Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“Valeria does not.”
Trees was surprised she’d volunteered anything remotely personal. He took it as a good sign. “She’s missing out.”
“I think so, too. But chocolate has always been a rare treat for me.”
If she stopped trying to throw herself into danger at every turn, he would give her plenty more. “Want your next reward?”
She nodded. When he raised a rebuking brow, she corrected herself. “Yes.”
“Good.” He drew her closer and cupped her face, staring straight into her eyes.
Laila’s breath caught. She blinked up at him. The pulse pounded at her neck.
She might be afraid of his intentions, but he aroused her. Trees would bet money on that.
Before he talked himself out of it, he lowered his head and slanted his lips over hers in a soft, lingering press, sinking into the moment. God, he’d been wanting to kiss Laila since he’d set eyes on her again.
After a stiff moment, Laila rose on her tiptoes with a little whimper and clutched his shoulders. Her eyes fluttered shut. Then she kissed him in return.
Clearly, she wasn’t immune to him. He could work with that. And with any luck, they would come out on the other end of this punishment with a new understanding, maybe even a new closeness.
Before he lost himself in her sweetness, he straightened and took her hand. “Follow me.”
She didn’t look convinced that whatever he had in mind was a good idea, but she offered no resistance.
Until he laid her on a padded table with a dangling cuff at each corner.
Her eyes went saucer wide. “What are you doing?”
“Starting your punishment.” By the time he’d answered her, he’d secured one of her wrists in the attached cuff above her head. She tried to retract the other, but it was too late. Trees held firm, extending her arm until it stretched to the restraint above. He secured it with a quiet click.
“Why are you tying me down? What are you doing to me?” A note of panic wound through her voice.
“You’ve spent time in this room. I’ve told you I’m a Dominant. Nothing that’s happening now should be a huge surprise.”
Her face told him she screwed up her courage. “You cannot break me. Many times, I have endured the worst at others’ hands.”
Wouldn’t she be surprised to realize she’d never endured anything like this and she had no way to fight him?
He caressed his way down her body slowly—shoulder, breast, abdomen, thigh—letting her feel every touch of his rough fingertips and broad palm. “Then you have nothing to fear, little one.”
As she met his stare with defiance, he grabbed her ankle and fastened the cuff around it. Fresh shock spread across her face.
When she bucked and kicked, he merely stepped back, crossed his arms over his chest, and waited until she gave him her full attention. “This isn’t how you earn more rewards.”
“I will give up chocolate.”
“That’s not the reward you’re going to want, Laila,” he promised in a dark, silky voice. “Give me your foot.”
“No.”
“Give. Me. Your. Foot. Now. Or there won’t be rewards of any kind, no matter how much you beg me. If you comply, you’ll find I can be very generous. If not…” He let her infer that the result would be deeply unpleasant. “But like I said, what happens is up to you.”
She looked so heartbreakingly unsure. Not for the first time, he questioned this tactic, but he’d tried every other fucking way to get her to understand that he was on her side. If he had to be underhanded to make her stop risking herself, he would. It was better than her ending up dead.
“Laila, when have I ever hurt you?” He gave her a moment to work that out in her head.
“Never, but—”
“No buts. Never.”
“Then why restrain me?”
“Because you have a nasty habit of running away. This way, I can be sure you’re here and focused on the conversation we need to have. I’m going to ask questions and you’re going to give me honest answers. Right after you give me your foot.” He held out his hand, palm up, inches from her toes. “If you don’t, we’ll move straight into punishment.”
Slowly, Laila slid her last free limb in his direction, looking nervous as hell. He took hold of her ankle and secured her with the padded cuff.
“Good,” he praised, brushing a gentle hand up her leg. “Anything feel too tight? Too uncomfortable?”
“No.”
He reached under the table to tilt it, angling her feet toward the ground. Then he grabbed the rolling stool behind him and plopped down, parking himself in front of her. Then he adjusted the height until he sat eye level with her pussy. With a smile, he swiped a soft thumb over her cleft.
Her breath caught.
“Your pussy is swollen.” He petted her again, trailing kisses up her thigh. “This is the very last time I’m going to ask you. Is your pussy sore from my spankings?”