Page 29 of Cruel Master

My heart falls into my stomach as Gabriel wrenches his hand away from me and stands.

I watch as he stalks from the room, leaving me alone again. I bite my lip as more tears spring to my eyes, though this time from his rejection.

Despite what Gabriel just said, I know he's lying. It's not as simple as that. There’s more to Gabriel than he wants me to know. Yes, he’s a dangerous man. Yes, he’s terrifying, but there’s something else below the surface. He showed me a glimpse of it this morning before he shut down.

And after last night and this morning, I'm determined to find out his secrets.

ChapterNineteen

Now that Gabrielhas taken my virginity, everything has changed.

Every time he's around me now, his hands are on me as if he can't help but touch me.

He doesn't leave me locked up in my room anymore. He starts letting me roam the house. It's like he knows I've realized there is no point in trying to escape.

I don’t think Gabriel sleeps with me at night, but he does come and fuck me every night. I always wake up alone, but then he always shows up with a tray of food and takes excruciating care of me.

He might not stay and hold me throughout the night and cuddle me, but he definitely does some sort of weird aftercare, and I'd be lying if I said that I don't eat up those bits of affection. It's been so long since I've had affection from anyone that I'm grateful for any amount I can get.

And maybe this is part of his torture—making me need him since I don't have contact with anyone else.

I know that there are other people in this house, and one day I finally stumble across one of them. My heart leaps when I see a housekeeper dusting. I race up to her and immediately begin grilling her with questions about Gabriel.

The woman looks startled when I introduce myself and start asking her how she came to be in his employ.

Before she can answer, I hear Gabriel's dark voice from behind me. “You may go, Elaine.”

The housekeeper gives a terrified squeak and a little curtsy like Gabriel is lord of the manor or something before she turns and runs off down the hallway.

My stomach drops as I turn and see the look on Gabriel's face. His blue eyes are icy as he takes a few measured steps toward me, speaking deadly calmly the entire time. “What are you snooping for, kitten? What is it you hope to learn about me from my staff? You want to hear about how my mother left me when I was just eight years old? You want to hear about how pitiful I was begging for her love? Begging for her to stay? How I lived on the streets until some rich old man finally saw me and schooled me in his ways, giving me the skills I needed to become the self-made billionaire I am today?”

Gabriel pauses and inhales a deep breath before he continues on, “I had to fight for every fucking thing I've ever had.”

His voice is turning angrier with each word now. “If I wanted something, I took it.” His eyes rake over me meaningfully.

“But you won't hear that stuff from my staff. If you want to know my history, kitten, just ask me yourself.” He stares at me coldly, and everything suddenly clicks into place as it dawns on me why Gabriel is the way he is.

He doesn't think anyone will freely give him love, so he just tries to take it. My heart cracks a little for him as I imagine him as a little boy begging for his mother to love him.

As always, Gabriel can read me perfectly because he chuckles self-depreciatively again. “Don't look at me like that. Don't you dare, Nora. Don't you dare pity me. No. I'm your villain.”

He squares his jaw and straightens his shoulders as he glares down at me in that way that used to terrify me.

Not anymore.

I don't know what gets into me, but I raise my chin bravely. “You want my love, but don't you know you can't force love, Gabriel? You might have kidnapped me and locked me up here, but I'll never be yours. Not in the way you want.”

I watch the emotions flit through his eyes—surprise, sadness, and then cold rage.

Gabriel's nostrils flare, and then he explodes. He reaches out and grabs my shoulders roughly, pulling me against him until my breasts are pressed firmly against his chest.

His hands are merciless as they immediately go under my dress and push my panties to the side.

He shoves two fingers into me, making me cry out as I cling to his shoulders. All it takes is a couple of rough pumps and one expert flick of his thumb over my clit, and I'm coming on his fingers harder than I've ever come before.

I’m a shaking, sobbing mess in his arms. I stare up at him in shock at how he so easily forced my orgasm.

My cheeks redden and hatred floods my body. “You bastard,” I whisper.

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