Page 91 of The Serpent's Bride
A pair of leather straps dangled over her shoulder from his hand. “Put these on your wrists. Cinch them tight. I will know if they’re loose. But keep from cutting the circulation. That’s my job.”
He…wanted her to do it? Why did that feel so much worse?He wants me to tie my own noose and put my own head in it.This wasn’t about making her do anything. This was about her doing it to herself. With a shaking hand, she took the straps. Her fingers kept slipping as she put them on.
If he was getting impatient, he said nothing. He stood behind her, waiting in silence, letting her do the task. She did exactly as he’d said. She made sure they were tight, but not so tight she’d risk cutting off the blood to her fingers. She tested them, making sure she couldn’t slip her hands out.
This was dangerous. She was literally placing herself into a trap. But this was exactly what she knew was going to happen! Cussing herself out for being an idiot, she debated getting up and making a running leap for the balcony. If she jumped overboard, she could drop her glamor and escape. She could just swim for freedom.
This might be her last chance.
A larger leather strap with the same kind of attachments dangled into her view. “For your throat.”
A collar.Shit.Oh, lords below. What had she done? What had she gotten herself into?
When she hesitated, he hummed. “Do you want to stop?”
“N—no.” That was the worst part of it. She didn’t. That was the last thing she really wanted. This was just extremely stupid. Taking the collar from his hand, she carefully put it around her neck and cinched it, clasping it tight.
Raziel pulled her hair gently behind her, clearing it from the edge of the collar. His touch was tender and sweet as he ensured there were no stray hairs caught in the collar’s metal clasp. He rotated the collar so the D ring was at the back, and gave it an experimental tug. “Good.”
Just that one tug alone sent a crash of pleasure ripping through her body that brought a gasp from her lips.
The next thing to hang into her line of sight was a stretch of black silk. “A blindfold.”
She hesitated again.
“This dance of ours today is about trust, my little murderer. I want you unable to protect yourself. Unable to stop me. And unable to see what I’m about to do. I want to see how far you will let me go. But it will only be as far as youletme.”
Her mouth was dry. She swallowed thickly. Taking the blindfold, she tied it on, arranging it so that she couldn’t see. Headjusted it for her again, tightening it a little for her in a way that she couldn’t do herself.
“Put your hands behind your back. Wrist to wrist. I am going to link them together.” His words were deep, like rumbles of thunder. His tone was soft but painted thick with lust and need. He needed her as badly as she needed him. But he wasn’t…harsh or cruel. Damn him to the pit, he soundedtender.
Putting her wrists behind her back, she felt him crouch behind her. He folded her arms so her hands were on the elbows of her opposite arms. Two clicks. She couldn’t move her hands.
“Now…for the final step. Are you ready?” His hand grazed over her shoulder and down her back along her bare skin.
It instantly broke her out in goosebumps. She shivered, pulling in a gasp through her teeth. Nodding, she couldn’t find the words to answer.
“Tilt your head back. I am going to lash your collar to your wrists. You will be completely exposed to me like this. Do you understand? I need you to say the words.” His lips gently pressed to her shoulder, feeling volcanically hot against the electricity that was shooting through her. The anticipation of it all was more intense than the bindings themselves.
“I…I do.” She couldn’t believe what was happening. “Yes.”
“Good. It’s your choice.”
After a pause, and more internal cussing, she did as he said. Arching her back, she tilted her head toward her hands. A click of something at the back of her neck, and he helped her the rest of the way, guiding what must be a short strap to the rings that connected her wrists.
A second click, and she was secured in place. It wasn’t painful. It was just unnatural. It kept her back arched in such a way she knew she must be putting on quite the display, her legs spread like that and her breasts jutting out.
And judging by the moan that left him as he stood and walked around in front of her, she was right.
She was bound and blindfolded, helpless and at his mercy.
Raziel.
Her worst enemy.
The man she’d sworn to kill.
And she had never needed anything so badly before in her life.
