Page 16 of Obsession

How was my sleep?

Was the man who’d taken her making small talk while she was still bound to his bed? What, she wondered, was the required etiquette for this bizarre situation?

“Erm, okay, thanks…” She hesitated, knowing what he wanted to hear next and yet reticent to deliver it. Still, she needed him to untie her and let her pee, so perhaps it was better that she placated him—for now, at least. “Sir.”

“Thank you.” His smile grew as he walked closer to the bed. “I appreciate your manners, little girl.”

Little girl.

The peculiar pet name he’d invented for her resonated around the bed as though it meant to mock her. There was nothing especially little about Ella. She was young, fit, and healthy but had curves in all the right places. Even though she was clearly more diminutive than him, the label made no sense. Surely, it was designed only to belittle her further, as though her nudity and fetters hadn’t already done the job.

“I need to pee.”

A memory of the last time she’d made the same plea floated into her mind. On that occasion, Tucker had made her squat in the woods while he’d watched, her toes curling at the excruciating thought. At least the need had persuaded him to cut the binds at her feet. Maybe this time, it would help her get free from the bed.

Her pulse accelerated as she once again dwelled in the luxury of her climax at his hands. The pleasure had been fantastic, but it had likely sent all the wrong messages to her captor. He probably now thought that she wanted more. The muscles between her legs clenched at the idea.

Who am I kidding?

Tucker was magnetizing for all the wrong reasons, and despite her binds, she hadn’t exactly fought off his advances. Her brows knitted briefly as she remembered how her back had arched as his fingers stroked at her clit and pussy. She’d been spread-eagled to the bed then but had woken with her wrist bound at her sides.

He must have moved me as I slept.

Her gaze darted around as an embarrassing blush rose to her cheeks. Tucker had shifted her position as if she was his personal doll. Heaven only knew what else he’d done.

I practically whored myself for him… She pulled in a sharp breath. He must think he can do what he likes.

“Can I please get up and use your facilities, sir?” She made herself meet his eyes that time, all too aware of the crimson heat on her cheeks, yet knowing she had to make her point.

Not only did she genuinely need to relieve herself, but she couldn’t stay there and allow him to do anything else. Whatever fragments of boundaries remained intact between them needed to be reasserted and soon. The sooner she got up from his bed, the better.

“It has been a long time since you went.” His expression was contemplative as he gazed down at her, those blue eyes boring past the blanket covering her as though he was recalling every inch of her body.

“Yes,” she croaked, seemingly pinned to the bed by the weight of his stare. “I do need to go, sir.” It was easier to use his self-imposed title that time, the word not sticking in her throat the way it had before.

What was happening to her? It was awful enough to be handed over by her own father, then trussed up like a piece of meat by the man who’d agreed to take her, but the idea that she might actually relish that man’s attention… that was too much for her to accept.

“Okay.” His brow rose as he gestured behind him. “I’ve prepared a bucket for this exact purpose.”

Her focus flitted in the direction he inferred. A bucket—he had to be fucking kidding.

“Not so impressed with the bathroom facilities, huh?” He chuckled at her apparent dismay. “I thought you might feel that way.”

“I’m not allowed to use the toilet?” The discomfiture growing on her face only intensified the wave of indignity washing over her.

Why was he insisting on treating her so badly? Aside from the misfortune of being Alexander Bennett’s child, what had she ever done to offend him?

“It’s not that.” He took a step in her direction, his gaze still drilling into her mortified face.

“What then?” Her chest rose and fell faster under his watchful stare.

She knew, as well as he did, that there wasn’t a scrap of clothing protecting her beneath his blanket. All he needed to do was jerk it from her body once more, and she’d be all his for the taking. Her clit tingled at the humiliating prospect.

Why is that so hot?

There should be nothing even remotely arousing at being at this lunatic’s mercy, and yet the aftermath of her pleasure remained, fooling her into thinking there might be more to the ordeal than only ropes and denigration.

“You can’t use a toilet because there isn’t one.” His tone softened, as though he was sympathetic to her cause.

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