Page 154 of Double Bucked

I’m one step closer to Claire.

52

CLAIRE

The blade of the knife is cold against my thigh.

The music winds down. Loren slips his hand to my arm. “Don’t you want to see your throne?” he asks.

This is it. I keep my expression neutral.

What did Jade say? Play the game.

“Yes,” I say. “More than anything.”

He takes my hand. He guides me away from the dance floor. All around us, I can feel people staring, watching us as Loren takes me up the winding staircase.

He leads me down the hall to a door with a horseshoe nailed to the front. Without releasing my hand, Loren reaches into his pocket. He takes out a key, unlocks the door, and guides me inside.

It takes me a second to figure out what I’m seeing.

The walls are padded. Thick, green padding. The same padding we use for the horse breeding sheds. There are open shelves and hooks on the walls, which have a variety of objects. Some for pleasure—vibrators, dildos, lube. And some for pain—whips, chains, gags.

There’s only one piece of furniture in the center of the room. It looks almost like a hospital bed, tilted slightly up. It has stirrups to hold a person’s arms and legs in place.

A sick, dark chill slithers up the back of my neck.

“What is this?” I ask. I try to keep my voice light.

Don’t let them see you scared.

Loren smiles. He gestures to it. “Your throne.”

I can’t help but think—what was it like with the other Belleflower Queens?

Is this the point where the fantasy died? Or were they too drugged to even notice the whip curled up and hanging on the wall?

Loren’s hands move to my waist. He pulls me forward.

I put my hands to his shoulders. “Loren—wait. Let’s go back outside.”

“Just try it.” He grins. That wicked, leering grin.

Forcibly, he pulls me over and sits me on the table. He climbs up with me. His mouth finds the side of my face. His breath hits my throat. He grips my ankle, and before I can fight it, he’s already locking my legs into the stirrups, forcing me into place.

Panic surges through my chest. “Wait, wait. Let me look at you.” I clasp my hand over the side of his face. His cheeks are spotted with pink. Exhilaration. Tenderly, I rub my thumb over the side of my face. “My King,” I tell him. I hope he takes the trembling in my voice for admiration and not for fear. With my hand on his face, the watch is close to him. I want his confession, loud and clear, before I kill him. “You did it, didn’t you?”

He cocks his head like a dog. “I did what?”

“My father. You killed him.” His expression crumples, but I quickly add, “You saved me from him. He was…a terrible man. Always had me under his thumb. But you…you killed him, didn’t you? Tell me the truth, and I’ll give you…anything you want.”

A slow, terrible smile curls over his mouth.

“You’re damn right I did. I’d do it again. You should’ve seen him. Lying in bed. Mean old son of a bitch. I held up the gun and blew his head clear off. He tried to keep you away. I couldn’t have that. You’re mine.”

Now it’s my turn to smile. “Loren.”

“Yes?”

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