Page 11 of Clawed
God, help me...
“How do you refer to me?”He tapped his foot with impatience, the rhythm audible, even though she couldn’t see the deed.
“Sir.”She pushed out the word as if dazed.Her senses confirmed it was him—the same dazzling green eyes she’d been conditioned to fear and worship and the same mop of light brown hair, although perhaps he was grayer than she remembered.“How are you here?”
“Close.”His lips tugged into a smile.“It’s Mr.Lawes, sir, little girl, but I’ll offer you one reprieve since I know you’re not fully conscious yet.”
Little girl.
A thousand shards of memories fell like spiked glass around her.That’s what he used to call her when he’d kept her chained and on her knees.Hislittle girl.
“What’s happening?”Pain cramped in her belly, commanding her to double over, yet her body seemed unable to react the way it craved.She was strapped down to a chair of some sort, but so far, her senses hadn’t offered her any further insight into why, how, or where she was.Her brow furrowed as the hurt amplified, her eyes falling closed.“I feel sick.”
“You’re okay.”The waver in his voice might have concerned her more had the pain in her tummy not been so consuming.“It’s another byproduct of the sedative, that’s all.”What felt like a huge palm rested softly on her forehead, as if judging her temperature.
She wanted to curl up and cry, but whatever contraption he was using to hold her made that impossible.Her arms felt secured to something on either side of her, and the more she roused, the more she was aware that her legs seemed to be tethered, too.
“What do you want?”She loathed her piteous tone.
That was Lawes’ power.He could always reduce her to an imploring and pathetic version of herself, and she hated him for it.
“What do I want?”He almost laughed.“What I want right now is for you to address me correctly.Last chance, Hannah.”
“What do you want, Mr.Lawes, sir?”Her toes curled as she was required to cede, the act reminding her that where expensive stockings had once been, her legs and feet were bared.
“Better.”His tone was hard.“Now we can talk about what I want.”
As if I don’t know...
Predators like Lawes only ever wanted one thing.
Control.
“Although I would have thought it was obvious.”His gaze traveled over her body, his grin growing as he took in the sight of her.“Despite everything, I have missed you.”
Despite everything?Was he mad?
Lawes was acting as if he was the victim in their crazy dynamic, as though he’d been hard done by, whereas the truth couldn’t have been further from that reality.He’d captured her, he’d kept her and done terrible things to her, and as far as she knew, he’d been flung in prison for his crimes.
“Please tell me.”Her head was starting to ache, the pounding growing in intensity as his fingers skimmed over her blouse.“I don’t know why, Mr.Lawes, sir.”
The obedience he demanded rang around her head, taunting her.All of those months of therapy, all the talking, crying, and journaling had been for nothing because from out of the depths he’d crawled, determined to have his wicked way with her.
Overawed at the rising turmoil of frustrated feelings, she squeezed her eyes shut as the first tears escaped.She was determined to ignore her show of emotion.If this was really happening—if she wasn’t about to wake up in the safety of her own bed at any moment, and a desperate part of her still hoped she would—then the last thing she wanted to do was to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he’d torn at her healing soul.
“Don’t upset yourself.”His fingertips brushed over her midriff on their way to her forearm.“There’ll be plenty of time for that later.”
“I don’t understand.”Disregarding his thinly veiled threat, she pulled in a shaky breath and willed the pounding in her head to cease.“If this is really happening, then why am I here, sir?”
She was perturbed by how easily the ‘s’ word fell from her mouth.She’d learned to resent the term, to associate its required deference with the pain and captivity she’d faced in his and Fuller’s bleak basement, but sitting in whatever hellhole he’d conjured for her, the honorific was effortless.
A line appeared on her brow as she considered her predicament.She didn’t know where she was or even if he was real or only existed in her head.For all she knew, Fuller might be lurking in the shadows as well.
“Oh, this is really happening, little girl.”His hand rose to her face, and even though she turned away from his approach, his long fingers insisted she remain as she was and acknowledge them.“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.”
That didn’t sound good...
“Why, sir?”Resisting the urge to rest against his enormous palm, she met his mocking gaze.“Why are you doing this?”
