Page 62 of Sinful

My cock twitched with pleasure as I recalled the look of confusion and fear on her pretty face when I revealed my true nature to her. She didn’t want to believe it. Almostcouldn’tbelieve it. Even now, part of her probably still didn’t fully believe it, but she would soon enough. The second I had my belt wrapped around her neck and my cock down her throat, she’d finally comprehend it.

I returned to the house, grabbed a bag, and made my way down to the bunker. When I made it to Rose’s cage, my brows shot up, and an impressed grin spread across my face. She’d used the chalk I gave her to draw an enormous circle around herself. It was filled with elaborate runes, and she’d even sprinkled salt all around it, taken from the small packet I left on her food tray.

“Wow,” I said in a pleasant tone, stepping right up to the glass. She was standing proudly in the center of the circle, chin lifted high. The blanket was still wrapped around her to hide her nudity. “Very innovative, Rose. Also completely ineffective.”

I pressed my keycard on the lock, and a green light flashed before the latch released with a soft hiss. I pushed the door open, stalked inside, and stepped right over the edge of the chalk and salt circle.

Rose’s eyes widened with shock, prideful gleam instantly vanishing, and she skittered backward. She dropped the blanket in the process and tripped on one edge, almost falling until I roughly grabbed her arm to steady her. I used my free hand to seize her jaw, forcing her to look into my eyes.

“You see? Your god isn’t here. Only me,” I growled. “I’m your god now, Rose. You’remine.”

16

Rose

My heart was racing so fastthat I felt as if it might burst right out of my chest. Sebastian shouldn’t have been able to make it past the protection circle if he had evil intentions or was in the employ of a dark spirit. That meant he hadgoodintentions. But he so clearly didn’t, andthatmeant the protection circle didn’t really work.

I didn’t even want to think about the ramifications of that.

“Do you understand me?” Sebastian said, eyes gleaming with malice. “You understand that you’re mine?”

I squirmed in his grip. “No.”

“I thought you’d say that.” He dropped his hand from my jaw and lifted the black bag held by his free hand. “So I bought some educational devices.”

I swallowed thickly, backing away. “What does that mean?”

A laconic smile curved up his lips. “We’re reversing the roles today, sweetheart. I’m the teacher and you’re my student,” he said. “Actually sounds kinda fun, doesn’t it?”

I folded my arms. “You’re a horrible, foolish man,” I muttered.

“You won’t be talking to me like that pretty soon.” He crouched and opened the bag, retrieving a strange-looking strip of fabric with a small black box attached to the middle of it. “Know what this is?”

I sullenly shook my head. “No.”

“It’s a collar for animal training. To be honest, I don’t actually approve of these things being used on animals. But people are different. I don’t like them much. Idolike hurting them, though.” He tilted his head. “You at least know what a collar is, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, this is a very special one.” A cruel smirk played on his lips. “Stay still. I’m putting it on you.”

I knew better than to argue or try to struggle. He was a foot taller than me and at least ten times stronger. If he wanted the collar on me, it was going on me. End of story.

I stood rooted to the spot, trembling as he wrapped it around my throat and attached the ends at the nape of my neck. When he was finished, he pulled back and retrieved a small black device from his jacket pocket.

“This is the controller,” he said, dangling it in my face. “If you piss me off or break a rule, I click the button, and the collar zaps you.”

“Zaps me?”

“Electricity. Like that boundary fence you have around your land.”

“I don’t believe you.” I slowly shook my head, certain he was just trying to frighten me. “Surely no one could be so cruel to invent such a device. For animalsorpeople.”

He regarded me stonily. “Here’s the thing, Rosebud. You were right about the outside world. It’s a dangerous place, filled with terrible people who do terrible things. Humans have been dreaming up new ways to hurt, torture, and kill each other forcenturies,” he said. “But your own little corner of the world isn’t much better, is it?”

“Alderwood is paradise.”

“Sure.” The cruel smirk was back. “Anyway, first things first. From now on, you will address me as Master.”

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