Page 33 of Curse

“That’s a ‘no.’”

Before I can process what’s happening, he scoops me up in his arms like I weigh nothing and carries me back to the chair. He sits down and settles me so that I’m straddling his thigh and facing away from him, his arm holding me in place like a vise.

“What the fuck? What happened to “your ‘no’ can stop me, kitten?”” I mimic his deep voice.

“You need to get better at listening,” he grunts. “I said ‘not everything, but a lot of things.’ And when your ‘no’ negatively impacts your health and safety, it doesn’t mean shit. Now be a good girl, do what you’re told, and make my life easier for once.”

19

Siena

Matti’s bare chest radiates heat against my back, a warmth that feels both comforting and invasive. I try to pull away, put some space between us, but he’s holding me too tightly.

My feet barely touch the slick shower floor as I shift to find balance. The motion parts my thighs slightly, spreading my pussy open, and I freeze when the sensitive skin brushes against the coarse fabric of his suit pants. A sharp inhale escapes me before I can stop it.

He chuckles dryly, the sound infuriating. Asshole. My face burns as I realize he must feel the heat of my body through his pants.

With practiced ease, Matti repositions me so that my back is close to the water but not under it. His arm remains locked around my waist, steadying me. “Tip your head back,” he orders.

I want to argue, to refuse on principle, but the embarrassment coursing through me makes defiance seem like too much of a risk. Closing my eyes, I do as I’m told. Water streamsthrough my hair, washing away the tension with its warmth.

Matti’s fingers work shampoo into my scalp. He’s careful around the stitches, his touch surprisingly gentle, a stark contrast to his usual roughness.

I close my eyes as he guides me back under the water to rinse, and a sweeping rush of vertigo hits me out of nowhere. I clutch his arm to stop myself from falling, and his grip around my waist tightens, keeping me upright.

He repeats the process with conditioner, his fingertips pressing in slow, soothing circles.

“You’ll need to clean this regularly,” he murmurs. “If you want a specific shampoo or conditioner, tell Olivia. She’ll get it for you. I don’t know the brand of that basil cucumber stuff you use.”

“What?” I ask, blinking water from my lashes. “What basil cucumber stuff?”

“Whatever the fuck it is,” he snaps.

“My shampoo? It’s Bergamot & Basil,” I correct him, narrowing my eyes. “The scent and the brand. But I don’t need anyone to get anything for me. I have what I need at home.”

“You’re staying here until it’s safe,” he replies flatly, his voice as grating as his hands are gentle. He guides me back under the water to rinse out the conditioner. “And it won’t be safe until we find the flash drive.”

Fuck, the flash drive. Where is that thing?

The steamy hot shower feels so good, and his hands feel even better. My tension is practically melting off of me and running down the drain, but his words tie my muscles back into knots.

“Safe from what?” I demand. “I need to go home. I haveplants, for God’s sake—”

I know I sound ridiculous, but he’s got me so relaxed. And if I’m not safe in my own house, it’s because of Matti, so staying with him doesn’t exactly solve the problem.

“The plants will be taken care of.” Before I can protest further, he lathers soap in his hands and begins rubbing my shoulders. His touch is deliberate, firm yet unhurried, kneading the tension from my muscles.

My body betrays me again, relaxing under his touch even as my mind screams that I shouldn’t.

His hands glide lower, tracing the contours of my rib cage before moving to the swell of my breasts. I stiffen, trying to remember to breathe like a normal person, but his movements remain calm, almost clinical.

It’s infuriating how my body responds to him. As his palms brush over my nipples, they harden instantly, and I gasp.

“I’m not staying here.”

“It’s not up for debate.”

He runs his soapy hands up to my neck, his thick fingers wrapping easily around my throat before moving to my face and back down to my chest.

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