Page 20 of Cruel Master

I lay on the bed, spreading my legs, running my fingertips down my body, closer to my aching center. I know I'm taunting him, but I don’t care. He's not going to drive me insane like this and expect me to just sit idly by and take it.

I slip my hand underneath my panties, my eyes fluttering closed, but before I ever make contact with my throbbing flesh, a harsh hand grips my wrist.

My eyes fly open, and I smirk in victory. Again, I didn't hear him come in.

I see the anger blazing on his face. His eyes are hard as steel, and I feel a moment of trepidation as he smiles down at me icily. “You’re playing a dangerous game, kitten.”

My eyes flick down to the obvious erection in his pants. “Am I bothering you?” I widen my eyes innocently.

He doesn’t speak. Instead, he takes my hands and drags them over my head as he straddles my hips.

Finally.

But then I suddenly feel something cold and hard close around my wrist. I look up and see he's effectively handcuffed my left wrist to the headboard. I start to struggle, but in a flash, he does likewise to the right.

Panic sears through me as I yank on my bindings and kick madly. “You fucking bastard!” I scream out.

Gabriel climbs off me and stands at the edge of the bed, his hands thrown carelessly in his pockets as he gazes down at me, the fire blazing in his eyes again. “You made it clear just now I can't trust you, Nora. This will keep you from disobeying me.”

I continue to struggle against the restraints, regardless of how fruitless my efforts may be.

“Calm down,” he tells me in a soothing voice. “Go to sleep, Nora. You won’t escape, or don’t you know that by now?”

“Let me go!”

He ignores me of course, and I watch him go again.

Helplessness and anger well up in me. I stare at the ceiling, my vision blurring and everything beginning to spin as the alcohol causes my head to pound.

I close my eyes and attempt to temper my breathing. When I finally get myself somewhat under control, I roll my head to the side.

The last thing I see before I close my eyes is that damned vase of blue roses.

ChapterFourteen

I wakeup slowly and frown when I find myself laying on my back. I never sleep on my back. I always sleep curled up on my side.

My head is pounding and my mouth feels like cotton. I try to roll over onto my side, but I'm jolted back to the memories of last night when I feel the handcuffs holding my arms fast above my head.

I feel my cheeks heating in embarrassment and indignation as the memories from last night come rushing back in on me. I groan when I remember the way I kissed him, the way I caved and admitted that I want him.

As if he can read my thoughts, I suddenly hear Gabriel’s voice, “Yes, you really did all of that last night, kitten.”

I lift my head to see him sitting in the chair in the corner of the room.

For once, he's not wearing the suit jacket. Instead, he's in a pair of slacks and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to reveal strong forearms covered in tats.

I blink, surprised at them for some reason, though I shouldn't be. The collar of his button-down is open to reveal a smattering of tattooed chest. Despite myself, I'm curious as to what his tats look like.

He stands, and I watch him warily as he crosses the room to me. He picks up a bottle of water from the nightstand and holds it to my lips. As much as it chafes at me to accept anything from him, I'm thirsty as hell, so I drink greedily from the bottle until he pulls it away.

“Not too much,” he cautions, “or you'll be sick.”

“Why sit in the corner and watch me? Why not just watch me over your camera feeds?” I quip at him.

He doesn't answer me. Instead, he releases me from the handcuffs and surprises me when he rubs on my wrists for me, coaxing the blood back into them.

“You're so beautiful all tied up,” he murmurs before he curls a finger around a lock of my hair.

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