Page 51 of Brutal Savior

He hands it to me, and I turn it over in my fingers as he fetches me a huge glass of icy water. I down it before I try to speak, thewater cool on my throat. Jacob takes the gag out of my hand. “This was too easy. We’ll size you up to the next one tomorrow.”

“Wonderful,” I mutter, shifting on the sofa. My ass hurts, and I’m getting cold. Jacob snorts and pulls me against him. I cuddle in, lacking the energy to fight and not really wanting to. I’m pissed off, but he’s warm and comfy. I could fall asleep.

He yawns, and I’m sure he’ll order me into bed, but he sighs. “I’ve gotta go. Someone shot at me and Seb tonight, and he should be in custody now.”

My eyes fly open, sleepiness banished. “What?”

“Yep. After my speech.”

“Is Seb okay?” I shouldn’t care. He’s part of this woman-stealing cabal of psychos. But I can’t shake the fact that he was nice to me.

Jacob twines a hand into my hair, stroking through it in a soothing way that makes me want to purr. “He’s fine. And I am too, thanks for asking.”

“Injured men don’t fuck like you just did.”

“You’d be surprised. Nothing like a near-death experience to invigorate you.”

My mind is reeling, and despite myself, I’m drawn into the drama of it all. It’s like a movie, only I’m in it instead of watching. “Was it the same person who put all the bad stuff about you online?”

His hand stills. “Maybe. That’s what I need to find out.” He gently shifts me off him and gets to his feet. “You’re going in your cage till I get back.”

I stiffen, and my muscles cry out in protest. I’d been looking forward to Jacob’s cozy bed, and the thought of being locked in a cold cage has my heart hammering. “Please, don’t.”

“I have to, love. You can’t be trusted yet. You need to earn it back.”

“You can put the collar on me. I won’t be able to move.”

He arches one thick brow. “So now you like your collar? Just this morning, you were giving me shit for it.”

“It’s better than the cage. Please.”

His face hardens, a little of the scariness returning. “You don’t get to sleep in my bed after what you did. Not tonight. Now get in the cage, or I’ll drag you in.”

After what I did? So I destroyed some sentimental things. I’m the captive here. I’m the person who had her goddamn life ripped away. Fuck this. But I get to my feet anyway. What he’s doing is working. He’s drilling obedience into me one punishment at a time.

The cage door looms, and I crawl in jerkily. It’s large enough for me to sit up but not stand. If my back is against the bars, my toes just touch the other side. Jacob smiles as he looks at me in it. “You’re lucky. It was sized for someone eight inches taller. It’s practically a palace for you.”

“Oh, yes. A freezing cold, lockable palace.” I shiver, and he frowns. Without locking the door, he heads to the wardrobe and pulls out a weird, flannelette monstrosity covered in stripes. Something an old man would wear.

He throws it into the cage. “Here. Take my dressing gown.”

His voice is gruff. I slide my arms into sleeves that could easily fit both of my legs and wrap the soft material around me. “Where did you get this? Was a nursing home having a yard sale?”

Me and my stupid mouth. Even locked in a cage, I can’t control it. Jacob laughs, though. “A birthday pressie from Grandad. Ugly as fuck, but it’s warm.”

I pull the hood up and curl my legs into it. A soft look passes over Jacob’s face, quickly wiped away. He hands the special phone he gave me through the bars. “Call me if there’s any problems.”

I nod, eyes already growing heavy.

Jacob cracks his knuckles and changes as I watch him, his face going blank, his eyes turning cold. I shiver despite the cozy dressing gown. I’m glad it’s not going to be me on the receiving end of that look.

Chapter Twenty

Jacob

As I walk tomain admin, I try to shake off the image of Quinn in her cage, snuggled up in my dressing gown. She’s too bloody cute, and it’s threatening to make me do something stupid. I almost took pity on her and let her orgasm. Only staring at my box of ruined stuff helped me stay strong.

Because fuck, she took my cock like a champ. I’d been prepared to abort the mission if she really wasn’t coping, but a few circles around her clit had her back on track. I’ll teach her to crave pain. In a few weeks, she’ll be begging me for it.

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