Page 69 of His Captive

“Then what are you?” I ask, relieved.

“I used to be whatever the twisted up rich bitches paid me to be. Mostly they’d ask me to degrade them, to drag them around by their hair and screw them senseless. To spit in their faces and slap their cunts while I fucked them in the ass.” The way he speaks so matter of factly makes me wonder if my mind is making up what I’m hearing.

“It didn’t take me long to make enough money for some clever investments,” he adds, like he’s saying ‘the end.’ But it isn’t. Nowhere near.

“So why don’t you do what you do to them? You need it, they like it... no one’s breaking the law. Everyone's happy,” I suggest, with the teensiest bit of sarcasm.

“You sayin’ you don’t like it?” He pulls back and hooks his eyebrow at me.

“If I say I like it, I’m admitting that what you’re doing to me is okay,” I tell him honestly.

“You’re right. That does kinda takes the thrill out of it.” He winks. God he’s sexy when he’s happy.

“You know, it’s okay to enjoy my punishments little one.” He presses his mouth to my neck, rolling his tongue all the way over my skin until he reaches my ear.

“And maybe if you tell me what else you like, I might accommodate,” he whispers, spreading heat over my entire body.

“I doubt I could afford you,” I smirk knowing that he won’t see it, and he takes some of my skin between his teeth as a warning.

“I like you when you’re like this,” I quickly tell him before he gets too mad.

“I think you like me even better like this.” He tugs the front of my towel and takes one of my nipples into his mouth, his eyes watching my reaction as my back arches from the mattress.

“Well, I do have limited experience,” I tease. “I don’t know what else I’m missing out on.”

His teeth releases my nipple.

“What's on your mind little one?” he peers up at me curiously. It’s a risk, but I have to try it.

“Well...you could try being gentle with me,” I say, feeling stupid immediately. I wish I could take it back, especially when I see how disappointed he looks.

“I don’t do gentle.” He dips his head, before rolling onto his back, and just like that, I’ve lost him. His eyes focus on the ceiling as something clouds over his mind.

“You could pretend I was her.” I roll over and prop myself on my elbows.

“Pretend to be who?” He flicks his head around, eyes fierce again, and his shield back in place.

“Whoever it was who made you this way. I can tell you’ve loved before, and you’ve obviously gotten hurt.” I’m pushing him, even though I know I shouldn’t, but his change in mood this morning has made me want answers more than ever.

“That person doesn’t exist anymore,” Ethan tells me sitting up and moving off the bed. As he starts walking toward the door I can’t help but wonder who he means, the person who he’d loved? Or the Ethan who had allowed himself to love?

“Don’t leave,” I call after him, mad at myself for ruining things. He opens the door and turns around to face me.

“I’m gonna try and make it bearable for you to be here, Lysetta, but don’t make the mistake of forgetting who calls the shots,” he warns before he walks out.

He’s left the door open and I listen as his footsteps move further away. Flopping back on the bed, when they silence completely I wonder how much of this mental strain I can take before I snap? His final words are a shrill reminder of what I am. And I need to keep that in mind, even when he’s being nice.

I don’t know how long I lay there, with his sheets curled around me. But when I eventually drift back off to sleep, I dream of us. Of him, touching my body like it’s the most precious thing he’s ever held, and his lips touching against mine.

I wake up with a start, to find Ethan standing at the foot of the bed, his head tilted, studying me with his arms crossed. He’s changed into black jeans, with nothing on the top half of his body, and he looks even better than my sleepy visions had given him credit.

“You still sore?” he rasps.

I shake my head. It isn’t a lie if I don’t say it out loud, and I have a feeling he won’t fuck me if I tell him that I am.

He reaches forward and takes my ankles in his hands, then pulls me to the edge of the bed. His palm feels soft as it slides over my thigh, leaving a warm tingle when it passes over my hip.

Extending his arm, he reaches between my breasts and skims over my neck before cupping my cheek. I’m shocked still.

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