Page 64 of Seeking Vengeance
It was quite a shock when she felt the warm, humid breeze across her bare shoulders the next day. The birds were singing, their gentle music clearly audible in the early morning hours. Nicki opened one eye and looked around. The room looked exactly as it had yesterday, and she was alone, wearing the same clothes she’d gone to sleep in. She’d deliberately chosen a silky white nightie rather than her usual cotton tee and panties. Perhaps she’d harbored some kind of latent princess fantasy, but she’d wanted to look pretty in her final moments.
She could hear Taser in the other room, moving quietly, as if afraid to wake her. For some reason, that thought struck her as funny.
“Are you ever not beautiful?” Taser murmured when she emerged shortly thereafter to find him lounging on the couch, coffee in hand, laptop balanced on his long legs.
Nicki paused, stunned by his words. Deciding she must have heard wrong, she shook her head and proceeded to pour herself a cup of coffee.
Taser looked completely at ease as he directed his attention back to his laptop, not at all like someone who was going to kill her and dispose of her body. She guessed that kind of mental control was what made him so good at it. He did stretch out his hand, however, silently commanding her to refill his mug as well. She did.
“I never really pictured you as the cruel type,” she said conversationally as she took a seat across from him. “Is this part of my punishment?”
His golden eyes lifted from the screen. “Do you find my company so punishing, Nix?”
“Not at all. On the contrary, I might genuinely enjoy it if the circumstances were different.”
“What circumstances would those be?”
“Oh, come off it, Tay. We both know why you’re here, so why not just get it over with? I know you’re into the whole psychological mindfuck thing. And don’t get me wrong; you excel at it. But enough’s enough.”
Taser did something he rarely did. He blinked. “Let me see if I understand this. I send you to my private retreat for a little R & R. Provide you with everything you need—clothes, food, distractions. Cook you a fine meal. Give you my bed. Make coffee and let you sleep in. And that constitutes fucking in your mind?”
“Mindfucking, not regular fucking,” she clarified.
The corner of Taser’s mouth quirked. “My mistake. Please, continue.”
Nicki got up off the couch and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She began to pace the width of the room. Golden eyes followed her closely. She completed several passes before she spoke.
“Why don’t you just kill me already?” she blurted out finally, stopping to glare at him.
Taser’s expression didn’t change. He remained the picture of ease, traces of amusement clearly visible. “Do youwantme to kill you?”
“Well, of course not,” she snapped as if she were talking to an idiot. “But I fucked up, and rules are rules. You know you have to make an example of me, so go ahead and just fucking do it already!”
He considered her for a moment. “You seem really preoccupied with the concept of fucking this morning. Do you need to get laid, Nix?”
“Agh!” she cried out in frustration. “Don’t be such a dick!”
The quirk became a full-fledged grin. “Methinks the lady doth protest too loudly.”
“Taser!”
“Okay, okay,” he said, chuckling. “Come over here.” He patted the seat beside him.
Warily, she made her way over to the sofa and sat down. Taser tapped a few keys and then closed his laptop.
“Nix, I am not going to kill you today, nor am I going to fuck you.” He grinned. “I do, however, reserve the right to do either—or both—at some future point in time.”
Nicki rolled her eyes and snorted.
“Now that we’ve cleared that up, know this: your vacation ends now. Get in the kitchen and make me some breakfast, woman.”
“Fuck you,” Nicki said with affection.
Taser laughed. “That’s my girl. I already ate anyway. Go grab something for yourself and bring it back here. We can talk while you eat.”
Nicki rose and began to walk away, and then she turned suddenly and regarded him. “You’re serious, aren’t you? You’re not going to do it?”
He made an X over his chest. “Cross my heart.”
