Page 34 of Wicked Angel

I ground my teeth, not trusting myself to say anything. I wanted to tell him it wasn’t any of his business. Because the fact was, it was his business … and mine.

The landscape whooshed past, startlingly close to my dream and I felt myself quickly losing hold of that sliver of control I’d found. I wanted to keep a portion of myself secret. A piece only for me, but with a man like Gaven, I already knew he’d know every part of me inside and out.

“I won’t fight you anymore,” I said. “I’ll sign the marriage certificate. I’ll do everything you ask of me. I’ll…even get pregnant.” I paused before that last one, but the fact was, it was his desired outcome. He wanted me pregnant with his child to ensure that he would be the next head of the Price Family Syndicate. I could give him that. I was willing to bind the two of us with more than just a marriage, but a child, so long as I got something out of it.

“I can take all of that from you, you know,” Gaven pointed out, his voice calm as if he were discussing something as simple as the weather versus my enslavement.

“You could,” I admitted, “but it would be easier for you, wouldn’t it, if I simply gave in?”

He contemplated my words. “Yes, I suppose it would be easier.”

“It means nothing for you to allow me to have a life outside of all of this,” I said, leaning towards him even as I gestured around us. “I promise, if you give me this, I won’t run away again. I’ll do everything you ask.” I arched my brow at him.

“Everything, hmmm?” The corner of his mouth tipped upward, a sure sign that I was getting through to him. I had to believe that. Hope rose within me. “Well, I suppose I could offer you some incentive to be a good girl.”

I held my breath as he seemed to contemplate my offer further. A beat passed and then another and another until finally, he nodded. “Yes, alright,” he said. “I’ll allow you your sense of normalcy, Angel. I’m not completely disagreeable. I do believe in rewards as much as I do punishments.”

“You will? I mean—thank you.” For the first time since I’d met him, the weight inside my chest eased. “Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

Gaven leaned forward, capturing my chin as he held my face between his thumb and forefinger, angling me so I was face-to-face with him. “Remember, love,” he said, “that this deal of ours stipulates that you do everything I say.”

I nodded. “I will.”

He grinned. “We’ll see about that,” he replied enigmatically. “Only time will tell.” Releasing me, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. “But we’ll start now, shall we?”

“Now?” I frowned as he lifted the box and handed it over. Hesitation and curiosity warred within me, but sensing his attention, I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my face void of emotion.

“What is this?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Why don’t you open it and find out?”

Concerned, I slipped the lid open and stared at the black tissue paper inside for a moment before removing that as well. My eyes widened at what was inside. Within the box was a scrap of lace, a dainty pair of white panties.

“Panties?” I asked.

“Yes,” he answered. “A gift to my bride. Put them on.”

I looked around the very small backseat of the town car. “Here?” He couldn’t be serious.

He shrugged. “Did you not say you would do whatever I asked?”

I bit down on my lip hard. He was right. I had. Gingerly taking the gift, I set it in my lap. My eyes shot to the driver with concern, but Gaven snapped his fingers, dragging my attention back to him. “Don’t worry about him,” he said. “I want those panties on you before we arrive at the dress shop. You’ll wear them for your dress fitting.

I swallowed against a thick throat. He always managed to humiliate me, but we had a verbal contract. This was nothing compared to receiving some of my freedoms back. Taking the fabric the rest of the way out of the bag, I held it up for my view and then set it on the seat next to me.

Thankfully, I’d worn a dress out today. It wasn’t as difficult as it could have been to unbuckle my seat belt and reach under my skirt, hooking my fingers in the waist of my underwear and slipping them down my legs before I reached for the new lingerie. As I lifted it again, though, I felt something hard in the center.

“What—”

“Now, Angel,” Gaven insisted, “my patience is wearing thin.”

With a grunt, I snapped a glare his way and then bent over, fitting the leg holes to my feet and pulling them up. I winced and tugged. They were the right size, but something wasn’t quite right with them. They felt heavier than regular underwear. I shifted uncomfortably in the seat, and when I reached for the old pair, his hand made it before mine.

I watched as he lifted my panties to his face, turning the crotch—which I knew would be slightly wet because, in spite of myself, it always was around him—to his mouth and nose. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes with the movement, and then they reopened, centered on me.

“Aren’t you going to thank me for your gift?” he asked casually as if he hadn’t just done something so embarrassing as sniffing my underwear. He tucked the small scrap of fabric into his pocket and then looked at me expectantly.

“Thank you,” I bit out, glaring at the lace as if it was the cause of my entire situation. It was suffocating in the small interior of his car, especially with the intensity of his focus centered squarely on me. The longer I sat there, the more unusual my thoughts became. I squirmed as images flashed into my mind. I tried to force them away, but it was difficult. He was so close, so near, and he smelled … like something wild and deadly.

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