Page 29 of His Property

She goes on. “I want my cell phone to communicate with my dad so he doesn’t call the cops. He’ll automatically assume something’s happened when I don’t show up to the Christmas Eve sermon at our church.”

Oh, what a fucking shock, she’s a church girl.

She lays the paper down and flattens it. “That’s it. I think that’s more than fair.”

I bend my neck and rub my temples, my elbows digging into my knees. “I have a question.”

“Yes?”

I lift my head, slapping my hands on my thighs. “What am I getting from you that I couldn’t get from any other sexually dysfunctional girl who thinks she likes being dominated?”

Mae doesn’t answer, because she can’t, because there is no good answer. I look forward, cracking my neck.

“No safe word.”

I turn my head to look at her. “Pardon?”

She swallows and shifts. “I’m willing to ditch it. That’s the thing that’s holding you up… right?”

That’s the thing youdefinitelydon’t want to give up.

I consider all her other demands. I could live with them. She’s right, the safe word is the one that kills it for me. I’ll have to remind myself of it a hundred times, but even the scars one is doable.

“Right.”

She nods, but her eyes overflow with uncertainty. “Okay… then we’ll get rid of it.” She pulls the pen from the pillow and clicks it. Her movements are hesitant, like her brain is begging her body not to do this. She crosses out the safe word rule, then puts the pen to the signature line and looks up at me. “I’m assuming you don’t care about printing off a new page.”

I shake my head then watch with absolute satisfaction as she signs her name. She looks so unsure of the action, like she knows this is as bad as signing her soul over to the devil.

Not her soul. Just her body.

I take the paper, fold it up and put it in my pocket. My skin heats, and whatever anger I had left in me fizzles, leaving behind a buzzing in my shoulders identical to earlier.

I smile and roll my neck.

“Let’s begin.”

9

MAE

The leather straps rub my wrists, and although Victor has just secured them, I can tell my skin will be raw by the time we’re through.

My heart beats furiously, and every breath I take is shallow. I’m not quite hanging from the ceiling because my feet are planted on the floor—a small mercy, I’m sure—but my arms are above my head, and the straps secure me to a beam. Cool air kisses my naked body, hardening my nipples, but it’s only responsible for part of the chill. Victor’s eyes on me contribute their fair share.

My mind won’t stop racing through possibilities of what he’s going to do. There are all kinds of instruments in this room, and there’s even a fucking blowtorch in one corner. Surely, he wouldn’t have any use forthat.

I’m terrified. Not as much as when I thought he was going to kill me and TJ, or even when he showed up at my home and fucked me, but these moments come in third place. It makes the dangerous walks I take and the rush that comes with them look like a kiddy ride, and now I’m in line for an adrenaline junkie’s dream roller coaster. I’m on pins and needles as he stands back to inspect me, but the adrenaline coursing in my veins also makes its way between my legs.

Victor steps up to me, and I flinch when his hand reaches out. He brushes my neck with his knuckles then travels to my breasts. I shudder and keep my eyes closed, waiting on the gentle touch to turn vicious.

“You’re beautiful,” he says, his voice soft. “I could look at you for days.” He presses his palms against my nipple and cups my breasts, then squeezes lightly.

“Especially when you’re scared.” He lets out a lust-filled sigh and runs his hands down my sides and over my hips. “You like being scared, don’t you?”

I don’t respond, and Victor wedges a hand between my legs. He slides a finger along my slick folds and eases it into my pussy.

“Is that why you wanted to try BDSM?”

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