Page 79 of Betrayal (Corrupt Empire 1)

“Some things are better left unsaid.”

I crossed my arms over my chest.

“Then I say you’re not a monster.”

He reached out, cupping my face.

“You don’t know the things I want to do to you.”

The air felt too hot. The molten silver of his eyes made my insides pool. I’d seen how he looked at me the day he’d handcuffed me in the cell. Restraints made him hard. Submission and total control. That’s what Aiden wanted. Needed. I knew it deep within my bones. And I wanted it too.

The day in the forest opened my eyes to a lot of things. Even though I’d fought him at first, when I’d submitted, I felt a sense of freedom. Of belonging. I’d given into my instincts. I needed to obey him and have him take control.

“I have some idea.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Am I sure? No. Am I scared of what I think you want? No.”

He dropped his hand.

“You don’t know what you’re saying.”

I fucking did. I knew my own mind and it was time he learnt that too.

“You might not want to talk about what happened in the forest, but you need to understand something.”

His eyes flashed and he took a step back from me.

“Avery…”

“No. I’m not letting you get out of this. Yes, I’m fucking innocent and inexperienced, but that doesn’t mean shit.”

My blood pounded in my ears. I clenched my fists. How did this man manage to drive me fucking crazy and yet all I wanted was to fall at his feet and beg him to take me?

“I wanted to hate you for forcing me. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. You know why? Because I’m fucking yours. I’ve been struggling to accept it this whole time, but that day, I finally understood. You need my submission and I need to give it to you. In return, you gave me freedom for the first time in my life. I felt free. And then you shut me out. I thought I understood, but instead, you made me feel like what we did was wrong. That I was fucking wrong for wanting that with you.”

Aiden just stared at me. He wasn’t exactly expressionless, but I couldn’t read a thing either. Why did we keep fighting with each other over this? Wouldn’t it just be easier if we gave in? It’s what we both wanted. He knew it. I knew it. Fighting exhausted me. Fighting had no point to it.

He turned away from me.

My heart constricted. My legs almost buckled. Except I couldn’t fall apart.

He walked over to the bed, squatted down and pulled out a padlocked storage box. He turned the dials until it clicked. Discarding the padlock, he opened it and stood up.

“This is the truth of what I want from you,” he said, his voice so quiet, I strained to hear it.

I approached him with caution in my steps. Did I really want my suspicions confirmed? I stopped next to him.

When I looked down at what was in the box, my pulse kicked up a notch. There were more than just handcuffs. Ropes, chains and silk bindings lay nestled together.

Aiden shifted on his feet, moving to stand behind me. He rested his chin on my shoulder and held my waist lightly in his hands, his thumbs running circles across my t-shirt.

It wasn’t so much the restraints I recognised which bothered me. It was the other things in the box. It wasn’t whips or crops or any of the other stuff I expected. None of it was about pain. It was about control. And there was something else. Something which made me tense up. Aiden wanted to take me in the one place I’d never given anyone. That much was clear.

“Does this repulse you?” he asked.

I pointed down at the ropes and chains.

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