, and all we’re doing now is toeing the line. If I snap again, I’ll take her like an animal.
“Can I at least put some clothes on?”
“Suit yourself,” I motion to the closet.
“I would choose something comfortable if I was you. You’ll be tied up to the bed for a while,” I call after her.
“Of course, I will,” she mocks under her breath while stomping through the room.
She returns dressed in a pair of yoga pants and an oversized shirt that falls off one shoulder. I can still see her pebbled nipples pressing against the fabric, but at least her pussy is covered now.
“Ready to eat?” I ask, cuffing her back to the bed.
Now that I’m closer, I can see that her eyes are red, the skin around them puffy, letting me know she hasn’t stopped crying. I try to ignore the emotion that rises up in me, seeing her like that. She betrayed me, so why is she crying? Because she got caught?
I know what I did shocked her because it shocked me too, but I didn’t hurt her. I didn’t take more than she could give me, and she never asked me to stop. She was afraid, hesitant, but even as angry as she was, she still wanted it, wanted me to take it from her. The reality of that tells me some part of her trusts me, and I hold onto that fact with both hands.
“I can feed myself,” she hisses like a kitten.
“I know you can, but you won’t. I told you, I’m feeding you, or you’ll get no food at all.”
Determination shines in her eyes. “I’d rather starve than let you feed me.”
Two can play this game, the question is, how long can she keep it up?
“Then that’s what it’s going to be.” I smile bitterly, hating that it’s come to this.
Grabbing the tray, I exit the bedroom, not even giving her a second glance. In the hall, I just stand there, staring at the wooden door. I’m tempted to go back inside the room and shove the food down her throat, but she’s made her choice, wanting to do things the hard way. So, we’ll do it her way.
Walking back downstairs, I enter the kitchen and place the tray on the island. Marie doesn’t look up from whatever she is preparing, but I can see her watching me out of the corner of her eye. I can’t imagine what she thinks I’m doing to Elena. Beating her? Raping her? She’ll never ask, no matter how curious or concerned because she’s far too afraid of what might happen if she does. Still, her accusing eyes make me want to lash out at her.
With everything I discovered last night before taking Lev out, and then the shit with Elena, I haven’t had a moment to breathe or think. If I hadn’t returned home when I did, who knows what would have happened? Who would have their hands on her? I would have found her regardless, the tracking device I had implanted in her ring would’ve made it possible, but what if I had been too slow? What if she took the ring off?
The thought of someone else touching her, or hurting her, makes me want to pull my gun and start shooting people. Paint the world red with my enemies’ blood. They’re all coming for me now. Romero made a colossal mistake putting a bounty on my head because if someone hurts me, they’ll hurt Elena too.