Page 16 of His Black Onyx

I cry out when he twists my nipple again harshly between his fingers.

"Because I say so," he hisses. "And if you defy me or question me again, you'll be in a lot more trouble than you are already. Understand?"

I hurry to nod, blinking as more hot tears start streaming down my face. He lets go of my nipple. I sigh in relief, but find myself bewildered at the way my heart continues throbbing even after he moves away from me.

There it is again. That weird feeling I had before, when his hand closed around my throat.

I remain in that confused state as I watch him untie my ankles. He casts me a menacing look, a silent warning not to test him. The thought of kicking him in the face has occurred to me, but I know it would only aggravate an already hostile situation. The same goes for attempting to run away. How far would I even get? Would I even reach the door before he caught me?

I suddenly wonder if my friend Liliane contemplated the same things when she first woke up in that basement cell? Is this the same type of thing she went through? I chose not to learn about that part of her ordeal, but right now I regret not knowing about it. Maybe if I did, it would somehow help me now. Maybe I would know what to do, what to think, how to feel?

"Get up!” he orders tersely.

He takes a step back from the bed, beckoning me with a wave of his hand to emphasize his demand.

I glare up at him, hesitating for a split second before obeying his order, my lips pressed into a thin line. Awkwardly I rise off the bed. The wooden floor is surprisingly cold on my naked feet, and I start shivering. Standing next to him, I’m self-conscious of my dress that still hangs low on my hips, only held up by my tied hands. My tits remain exposed to the icy air of the room—and his expressionless but penetrating gaze. My arms twitch with the need to cover myself, but his strict scrutiny prevents me from acting on the impulse.

He's towering before me, his stance somehow even more domineering than it was before. He must be at least a head taller than me.

I sway away when he bends down in my direction, lifting a finger in front of my face.

"No funny business," he warns. "You scream, I'll gag you. You try to run, I'll beat the shit out of you. Understand?"

I nod, swallowing thickly and my heart hammering as I tense up, holding back a fresh wave of tears.

"It's no use anyway," he adds absently. "No one would hear you. And there's no one out there who'd help you anyway. So don't do something you will regret."

"Yes."

My voice is weak, but I force my spirit to remain unwavering.

I can't let fear win.

I can't let fear win.

He reaches for the rope around my wrists, yanking at it and forcing me to stumble forward as we head for the door.

---