Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79565 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79565 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 398(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
I was dirty—filthy. A whore. A slave.
“What are you thinking so hard about?”
I flinched at the voice, so hard, so sudden in the silence of the darkened car.
When he placed his hand on my knee, I flinched again. A small tremor caused my body to feel cold and then hot. He dragged his hand up, caressing my leg until it rested on my thigh.
He touched burned my skin, and my gaze flew down, watching his rough hand on my naked thigh. It looked so big, manly, and so dangerous there.
The touch could have appeared innocent. But it wasn’t. It spoke of so much more.
The hold he had on me…it said that he was claiming me.
His hand tightened just a little, a warning. My eyes went to his, and he raised an eyebrow, waiting for my answer.
While my previous Master didn’t like it when I would speak, Lyov Ivanshov was trying to hear my voice every time.
Clearing my throat, I answered him. “Nothing, Master. I am just grateful that you have saved me.”
“You think I saved you?” he questioned darkly.
His hands moved up, stopping when he reached the hem on his suit jacket. I internally smiled. He had given me his jacket. One of the sweetest things a Master could have done.
I nodded. “Yes, you have. My previous Master wasn’t a good man. But you are.”
He chuckled low in his chest, a tiny smirk on his face. It made him look dangerous but very handsome. I liked it.
“You think I’m a good man?”
I nodded again. He was. Better than the others. Maybe it was a childish thought, but he had proved himself to be better so far.
You are safe.
He had whispered those words to me, and my heart had skipped a beat. It was that moment when I decided that he was a good man. My mind was in denial, but my heart…it believed.
So I was going to trust my heart. I was going to believe my Master—Lyov.
And I was going to serve him with all of me—mind, heart, body, and soul. I was going to become his favorite so he wouldn’t discard me.
Releasing my thigh, he sat back into his seat. I instantly missed his touch and felt cold again.
He gave me warmth…I loved it.
And now I craved it.
Master shook his head slightly, a smile on his face. Like he was having an inside joke with himself. I liked his smile.
It made him look young and happy.
I wanted him to smile more. I wanted to make him smile.
“I will be a good slave to you, Master,” I whispered softly.
The air around us shifted and changed, almost instantly. It felt colder. Darker. Angrier.
Master lost his smile.
No. No. No.
I whimpered, hating it. Because I realized that I must have said something wrong. And he was going to punish me.
Wasn’t that what they always wanted?
They didn’t want good slaves. Good slaves didn’t get punishment.
Masters loved to give punishments, so they wanted bad slaves.
He moved forward in a flash, grabbing my chin and holding me roughly. “You will never call yourself a slave again. I don’t want to hear that word from you. Is that understood, little Angel?”
Master looked so angry. Furious. His beautiful eyes crackled with intensity, and I almost cowered back.
I nodded mutely, submitting, giving him what he wanted.
He closed his eyes, breathing in and out, like he was trying to calm himself. When he opened his eyes again, they looked softer. His touch turned gentle. He caressed my skin, his fingers moving sweetly over my cheek.
“You are an Angel, Maria. And you will address yourself as such,” he continued quietly. The words were softly spoken, but I heard his command. “Is that understood, little Angel?”
I nodded, although it didn’t make sense. “You want me to call myself Angel?” I asked in return, confused.
He smiled then, another beautiful smile. “I want you to think of yourself as an Angel,” he whispered, his lips so close to mine.
“Okay,” I answered quickly, wanting to please him. I wanted to make him happy…please him in whatever way he wanted.
“Good girl,” he praised with another caress, his fingertips featherlight on my neck.
My own lips lifted up, smiling. He made me smile.
“You have a beautiful smile, Maria. I want to see it on you every day.”
My heart soared at his words, and when he smiled wider, I felt suddenly giddy. He was making me giddy…happy.
His words were my safe haven, and I drowned in them, wanted them desperately.
I will always smile for you, Master. Promise. Forever. Until my last breath.
When he pulled away this time, I didn’t feel cold. I still felt warm. His words stayed with me through the whole drive.
My eyes started to get heavy, tiredness making its way into my body. But I didn’t want to sleep.
I didn’t want my eyes falling away from the man who made me happy.