Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 272(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
“Get on my lap,” I barked at her, and she climbed on top of me.
I was hard as fuck, but for once in my godforsaken life, I didn’t give a shit about my cock’s appetite. All I cared about was the woman on my lap, clutching me closely and holding on for dear life. She buried her face in my shoulder and the tears started to fall. I held her close to me.
She would be punished for what she’d done - of course - but now wasn’t the time to mention it. First, I needed to make sure I got her back safely, and at that moment, I knew she needed to be comforted, to be told everything would be just okay. So I held her trembling body close to mine and reveled in the scent of her skin and hair, in the way her arms clung to me and in the expression in her beautiful blue eyes that promised she would never run from me again.
The drive wasn’t fast but still felt too short the moment we came to a stop outside of Carina’s apartment. When she felt that the car had stopped, Harlow buried her face in my shoulder, refusing to look up and see where we were.
“Come on,” I told her, my voice gentler than I would have cared to admit. “We need to get out.”
She threw her arms around me and looked into my eyes with desperation I had never seen in her before. Despite everything I’d done to her, my Rose was independent, intent on leading her own life with my shackles around her limbs. And she was fiercely protective of her friends, which was why I knew this would hurt so much it might break her.
But it was a necessary evil. She’d run away from me, and now she would be finished. What she didn’t know was that this was just the first part of my plan. She would be broken by the time I was finished showing her what I was capable of.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered against my cheek, her lips desperate to find mine.
I couldn’t resist her. Never could. I let her kiss me because I needed it as badly as she did, and she melted into my embrace, clinging to me. Finally, I pulled away and half-carried her out of the car with me.
When she saw where we were, her face drained of the color.
“What are we doing here?” she asked softly, her voice full of fear.
“I’m sure you know,” I told her roughly, tugging on her arm and walking into the lobby of the building. “If not, you’re about to find out. Patience, my little Rose.”
She tugged on my hand again once we were in the elevator, and I looked into her terrified eyes.
“Don’t hurt them,” she begged me, her voice shaky, needing me to reassure her. “Don’t hurt my friends, Thorn. M-Master. Please don’t hurt them.”
I touched my fingers to her cheek, gently stroking her silken skin.
“You should know by now,” I told her softly. “The only one I’m interested in hurting is you.”
The elevator dinged when we reached the top floor, and I held her hand gently as I led her outside.
Her hand was shaking as I rang the doorbell, and I gave her a sweet smile and a peck on her cheek as we waited for someone to answer the door. Finally, it opened, and we came face to face with Carina.
“Hello,” she said, glancing from Harlow to me.
I could see her brain working, almost hear the wheels turning.
She was faced with a delicate situation now, and her best friend was about to find out Carina had played her to get what she wanted.
I had no interest in pitting the friends against one another, and I knew I’d have to keep up the ruse for a little while yet. But I would make it clear to Carina soon that I knew she’d attempted to get rid of Harlow. I knew where she’d wanted to send her. I’d taken the piece of paper from Harlow’s hands, recognizing the address on it right away.
There were other people who did the same things I did, but the symbol of the serpent always told our buyers our girls had entered into our world willingly. They wanted to be sold. They wanted a master. The place Carina had sent Harlow dealt with human trafficking too, but their girls weren’t there of their own volition.
I knew exactly how Carina had gotten the address. I knew her father well enough by then, knowing his tastes and desires.
He had attempted to get a girl from us before, and we’d declined, knowing the kind of person he was. Of course, that wasn’t the end of his path. He continued to search for a slave in more questionable establishments than my own. And the one where he finally succeeded was the very place Carina had dug up to send Harlow to.