Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
We would have had a whirlwind romance for the ages. We were both of an appropriate age, from the same economic and social classes, and although, no, I had not been brought up to be a wife like Amelia had, I was sure for the right partner I could manage staff in the running of a house.
In a year or two, I would have even been open to selling my magazine or hiring a CEO to run the day-to-day so I could stay home while we raised our children.
That alternate reality version of us would have been happy, going on new adventures and exploring the world, even taking our time exploring each other.
The idea of me and him in another life where he guided me with a firm hand in the bedroom, showing me what he liked, exploring different kinks, and finding what worked for me sounded incredible. In that life, maybe his idle threat of tying me naked to a bed would be more exciting than scary. I might have even been open to experimenting with the big tentacle thing he had. Although, I had spent the last few days sore enough just from Marksen’s cock that the idea of anything bigger was a little terrifying.
He stole that opportunity from us.
I would never forgive him for that.
Seeing us together, reflected in the mirror side by side like this, was a twisted perversion of all the things I had hoped for when I was a teenager with her first crush.
I sighed as I rolled my eyes. “I am not allowed to speak to anyone. I am to attend the event as an anonymous guest. Under no circumstances am I allowed to make people aware of who I am or that I am there against my will or I will regret it,” I recited. “Now, where are we going?”
“You will find out soon enough. What happens if you are a bad girl tonight?”
I took a deep breath and glared at him in the mirror while he adjusted his already perfectly straight bow tie.
“If I am a bad girl, then you will pull me out of there, release the photos of me ‘doing coke’”—I curled my fingers in air quotes— “and sucking your cock on the internet. I will be all over Page Six by Monday and be publicly ruined.”
“And...” he prompted.
My cheeks flamed red. I focused on the wall just above his head, refusing to look him in the eye as I added, “And you will strip me down and chain me to a bed and leave me there until you feel like using me.”
“Good girl.” He grabbed my shoulders and spun me around to face him, then kissed my forehead. I hated how that little act of affection set butterflies aflutter in my stomach.
“There is just one thing you are missing.”
“Is it underwear?” I asked with false sweetness. “The courtesans you hired to dress me forgot that part.”
“Courtesans? Is my little princess jealous?” he teased.
“Of the women who got to leave your presence? Extremely,” I deadpanned while moving out of his arms.
He threw his head back and laughed at me.
“Don’t worry. Behave tonight, and it won’t be too much longer. I will be moving to the next phase of my plan shortly, and you might even get to go home … eventually.” He leaned in and whispered in my ear, “But you know you are going to miss the way I make you feel alive when I fuck you.”
I looked at his reflection and said, “I’m sure it won’t take me long to find a better lover, now that I know what I am looking for.”
“And what is that, princess?”
“Anyone but you.”
His jaw clenched before he grabbed my chin, pinching it between two fingers, and tilted my head up to meet his eyes. “You are still missing something, and no, you will not be needing panties tonight.”
I tried to pull my head out of his grip.
“How am I supposed to attend as a guest and have no one recognize me? I am in the papers and magazines all the time. What if someone knows me?”
“They won’t.” He reached behind me and opened the long center drawer in the vanity, pulling out a large velvet box. “Open.”
This was the kind of box that contained expensive jewelry. I was confused. This dress was gold and shimmering. Any jewelry would take away from it, especially with the shimmer in my makeup.
I opened the box to find two stunning masquerade masks. The feminine one was a sheep mask in white with golden trim and diamond accents, and the other, a masculine one, was a black ram with golden horns.
This all seemed so familiar, but I couldn’t place it.
Marksen turned me to face the mirror again and secured the sheep mask to my face, hiding my identity.