“I bought the brand you love, little bird.”
“How did you…?” She trails off, peering up at me.
“Thehowdoesn’t matter, what matters is that Iknoweverything about you.” A ruby hue darkens her cheeks as my fingers move to her breasts, kneading and soaping them. Desire coats her face as she watches my hands drift to her wet heat, slipping between her folds to cleanse her. “I set this bedroom up with you in mind, little bird. From the color of the walls to your clothes in the wardrobe. As much as you want to paint me as a monster who snatched you and took you to his lair in the dead of the night, my intentions are far from malicious.”
“You can’t keep me here forever.” Her voice is like a breeze at a waterfall.
“Can’t I?”
“Matt will be searching for me after he realizes I’ve gone missing.”
“Who do you think he’s going to run to when he does?” Her throat bobs nervously. “Nobody would ever suspect me. The town’s respectable sheriff. Even if someone says it, everyone will laugh it off.”
“Aren’t you afraid of going to prison after you get caught? Because there’s no way you won’t be.”
“It would be worth it,” I answer with a smile.
“What about your son? Have you thought about what this’ll do to him?”
Her accusation turns my blood to ice in my veins. “I’m choosing you.”
“Well, I’m never choosing you, Mr. Smith.” Stepping back, she says, “Yes, I’ll admit I had a big crush on you when I was younger. It might have turned into more had we acted on it. But those arewhat-ifs. It’s in the past.”
Even as she hurls those gut-wrenching words at me, she doesn’t shove my hands away that span her waist. I yank her to my chest, letting the suds cover my skin.
“If you can’t give me forever, then give me this week,” I utter, despite the words tasting like lead in my mouth. “We both know Matt doesn’t satisfy you in bed, so let me fulfill your deepest, darkest cravings. You can go back to him once the seven days are up. He never has to know.”
“I’ll know,” she furiously retorts.
“If you want to be set free, this is the price.” Her jaw goes slack. I close it with the tip of my finger under her chin. “I’m a manipulative monster, remember?”
“I think you’re worse.”
“What’s it going to be, my beautiful captive?”
“Do I have a choice, captor?” she huffs.
“I still want to hear if we have a deal.”
She juts her chin out. “Deal.”
“Good girl.”
Shifting us under the stream of water, I wash her body. As I massage the sore spots, she tries to stifle the pleased sighs but fails. Turning her around, I pay equal attention to her long and silky tresses. The color is so pretty and rich like red wine.
Her enjoyment is visible in the way she leans into my fingers. After I rinse her hair off with the second showerhead, I tilt her head back with a hand around her throat. Half-mast eyes stare up at me, the water droplets clinging to her eyelashes hypnotically.
For all my supposed cruelty, she sure loves it, acts like she can’t get enough of it.
It’s her mind that’s manipulating her into spilling lies.
There is nowhat-ifabout how much she still craves me.
Stroking over her pulse, I growl, “I’ll have full command over your body, Molly. I tell you to fall to your knees, you kneel. I tell you to bend over, you bend. I ask you to suck my cock, you open your mouth. Whenever I crave a fuck, you spread your legs. Understand?”
Nothing but my grip holds her up.
“Yes, Alexander,” she says hoarsely.
