Page 13 of Under Her Skin

I mechanically climb from the bed and make myself use the bathroom before climbing under the covers. Despite the horrors of the night, I relish the soft mattress. After spending so long on a hospital bed, this is a luxury. Either way I was violated,

but at least now I have a comfortable place to rest.

The soft mattress reminds me of Cal’s bed, and then horribly, I’m thinking of Cal. The tears come back in full force as I remember how safe I felt with his arms around me. I finally manage to fall asleep as I pretend he’s next to me again.

13

AVA

True to his word, Kiel calls me down for dinner the next day. The soreness between my legs is almost unbearable, but I try to walk normally into the dining room. He remains seated as I walk in, his chair angled toward the door.

He observes me over the rim of his wine glass as I take my seat. I had a lot of time to think earlier today and decided on a course of action. As much as I feel compelled to fight Kiel, I can’t do it successfully right now. I’m better off doing what he says, while scheming in secret. I’ll build his trust so that when I’m ready to move against him, he won’t see it coming. That was my plan, but as I sit across from him, I begin trembling with rage.

“Sleep well?” I nearly lunge across the table. He smirks at me. He knows he’s gotten under my skin. I take a deep breath and plaster a demure smile across my face.

“Yes, actually.” I drop my eyes to my plate as the waitstaff delivers my food. Grabbing my fork, I start shoveling food into my mouth to deter me from giving another snarky remark. I can feel Kiel’s eyes on me, but I do my best to ignore it.

Our utensils scratch against the plates, but otherwise the room is quiet as we eat. I’m hoping to spend the meal in silence, but he seems intent to disrupt whatever fragments of peace I possess.

“Care for wine?” He gestures to my empty glass. I glance at it, but don’t respond, electing to take another bite instead.

“It’s one of my favorites, although I’m generally fond of most Pinot Noirs. It would likely pair well with your meal.” I can feel a wicked response on the tip of my tongue and I gulp down some water to hold it back. “There are strong notes of blackberry and cherry, but I think I’m mostly captivated by the color. Such a dark shade when in the glass, but splattered on the floor, it looks just like blood.” My chest is trembling again. I want to throw his glass of expensive wine across the room.

Kiel slams his hands down on the table and the force of it rattles the dishes. I snap my head toward him. He’s standing, hands braced on the table. “Is that what it takes to get your attention, pretty girl? Violence? Force?” His voice is quiet and dangerous. I shake my head as he hits the table again. “Speak!” He shouts, as if I’m a fucking dog. And like his bitch, I obey.

“I’m sorry. I was just hungry and focused on my food.” The words burn in my mouth as I try to defuse his anger. I want to fight back, even if it means riling him up. I force my hatred back down. His eyes narrow, not buying my excuse in the slightest.

“Come here.” I hesitate, but I don’t make the mistake of refusal again. He sits down again as I slowly walk toward his side of the table. “Much better,” he murmurs as I stand in front of him. He gently grasps my fingertips and pulls me closer so that I’m standing between his legs. “Get on your knees,” he commands.

He is swift to fill the silence when I hesitate. “I could kill you, of course. I’ve grown tired of your attitude. But if that’s not enough to keep you in line, you should know that I could kill Callum instead.” I blanch, and my eyes go wide. Kiel laughs at my expression.

“I may have let him go, but I have my eyes and ears on him at all times. It would only take a simple text for his life to end. Get on your knees, Ava.” Cal may have broken my heart, but I couldn’t live with myself if I was the reason he suffered. I sink to the floor without argument. Kiel pushes back my hair and tilts up my chin with his fingertips.

“You’re so pretty when you submit to me. Now unzip my pants and pull out my cock.” With shaking fingers, I fumble at the closure. I steel myself before pulling his hard length free from his underwear. Just looking at his penis reminds me of the pain from last night, and I consider biting down on him. I briefly wonder what it would take to bite all the way through when he interrupts my mutinous thoughts.

“Open your mouth and suck me off like a good whore.” I glance up at him with pleading eyes. “Or do you want round two of last night?” He whispers, the threat clear. I take him in my mouth. He groans as his tip glides to the back of my throat. Threading his fingers in my hair, he pulls my head up and down. I release him with a loud pop when I hear waitstaff come back into the room.

Kiel grabs my throat and pulls me back toward his crotch. “You will ignore them.” I open my mouth to protest but he angles his dick back into my mouth, cutting me off. “Use your hand,” he commands. I grip his base in my fist. I sense one of his staff members standing next to me as they collect Kiel’s empty plate. Humiliation makes my cheeks burn, but I don’t dare stop.

“That’s it, baby. Show everyone what a good slut you are.” He groans as I

try to remember what Paige taught me about blowjobs. I rationalize that if I make this good for him, it will be over sooner.

I hollow my cheeks and begin bobbing my head in time with my pumping fist. He makes a sound I’ve never heard before and curses.

“You’ve been holding out on me,” he grunts. I know he’s close. I ready myself to swallow, because I already know he won’t accept anything else from me. “That’s it, just like that.” The words are barely out of his mouth before hot, salty streams erupt from his penis. I nearly gag and force my throat to work. As I break away from him this time, I open my mouth and hold out my tongue. He grasps my jaw, the action more gentle now.

“You swallowed all of that?” he asks, sounding mesmerized. I feel like I might have won back some of his favor and am momentarily relieved.

“Yes, sir.” Kiel leans down and kisses me firmly on the lips. It surprises me, making me flinch on instinct. Thankfully, he doesn’t register the response.

“I’m afraid I’ve stayed longer than intended. I have business to attend to, so I trust that you can see yourself back to your room?” The question is rhetorical while his meaning is clear—go back to your room, or else.

“Of course,” I whisper. He tucks himself back into his pants and is out the door

before I can stand up.

The waitstaff left the room after clearing the table, but I don’t dare stay here any longer than necessary. I adjust my clothes as I walk out of the room. The hallways are surprisingly empty, and I’m soon lost in the corridors of the sprawling estate. There’s no one to ask for directions, so I start peeking into rooms.

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