Hooked: A Dark, Contemporary Romance (Never After #1)(52)
She looks stunning. The picture of grace and poise, a powder blue fabric with a sweetheart neck and an open back. Sophisticated enough to be seen on my arm, yet ravishing enough that every man will wish he could have her.
My perfect little pet.
She grits her teeth. “You locked me in there.”
“A precautionary measure.”
I stare at her for a few more moments, drinking her in like fine wine, remembering what it felt like to be inside of her. Blood rushes to my cock, making it jerk against my leg.
She puts her arms out to her sides. “Well, do I pass your approval?”
Frustration wells in my chest at my constant attraction to such a conniving wench. I force it from my mind, replacing it with the black mass that’s been burning the fragments of my soul ever since Ru’s death.
The death I’m wholly convinced she was part of.
My eyes narrow, vines of anger wrapping around my muscles like ivy. “You’ll suffice,” I say.
She scoffs, and I turn my back. “Come along, it won’t do to be late.”
Her heels clack behind me on the polished wood floor, and I resist the urge to look back, keeping my focus on the fact that she’s a traitor. She’s out of her mind if she believes I buy her obedience ploy. It’s a mistake to underestimate me, thinking I’ll fall for such petty, silly tricks. Which is why I had to bring her brother Jonathan into the fray. I don’t particularly like using children as bait, and in all truth, I don’t plan on actually harming the boy. I didn’t even make a true phone call. But the quickest way to acquiescence is to hit someone where they’re most vulnerable, and Wendy has a soft spot for family.
The ride to the convention center is silent. Wendy’s fingers twist together as she stares out the window, her face drawn and sullen. I sit across from her in the limo, hatred mixing with lust like a volatile cocktail, sparks flying through my body, making me vibrate with an energy that makes me feel as if I’m on the edge of combustion.
I find it extremely irritating that I’m not able to control my body’s reaction to her. I was blinded by lust the first time around; both for her, and the thought of my enemy’s daughter choking on my cum.
Truthfully, that idea still appeals to me, only now my eyes are wide open, and they’ll never shut again. I let her get too close, became too relaxed, even in that short amount of time.
Most likely because I never truly viewed her as a threat.
“I don’t suppose I need to remind you what will happen if you misbehave tonight?” I ask as the limo pulls to the curb.
Her eyes narrow. “I’ve been going to functions like this since I could walk. I don’t need a pep talk.”
I can feel her ire all the way across the car, and it does nothing but fuel the flames.
“That may be so,” I respond, leaning forward. “But now you’re walking on a leash, pet. So don’t do anything that forces my hand.” I rise from my seat, moving next to her as I reach in my pocket and pull out a thin, velvet case.
Her body cowers against the limo door, as if even being near me is too much for her to bear.
My fingertips trail along her neck, pushing her silky hair to the side. “You will not try to escape.” I open the case, a whoosh of breath leaving her as she takes in the diamond-encrusted choker. “You will not say or do anything that could raise concern.”
I slip it from the box, the gems cool against my hand, and I lean forward, placing it around her neck, my fingers tracing her skin as I fasten it in the back. My eyes flick from her lips to her throat, a shot of desire pooling low in my abdomen. “There.” My hand brushes over the jewels before resting on the swell of her cleavage, my palm rising and falling with her heavy breaths. “Every good bitch needs a pretty collar.”
She rips her head away, gazing out of the window. I grip her chin in my hand, turning her face back. “You will not, under any circumstances, take that necklace off. Do you understand?”
Her jaw clenches. “I understand.”
“Excellent.”
I signal to the driver that we’re ready to leave, and the door opens for me to stand. I exit the limo, turning around and reaching back into the car. Wendy’s fingers tickle my palm as she places her hand in mine, and I lift her up and into my arms at the same moment flashes of light go off from the cameras lining the red carpet.
Wrapping my arm around her waist, I tug her in close, watching as she transforms in front of my very eyes. Her face lights up, a megawatt smile gracing her features, her eyes warm as she gazes up into mine. My heart skips, revulsion following closely behind, because once again my body is out of control when it comes to her.
I lean in, my nose inhaling the scent of her hair. “Be a good girl, and I’ll let you sleep in a bed instead of on a stone floor.”
Her spine stiffens underneath my hand, and she grins up at me, but her eyes hold something cold and dark. “Lead the way, master.”
As we walk inside, my stomach flips and twists in knots, anticipation flooding through my veins.
I’m so close I can feel it on my tongue. And it tastes like vengeance.
30
Wendy
The way Hook speaks to me curdles my insides like sour milk.
Even though I despise what he’s done, having his insults rain down like knives is a painful type of torture. It slices into my veins and bleeds me dry, leaving me brittle like fallen leaves.