Page 32 of The Toy Collector

I nod, breath shallow as understanding dawns on me. Men like him are used to the world bending on the first command, and right now, that includes me.

“The internship is yours,” he says like a verdict, not a reward. “I won’t waste your talent on filing paperwork or grabbing coffee. You’ll be mine to command. I’ll decide when you breathe, and how sweetly I want to hear you beg.”

The air thickens, his words coiling like a forbidden promise.

“I’ll control your calendar and facilitate your commute. You’ll work when I say, and if I want you kneeling under my desk between meetings, you won’t hesitate—”

“The hell I will,” I hiss, struggling to get off his lap.

But the bastard wraps his hand around my throat, squeezing just enough to remind me who’s in charge. He chuckles darkly. “Don’t bother pretending you won’t do whatever it takes, Piper. You’ve already proven that much to me.”

“You’re a pig,” I spit, outraged.

I don’t even know why I’m acting like this. I was just riding his lap, and I didn’t mind being on my knees for him. Yet, when he says it now, it makes me feel like I’m nothing more than a glorified whore that needs to be available when he wants me.

He sounds amused. “I’m worse than you can even imagine. But that doesn’t change a damn thing. You’re mine, and you’ll do exactly what I say, when I say it.”

Hisfingers drift along my thigh like he’s marking the edge of a map only he’s allowed to read.

“You don’t belong to the company,” he growls, voice low and possessive. “You belong to me.”

I let out an annoyed breath. “Is that all?” I ask, layering my voice in sarcasm.

“It’s all you need to know,” he replies, and I swear I can hear a grin in his tone. “Are you ready to sign the contract?”

Am I ready? No.

He’s right though, I don’t need to know anything else—I don’t want to. I just need to sign and pretend this never happened. Because if I think about it too much, I’ll break before I even begin.

I have a feeling that denial is going to become my new best friend until I graduate.

Going into this interview, I knew there’d be a catch, and here it is. Being owned until I’m officially done at Georgetown is nothing compared to what I’ll gain. So yeah, I can suck it up.

“I’m ready,” I say, ignoring the tremble in my voice. “Can I remove the blindfold now?”

He chuckles. “No need.” He doesn’t offer me any comfort or explanation.

Before I can process his words, he lifts me to my feet and guides me to a flat surface. A pen is pressed into my hand. His fingers close around my wrist, firm and inescapable, guiding me to where he wants my name.

“Say the words,” he breathes, his lips grazing the shell of my ear. “Let me hear you surrender, Piper.”

“What words?” I ask, even though I’m scared I already know.

“Say you agree.”

A shiver runs down my spine. “I agree.”

“Say you’re mine.”

I clamp my lips shut, refusing. But when the silence stretches, thick and waiting, I know I have to say something. So I settle on a compromise I can live with.

“You said I’m yours.” There. A half-lie dressed up as obedience.

“What a naughty toy you are.” His tone is amused, but the words let me know I haven’t fooled him at all.

I shut my brain off. No second-guessing. No hesitation. I grip the pen tighter and scrawl my name across the page. As soon as I finish, he releases me.

There’s no time to wonder where he’s gone before he’s back, ordering, “Lift your arms up.”

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