Page 2 of Bound in Sacrifice

Father?

Is she playing some sort of Daddy Dom/little girl game? I pick up my pace so I can catch up to where she is before she can get away again. When I get to the center of the hallway, where the two corridors meet, I sense that she’s near. I flatten my body against the wall and wait for her to arrive.

Just as she steps away, I materialize from around the shadowed corner. She gasps in surprise and tries to hide her fear as she realizes she’s been caught somewhere she shouldn’t be.

“What do you think you’re doing back here?”

“I’m--I’m sorry. I’m looking for my father. When he leaves and doesn’t come back for hours, this is usually where he comes,” she stammers but then she swallows her fear, letting a burst of confidence shine through.

“YourDaddycomes to Le Couloir?” I ask her, knowing that’s not at all what she meant, but I'm aching to see her blush.

“What?” she’s honestly confused, missing the reference. “No, he comes to this disgusting, depraved, worthless pile of stone for desperate sex fiends and alcoholics!” She holds her arms out, regarding the club as she speaks, with bitterness flooding her tone.

“Disgusting. Depraved.Worthless? You talk about my club like you know something about it, little lamb.”

I step forward slowly, and she backs up. I may not hold the same regard for La Tour that I once did, but no one talks about myhomelike that.

“Yourclub? So, you’re the reason for this abomination?”

I hasten my steps, backing her up into the wall behind her. My hand wraps tightly, but not dangerously so, around her thin neck and I force her to look up into my eyes.

“You think you’re better than all of those people in that room over there?” I cock my head slightly toward the door leading to Le Côté Débutant. “That your morals and values mean more than theirs?”

Anger flashes in my stare, and I feel her shiver beneath my touch.

“Why do you think that? Who told you that you were better than anyone else? YourDaddy?”

Her fear deepens, judging by her widened doe eyes and increased heart rate, that I can feel beating rapidly beneath my palm. It matches the beat of my own dark heart. Does my touch affect you, like the feel of your flesh affects me, little lamb?

“You don’t like it here because you don’t belong here. We don’t want you here. So, you’re going to go back to the perfect little life that you fell out of and never set foot in thisdisgusting, depraved, worthless pile of stoneever again.”

I bring my face dangerously close to hers, forcing her to see the evil within me, not allowing her to look away.

“The club isn’t the abomination,I am. If you ever step foot in here again, you’re going to find out exactly how far an angel can fall.”

I release my grip on her neck before I lose complete control and throw her down into the dungeon. She scurries off through the door to Le Côté Débutant, and disappears into the crowd of members and guests.

I stand there, seething as the door closes, shutting me into the darkness where I prefer to be.

Chapter Two

Rosabelle

“You have to eat, Father,” I urge as I place the plate of eggs and bacon on the table in front of him. With his eyes still closed from sleepiness, his hand searches for his fork.

I wasn’t able to find Father at La Tour before that beast of a man ran me off the premises. He was right, I didn’t belong there. If I never have to go back there it will be too soon; I am nothing like those people.

Because you’re too chicken shit to do anything remotely exhilarating.

My inner voice is a nuisance, and it constantly reminds me how, at 23 years old, I’m still very much a child. I’ve only had one boyfriend, and while I am not a virgin, I wouldn’t be considered an experienced lover. I want adventure, but I fear it will always be just out of reach, and I can’t have a life of my own while I’m forced to be my father’s keeper.

Seeing all of the people in the club last night, laid out, tied up, and put on display like they’re a meal about to be eaten, it made me feel uneasy. It scared me, but it also intrigued me, although I am not entirely sure why.

Was it the lack of decency, of virtue? Baring everything to a room full of strangers? Or was it the fear of the unknown that leaves me unsettled? I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t the slightest bit curious to find out more about that type of lifestyle. But, not after having had my run-in with that brute.

Do you mean the one who caused the ache inside of you to bloom with desire? The one who drove you to consider touching yourself last night? You would have if you weren’t consumed with worry over your father.

I chide myself for thinking like that and cast the thought from my mind. I’d sooner marry Gavin and have the rest of my life planned out for me than think about the monster for one more second. Gavin is my slime ball of an ex and he’s awful in nearly every way, but at least he’s no savage.

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