Page 50 of His Dark Purpose

She went willingly, ignoring the tangle of ropes at her ankles. At that most pivotal moment, she needed to feel the strength of his embrace.

“I know.” Burying her face into his chest hair, she breathed in his familiar, spicy scent. “But that fear you speak of has encouraged you to hold on to me too tightly. I can’t live like that anymore.” She forced herself to meet his stare. “You know I love the bondage, but I can’t cope with waking to find myself cuffed.” She glanced at the metal in question, all too easily remembering how it felt wrapped around her flesh.

“If you love me, then you have to trust me—when you shower, when you make breakfast—allthe time.”

“You’re right.” His hand slid to cradle the back of her neck. “I’m going to work my ass off to prove to you I can be that man.”

Her lips twitched at the passion in his voice. She adored how much he wanted to try for her. “I still want you to beyou, though, sir.” The last thing she wanted was for him to lose the sexy edginess she’d always found so alluring. “I’m just saying, let’s do better.”

“Yes.” His mouth skimmed over hers, his lips planting hot kisses on her collar as he went on. “I’m all forbetter.”

“Sir.” She groaned at his sensual caresses, sensing how easily their tete-a-tete could dissolve into desire. “We should finish talking before we—”

The noise of her message alert interrupted her sentence, inspiring their attention in the device’s direction.

“My phone.” Anxiety simmered as she recalled the way it had buzzed earlier when she’d still been cuffed to the bed. She still didn’t know if it had been Seth or Jonah reaching out.

“Let me get it for you.” He shuffled her from his lap and smiled as he walked around the bed to retrieve it.

“I appreciate that, sir. It seems I’m still a little tied up.” Her hand tugged at one of the ropes still attached to her ankles.

“Mmmm.” His eyes sparkled with indecency as he swooped to collect the device, thrusting it at her before she could object. “Take it. Hopefully, this shows that Idotrust you.”

Their fingertips grazed as she collected it from him, electricity sparking as their eyes met. She’d all but forgotten her need for the bathroom.

“Thank you.”

“And to show I mean what I say, I’ll start work on these.” Walking to the bed, he crouched to begin untying the rope from the base of the structure. “Who messaged you?” His attention remained rooted to the knot his fingers were working on as he asked.

Unlocking her phone, she checked her messages. She hadn’t had the opportunity to charge the device for a long time, but thankfully, at thirteen percent, its power was hanging in there. Scanning her inbox, she saw her son’s name.

“It’s Jonah.”

“What does he say?” Kyle asked, discarding the first rope before turning his attention to the second.

Her gaze scanned Jonah’s words in a hurry.

I’ve given Seth Kyle’s address, Mum.

He’s heading to see you both.

Her heart galloped as she reread Jonah’s words, and she sensed the blood draining from her face. Seth was coming to Brock Hall? That could be a problem.

“Oh.”

“What is it?” Kyle’s fingers paused, his focus rising to her face.

“He said his brother is on his way here.” She glanced out of the window, conscious that the dawn had already broken. Somewhere in the middle of their emotional maelstrom of the last few hours, light had seeped its delicate spell over the land again.

“Seth?” Kyle arched a brow at her. “When?”

“He didn’t say.” She sighed. “I wished I could have spoken to him last night, sir.”

Kyle laughed softly. “You weren’t being good enough to take any calls, little girl.”

She eyed him, wanting to argue but realizing there was little point. If Jonah was right, Seth would be arriving at Brock Hall soon, whether they liked it or not.

“Do you mind Seth coming here?” She might as well know how big a mess she’d need to clear up when her son landed on Kyle’s doorstep.

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