Page 373 of Rage

He is closer than I thought because I only move a few inches, and I’m close enough to feel his body heat.

I shouldn’t, but I can’t help myself. Moving the last couple of inches, I find myself pressed against his side. The heat of his body resonates through me, and I bite back a sigh.

Now that I’m warming up a little, my courage starts to build, and the exhaustion fades a bit. No matter what, I can’t fall asleep here. I have to escape, find a way out.

The minutes tick by at a snail’s pace, but Emmett’s breathing finally evens out enough that I’m certain he is asleep. I have no idea where I’ll go once I’m out of this room, but I’ll figure that out later.

I shift against the silk sheets, like I’m rolling over in my sleep. My heart hammers against my ribs, the fear mounting deep in my gut.

What if he wakes up? What if I can’t escape the room?The questions compile, and before I let myself wallow in the fear of what-ifs, I scoot closer to the edge of the bed.

I’m teetering, a breath of an inch away, when I finally do it. I roll out of bed and onto my feet, the mattress dipping ever so slightly as my weight shifts off it.

Once on my feet, I pause for a moment, my breath escaping me like I’ve run a mile. Emmett remains sleeping, his eyes closed; his gorgeous features appear almost serene.

Like a mouse trying to escape a mousetrap, I back away slowly, my steps small and quiet. Every few seconds, I look over my shoulder to check if he is still sleeping. By the time I make it to the door, the bed seems like it’s a million miles away.

Air escapes my lungs as I take the brass knob into my hand and twist it. It’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Peering overmy shoulder one last time, I see Emmett sitting up in the bed, and the invisible rope around my neck tightens.

“Did you really think escaping me would be that easy?”

His voice sends a shiver down my spine, and instead of doing the sensible thing, I do the only thing that makes sense in my mind: I run.

I’ve barely made it over the threshold when I hear his heavy footfalls behind me. Each step forces me to move faster, my muscles burning as my fight or flight instincts kick in.

One step, two steps… I can do this. I panic at the last moment, trying to decide which way to turn in the dark hallway, giving me a poor sense of direction. It’s that indecision that gets me caught.

The air swooshes out of my lungs as a thick, muscled arm wraps around my middle. A scream rips from my throat, and I’m hauled backward against what could be considered a wall of steel.

His hard muscles press against my backside as he lifts me up and carries me back to where I ran from. “There is no escaping me, Gwen. No fighting this. You’re my wife, and it’s time I made good on that transaction.”

Every word rumbles out of his chest and into me as I struggle against his grasp, my legs flailing and my fists forced to my sides.

The bedroom gets closer, and the window to escape disappears. Once we step back into the room, he releases me and slams the door; the sound echoes through the space, rattling my insides.

Chest rising, he growls, “Strip.”

I lift my chin, wanting to defy him, all while knowing I’ll end up doing it anyway.

“And what if I don’t want to…” I’m not sure how I get the words past my lips without sounding weak, but somehow, I manage.

Emmett lurches forward, his fingers grasping the front of my shirt, and he pulls the fabric tightly. The cotton rips at my shoulder from the force, and cool air kisses my skin.

This man might be my husband, but he’s not the same man who showed disinterest in me two years ago.

“Take off your clothes, or I’ll take them off for you, and believe me,”–his hot breath fans against my cheeks–“you don’t want me to be the one to do it. I’m not in the mood for pleasantries. I want you naked, my willing wife, and your pussy ready for me to use.”

Chapter Five

Gwen

Atremble works its way down my spine. Does he have to be so vulgar? I swallow my fear, refusing to show him how terrified he truly makes me.

“Let me do it,” I say, trying my best to keep my voice sound strong. He merely nods and steps back. I can tell the effort it takes for him to allow me to do this myself. He says he’s not patient, but he’s clearly trying for me. I slowly pull the shirt off and over my head.

My nipples harden the moment the cold air kisses my skin, but I pretend that I’m not affected by the temperature or him. I look up and toss the shirt onto the floor at his feet. Emmett licks his lips. His gaze darkens, burning a path across my skin as he follows the movement of my fingers when I shove them into the waistband of my shorts.

“Has my wife let another man touch her before?” His tone is icy cold, and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip as I push down my pajama shorts.

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