Page 28 of Queen Of WildCards

Tookher damn time joining me, this one.Iwasn't usually an impatient man, but the doc pushed even my buttons.Whenshe finally came to stand before me, she spun and faced the wall with the sex tapestry hanging on it.

Havea little fun,Joker.

Igrabbed a decorative knife from my dresser and flipped the blade open, but beforeIplaced it in the small space between her wrists,Ilet my free hand move to her neck, gripping it loosely, holding her in place.

"BeforeIdo this, let's go over the rules, shall we?"Ibrought my blade up and twisted it so the light glinted off the cool metal blade. "Ifyou try to run, try to fight, try anything but whatIgive you permission to do,I'lltie you up and hand you off toSpade.Andhe's downright mean with a blade."Mylips moved against the shell of her ear asIleaned in and smiled. "Consideringyou've stabbed him already,Idoubt he'd show you mercy, either."

Shewent stiff beside me, her spine rigid. "Iwon't run," she declared as if the very thought were beneath her. "Now, can you take these off?"

Iran my blade down the dip in her spine, pressing just hard enough for her to feel it through that sheer top of hers that still teased my eyeballs.Theblade came to a stop when it encountered the waistband of her skirt, and she let out a low whine whenIpulled it further down, to her wrists.

"Holdstill.Thisthing is sharp."

Theties came apart with a clean swipe of the blade, and she immediately yanked her hands in front of her, rubbing the ache away from her wrists.

Iwatched her shuffle off to the bathroom without so much as a thank you.Whenthe door closed quietly behind her,Idecided covering the temptation might be a good move, soIrummaged in mylost and foundfrom one night stands and managed to put together a pair of sleep shorts and a t-shirt that would no doubt be too large for her frame.Still, it was better than nothing, and she'd be more comfortable.

Itwasn't the guilt talking.

Orwas it?

Afterall,Iwas the one to blame for her kidnapping, her forced captivity, and her imminent survival or death, depending on which wayAce'spendulum swung.Startto finish, ifIhad just kept my mouth shut, ifI'dnever gone to that bar, she'd probably be off in her little apartment, tending to her cats and minding her own business.

She'dhave a future ahead of her.

Waterkicked on in the bathroom, the sink, from the sound of it.Isat on the edge of my bed and stared blankly at that door until it finally opened, and she walked back out.

Herface, once covered in black makeup to match her outfit, was now washed clean, and she looked just likeIremembered from the video call.

"Cass."

Fuck, she sounded so much better in person.

"Cass?"

Ieyed her from head to toe, drinking in every inch of skin showing in the peepholes of her stockings.Theway her skin pushed against the restraint, especially on her thighs—

"Joker!"

Thatgot through to me, andIshook off the dazed thirty-yard stareI'dbeen wearing, putting on a mask of indifference once again. "I'vegot spare clothes you can wear if you want—"

"Nah,I'mgood, thanks," she rushed out, her eyes averted from me, staring intently at the door to the hallway. "Yougonna put me back in the cage?"

"Depends,"Isaid flippantly, "on whether or not you plan to behave."Ilooked her up and down once more, for good measure, and to unsettle her, as she'd unsettled me. "Youlook like the type of girl that tends to become a problem for men."

Hersmirk shot straight through to my heart and made my cock twitch behind these flimsy sweats.Ithink she did it on purpose, too.

"Dependson the men you ask," she teased, moving to stand directly in front of me.

"Thatsounds like a challenge, beautiful,"Igrowled, leaning in until our faces were but an inch away. "AndIlike challenges."

CHAPTERTHIRTEEN

MALLORY

Abathroom break, a face scrub, and five minutes of humanity really did the body good.Ifelt like a human again, not an animal, andIwould be damned ifIdid anything to encourage them to cage me again.

Ortie me up.

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