Page 46 of His Black Onyx

Chapter 22

Nate

The sigh she releases when I remove the rope from between her legs is the sweetest sound I can imagine. It's a divine blend of relief and arousal, the result of a dance between two emotions that appear to reside at polar opposites of the psyche.

I know she's feeling both negative and positive, and she's as confused as she should be. Watching this discovery emerge in a girl never gets old, I'll admit. And while I knew that I'd have to get her this close to me, that I would have to train her in the art of seduction and teach her how to draw a man's interest—I never expected to find such a responsive little nymph hidden inside of her.

A blush creeps across her cheeks when she looks at me, her expression laced with a taste of fury, as it has been ever since last night.

I don't blame her. She's just been punished for the first time, really punished. And as much as she may have suffered because of it, the sensation wasn't all bad. It wasn't pain I chose to use to put her in her place. It was confinement. That and humiliation.

And I'm sure the latter is what hit her the hardest. The shame of being left alone with her lust, not offering her the release she so desperately craved.

"Feeling better?" I ask, continuing to observe her as she cautiously stretches her limbs and makes a move to climb off the bed. The rope left its mark on her skin, painting a pattern of deep red stripes along her upper body and especially the area around her core.

"A little," she says without looking up at me.

She's sitting at the edge of the bed, her tiny feet dangling above the floor while she twists and stretches them, her eyes locked on her toes as if she's seeing them for the very first time.

"I need to go to the bathroom," she whispers shyly, her eyes trailing up to me with a pleading look.

I nod, offering her my hand so she can get up on her feet. "Sure. Let's go."

She disregards my offer and jumps to her feet without my help, instinctively covering her delicious nakedness.

"Like this?" she asks, throwing a petrified look toward the door.

"I'm sure the guys are still sleeping, but you can throw on the ugly sweats if you prefer."

I point toward the pile of grey fabric she left on the floor last night.

Her eyes narrow as she regards the unflattering outfit, but she only hesitates for a moment before she walks over to the pile, sorts the clothing and slips into the sweatpants and hoodie with swift, angry motions.

"It's better than nothing," she murmurs. "But didn't you say I'd get something else to wear eventually?"

She turns, a frown kissing her pretty features. "Or is nude my only other option?"

"Don't be a smart ass," I warn as I approach her. "Or you'll regret it."

She bites her lower lip as if she was biting down on the sassy remark that's dancing on her tongue. A soft mewl escapes her when I grab her by the upper arm, pulling her close to me as we head for the door.

It's still very early in the morning, but it seems that we're not the only ones awake. I hear noises coming from the kitchen as I guide her toward the bathroom, and just as I throw a curious look down the hallway, Mike emerges, offering a nod in lieu of a good morning greeting.

"Got a minute?" he asks, glancing at the girl for a split second. "Alone."

The look on his face tells me that it's serious and I shouldn't put him off, but I'm not sure how I feel about leaving her all by herself.

"You don't trust me," she says, sounding weirdly disappointed. "What do you expect me to do? Climb out the second floor bathroom window and run out into the valley screaming for help?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking," I admit. "Though I would hope you're smarter than that."

She huffs. "Only one way to find out, right?"

I want to spank her sassy little ass for that comment, my hand instinctively and involuntarily curling into a fist with an urge to inflict pain.

"Listen girl, you'll have a bullet in your tight little ass long before you'll be able to leave these premises," Mike hisses from behind my back, pointing at her as he steps forward. "So don't even consider pulling that kind of shit on us because-"

"I think she understands," I interrupt gruffly, lifting my arm to stop Mike from moving any closer toward her. "Right, Onyx?"

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