Total pages in book: 767
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 732023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 3660(@200wpm)___ 2928(@250wpm)___ 2440(@300wpm)
I whined into his mouth, and he finally showed mercy. He withdrew his hands from my sex and my breasts, but his lips lingered on mine, the kiss slowing to a deep, thorough claiming of my mouth.
When he finally released me, I gasped for air, my head dropping toward the floor. I didn’t have any strength left in my body. The world was surreal, and I was still floating; blissed out and buzzing.
I watched with detached interest as he retrieved a pair of shears from the desk. He braced my body with one strong arm while he used the shears to cut away the ropes that bound me. I sagged against him, boneless. He dropped to his knees and cradled me in his arms, holding me close. I closed my eyes and snuggled into him as he stroked me and murmured in Spanish. I couldn’t understand the words, but the lilting cadence and low rumble of his voice were comforting.
Without realizing what I was doing, I pressed my lips against my captor’s neck, tasting the salt of my own tears on his skin.
Chapter 12
The next morning, I awoke to the feel of leather being wrapped around my throat. I sighed and opened my eyes as Andrés locked the collar in place.
“Do you have to do that?” I complained.
He chuckled. “The fact that you still take that tone with me means yes, I definitely have to.” He took my hand and pulled me upright. “Go brush your teeth and come back here.”
“And then you won’t chain me to the bed?” I asked with asperity.
“With that attitude, of course I will,” he laughed. He seemed to be in a very good mood this morning. After he’d cut me down from suspension last night, he’d bathed me and fed me before putting me to bed. I’d been too strung out to think about complaining or resisting, but now my spirit was back in full force after a night of the deepest sleep I’d ever had.
I grumbled under my breath about being kept like an animal, but I went into the bathroom to take care of my daily needs. As I splashed warm water on my face, my mind began piecing together my hazy memories of the night before.
He kissed me.
My captor had actually kissed me. That was a surprise. He’d touched my most intimate areas with propriety, but a kiss was… unexpected. It certainly hadn’t been tender and loving. But it hadn’t been sloppy and awkward like my few other experiences with men.
From now on, you don’t think about other men. You exist to please me.
I gasped and braced my hands on the sink.
I’d told Andrés about my feelings for Dex. That put him at risk. I’d made him a target for the Moreno brothers. They would go after him to make me cooperate. I couldn’t let them hurt him.
I stormed back into the bedroom, going straight for Andrés. His brows rose in surprise, but my unexpected ire didn’t slow his reaction time when I launched myself at him.
He dodged to one side, catching my fist where it had flown past his face. His other hand caught me in the center of my chest, knocking the air from my lungs as he shoved me away. I fell, my back hitting the mattress. His weight settled over me as he straddled my hips and pinned my arms above my head with one hand. My legs kicked out uselessly as he locked the chain to the front of my collar, tethering me to the bed again.
He gripped my jaw, stilling my wild thrashing. “What’s this about?” he demanded.
“You leave Dex alone,” I shouted at him, jerking desperately against his hold. “I’ll kill you if you do anything to him. I swear, I’ll kill you.”
His fingers tightened around my face to the point of pain, and he snarled down at me. “I have no interest in this man. And from now on, neither do you.”
“But you said Cristian would kill him if he found out,” I said, panic seizing my senses. Oh god, I’d betrayed Dex for an orgasm. How could I do that?
“I am not my brother,” he growled, the words so garbled I could barely discern them. “I won’t torture you or threaten the people you care about to get what I want out of you.” He leaned in close, so I could feel the heat of his anger slapping against me. “I don’t need to torture you to get what I want.”
“And what do you call tying me down and whipping me until I scream? Is that not torture?”
“If you knew what torture really was, you wouldn’t have to ask,” he said roughly.
“And how would you know?” I challenged. “It’s not like you’d ever let anyone whip you until you cried.”
“You think I don’t cry when I’m hurt? You think I don’t bleed when I’m cut? You think I don’t scream just like any other man in pain? I might not be sane, but I’m still human, Samantha. Don’t talk about things you don’t understand.”