Page 58 of Clawed
She was in bed with Mark fucking Lawes.
Mouth opening, her eyes squeezed closed as a hundred fragments of memories sliced into her mind.The abduction, the strange little house, the pet bowl, then the mind-blowing orgasm—all of it crashed over her like freezing water.
“Little girl?”Lawes’ tone was terse.“I asked you a question.”
Easing herself into an upright position, she acknowledged she was not only naked, but still bound by the chain running between her cuffed wrists—the same chain he’d used to render her helpless on the back of the door.
“I...”She turned her head toward him as though he was a figment of her imagination and she couldn’t believe her eyes.“I heard it, Mr.Lawes, sir.”
It was odd being in bed with him as though they were a regular couple, yet still being chained and having to refer to the bastard as though he was her superior.She clenched the muscles between her thighs, happy to deny that his authority in any way turned her on.
Giving in to Lawes wouldn’t work.It never had.Yet somehow, it had felt right to yield to his strength and allow him to take her to the stars.Staring at his profile, she tried to decide why that was.Sure, he was handsome, but he was also a menacing fiend who’d repeatedly demonstrated his conniving determination.
What difference did it make if he was good at strumming her body like an instrument?What difference did it make if he seemed to understand her in ways no other man had achieved?
He was still her abductor.
She had to remember that.
“Wait there.”
He was out of the bed, his tight backside on display as he rounded the end of it and strode to the enormous window.Her breath caught at the sight of him.When did he get naked?She recalled him being dressed when he’d tormented her at the back of the door, but truth be told, she couldn’t remember much more than that.
Lawes loitered near the window, but she noticed how he didn’t move to touch the weary-looking net curtain hiding him from the outside world.In the midst of her ordeal, she’d lost all track of time, but muted light spilled in from the panes, suggesting they’d either slept a mighty long time, or, as was more likely, it was still the same day she’d first woken up in the unwelcoming house.
Blowing out what seemed like an irked breath, Lawes’ jaw tightened, the gesture hastening her pulse.
“Is everything okay, sir?”
Thankfully, he’d removed the awful gag from around her neck.
“Shhh.”
He placed his index finger on his lips without peering back at her, the dismissal doing little to quell her growing nerves.
Something must be wrong.
They’d both heard the noise that had jarred her from her sleep, and watching Lawes, something he’d seen had clearly triggered him, although she didn’t know what.
I shouldn’t care.
As if to prove the point, her gaze wandered to the doorway, her only plausible escape.But the rational part of her brain accepted one door was barely an escape at all.She didn’t know if the door was unlocked, and even if it was—even if he’d carried her on a wave of lust and had forgotten to secure it behind him—she couldn’t believe he’d been stupid enough to leave the outside exits similarly unsecured.
It wasn’t Lawes’ first gig, after all.He’d captured women before.
Hell, he’d captured Hannah.
“I really wouldn’t, if I were you.”His taunting tone drew her attention back to his face, and flustering, she shook her head.
“I’m not, Mr.Lawes, sir.”Her tone was emphatic.“I just need to use the facilities again.”
“Right.”His timbre remained unconvinced.“Then, you’ll need this back on.”
Striding away from the window, he approached the counter by his side of the bed and reached for the collar she’d been wearing.Whatever had caught his eye outside was seemingly no longer an issue.
“Ready for your collar?”He dangled the black leather and attached leash in front of her.
“Yes, Mr.Lawes, sir.”Her reply was a sigh.
