Total pages in book: 206
Estimated words: 192184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 961(@200wpm)___ 769(@250wpm)___ 641(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 192184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 961(@200wpm)___ 769(@250wpm)___ 641(@300wpm)
He’d been inching me toward taking the next step and now was gifting me a bride so I could easily step in to be handed the reins. I was thinking it’d be my wedding and his retirement party all on the same day.
I poured two glasses of red wine and handed her one. She now sat with her legs dangling over the edge of my bed with a look on her face that told me she was trying to hold it together despite wanting to fall apart. This trait would serve her well as my wife. Through her black stockings I could see that her toes were painted red, the same as her fingertips. The same as the shade her lips had been when she arrived. Her lipstick was gone. I could barely restrain myself. I couldn’t wait to taste those lips and make those toes curl.
“Come.” I grabbed her hand and led her to the sofa. She pulled her hand away but sat beside me.
“It’s unfortunate that your father put you in this situation,” I said, “And I have no respect for what he did. But that said, this is the situation. You were given to me as a gift. That makes you mine.”
She blanched. My heartrate picked up pace with excitement; I wouldn’t show her that excitement yet, though.
“So, it’s important to me that you understand and follow my rules. Not following these rules is dangerous. Deadly.”
She kept her eyes focused on the carpet.
“Rule number one, I own you.”
Shock flashed across her face as her eyes met mine. I felt it in the groin, so I said it again.
“This means exactly what it sounds like. I own you. You’re mine. Mine to do what I want with. This means you obey my orders. If not, you face consequences. Being mine means that if I want you marrying me and I choose to give you everything that’s mine, that’s what happens. If it means keeping you in my bedroom and using you however I want, never letting you see the light of day, that’s what it means. If it means shipping you off somewhere and selling you to a pimp in Bangkok or Tijuana who wants to turn you into a five-dollar whore that’s what it means. You need to understand the gravity here and come to terms with this as soon as possible. The sooner the better. Any privilege or comfort you get is because I allow it. I can take it away. All of it. Do you understand?”
She didn’t answer. She looked down at the floor and her chin started quivering.
“The concept of ownership might be foreign to you but it’s a concept you need to learn fast. Tia, look at me.”
She looked up and what I saw in her eyes was pure and utter defiance. Perfect. A muscle in my cheek involuntarily twitched. I wasn’t ready to reveal all my cards yet, but she needed a glimpse. And I wanted to push her, see what she’d do.
I stood up and continued, “Because I own you, I’ll do what I want to you. Since you chose not to answer my question, I’ll reiterate: if that means that I want you to wear my ring and have my babies with the run of this house, you’ll do it. If it means you simply stay tied to my bed until I get tired of fucking you, so be it. I’m in charge. You obey me, things go well. You defy me? They don’t.”
Fear flickered in her eyes for a beat, but she continued to stare up at me, right into my eyes, trying to be brave. I liked it. I liked it a lot. Yeah, I’m a sick fucker. And the only thing scarier than a sick fucker is a sick fucker with power. If I was going to have to marry to get all the power I’d damn well get as much pleasure as possible from it. Fear and defiance rolled up in one? She was perfect. Maybe that’s why I’d waited so long. This was coming for me. Her.
Yeah, Dare was right; Pop did do good with this choice for me. In the moment I was feeling something new. Bliss? She was mine and I felt it deep inside. John Lewis was right about the rush here. I’d never felt this level of excitement, this sense of ownership with a woman before. I was standing in front of her, towering over her, and I was going to wipe that defiance right off her face.
“Do you understand?”
She didn’t answer. Her eyes narrowed.
I snickered and continued,
“I’ll let it sink in for a moment, then. Rule number two, you reveal nothing to anyone about anything that you see, hear, or suspect to do with my business activities, my family, my personal life, or my preferences. You don’t discuss me with people outside of my family or my house and you don’t disclose information about me or what happens in this house or especially in this bedroom with anyone. The rules are simple. I’m in charge and you keep your mouth shut. The rest we will figure out as we go. I hope you’re a smart enough girl that I don’t need to lay out consequences. Hearing about who I am, you probably have an idea of what I’m capable of. If you don’t, you will soon enough. You shouldn’t test your limits with me. I’m not a patient guy and I like doling out punishments. A lot.”