Page 36 of Savage Games

But he hadn’t said that… he said that no one would come near me ever again. As I knew too well, whatever Richard said… he meant.

Thinking back on the isolation of his estate, when he had me truly believing I was in the Victorian era with no access to any form of communication, friends, or help, I now wondered what an extreme version of that would be… and if I would survive.

“It was probably just a prank. I overreacted,” I stammered, trying to placate him.

Richard shook his head slowly. “No. It was a mistake allowing you to return to the modern world. One I won’t make again. You were happier without all its noise and corrupting influences around you. You were safer.”

My heart beat so fast I thought I would faint. It was happening again. This was how it began the last time, Richard taking over and dominating my life… and me letting him. Soon, once more, I would be so far down the rabbit hole I wouldn’t be able to remember what was and wasn’t real. Once more, my only reality would be him and the kaleidoscope of pleasure and pain he forced me to endure each day.

“Richard, I…”

“Shh…” murmured Richard against my lips. “You’re tired. We’ll talk about this more later.”

Somehow I knew there would be no further discussion, Richard had made up his mind.

Wrapped in a plush robe, my legs were curled up on the seat as I sat at a small round table inside the lounge area of our bedroom suite while bleary-eyed servants, no doubt roused from their beds, brought in one decadent dish after another. Raising the cloche off the dinner plate in front of me, the servant said something in French that I didn’t understand, but I knew the look of my favorite dish from Aqua Shard: Barbary duck breast with apricot ravioli.

Richard nodded his approval to the staff before picking up his fork and knife and cutting into his own succulent duck breast.

“How in the world?” I asked, giving him a confused look.

Richard shrugged. “I promised you your favorite dish prepared by the chef of Aqua Shard.”

It was an outrageously thoughtful gesture. The man had flown the chef over from London in the middle of the night just so I could have a dish I liked. It was also a gesture of his power and control over everyone and everything. As he liked to remind me, he got whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it, no matter the cost.

After choking down a few bites of food, I told Richard I was tired and would like to go to bed. Brushing his mouth with his linen napkin, he rose and led the way toward two wooden doors, pushing them both open. He stepped aside and gestured for me to enter.

In keeping with the cobalt blue and gold theme of the bathroom, the bedroom was similarly furnished, but the only thing that caught my eye was the contraption to the right of the bed.

My steps faltered.

“Please, no,” I protested weakly as I raised pleading eyes to Richard.

CHAPTER 13

RICHARD

She looked so beautiful when she begged.

Her emerald eyes sparkled as her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. Raising my arm, I stroked her cheek with the back of my knuckle, catching her tears.

“I’ll be a good girl. I promise,” she whispered, her lips trembling.

I caressed her soft curls as I chastened, “You’ve said that before, but I think we both know my sweet little bird likes to lie.”

Taking her hand, I led her across the room.

Elizabeth struggled, digging her heels into the plush carpet as she pulled on my grasp. “No! Don’t make me, Richard. Please!” she cried.

As her body tried to fight mine, the large plush robe became dislodged and slipped over her shoulders to catch on her bent elbows. Her full breasts bounced and swayed as she turned and twisted her body, trying vainly to escape from me.

“Enough,” I roared.

Elizabeth immediately stilled, her eyes large with fear.

The only sound in the bedroom was her whimpers.

Taking a deep breath, I reined in my temper. It was essential I remained calm and in control, otherwise I might truly hurt her. If I let my rage at her attempt to leave me get the better of me. If I let my white-hot anger loose at the thought she had put herself in danger by recklessly trying to leave the country… to leave my protection, I might go too far. I might scar her pale creamy skin, or worse.

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