"No,Cyrusis reading your messages." I hold out my hand. "Phone. Now."
Her fingers tighten around it.
"I can do whatever the fuck I want, Princess," I remind her, waggling my fingers. "That's what you agreed to." I step closer and she backs up until her legs hit the bed. "Are you gonna make me take it from you?"
The defiance in her eyes cracks. She's weighing her options, trying to figure out if fighting is worth it. Finally, she slaps the phone into my palm with enough force to sting.
"There. Happy?"
"Ecstatic." I pocket it, watching her jaw clench. "You lost your phone privileges in the house. Along with your freedom to leave the house unsupervised. Congratulations, you've been demoted from pet to stray."
"A stray?" The word comes out sharp. "What the fuck doesthateven mean?"
"Means you haven't learned your place yet." I pull out the leash I've been saving for just such an occasion. A five-foot-long chainwith clips on both ends. The kind you'd use to secure a dog that bites. "But you will."
Her eyes go wide as she processes what I'm holding. "You're not serious."
"Deadly." I advance on her, and she scrambles backward onto the bed, but there's nowhere to go. I'm between her and the door, and we both know it. "Get on your knees."
"Kade—" she grits out.
"Kneel.Now. Or do you need me to make you?"
The threat carries weight. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, breathing shallow with panic or arousal or both. Her eyes search mine for some sign I'm bluffing, that this is just another test.
It's not.
Slowly, she slides off the bed and onto her knees on the carpet. The position makes my cock throb, but I shove the arousal down. This isn't about sex. This is making her understand that running has consequences.
"Good girl." I move closer, the chain clinking softly in my hands. I'macutelyfucking aware of how that phrase makes her shiver. Interesting. "Now stay still."
I clip one end to the collar at her throat, the metal clicking into place with a satisfyingsnikt. Her pulse jumps beneath my fingers, and I can smell her fear mixing with something sweeter that tells me she's as fucked up about this as I am.
"What are you doing?" Her voice comes out smaller and breathier than she probably wants it to be.
"Teaching you." I step back, holding the other end of the chain.
I clip the chain to my belt loop, leashing her to me.
"This is insane," she breathes, but her eyes are dilated, pupils blown wide.
"This is consequence." I tug the chain slightly, just enough to make her sway forward. "You're leashed to me for the rest of the night. Depending on how you behave, maybe even the weekend. Where I go, you go. What I do, you watch. And you don't speak unless I give you permission."
"You can't be serious, Kade."
"I'mdeadfucking serious."
"What about…" She stops, and I can see her mind working. "What about using the bathroom?"
The question almost makes me laugh. "Better hope this leash stretches."
Her face flushes with rage. "I get it," she snaps, fire returning to her voice. "You're watching my every move. You're in control. Message fucking received."
I grab her chin, forcing her to look at me. "No. Youdon'tget it. But you will."
Her breath hitches, and I can feel the tremor running through her.
"New rule," I continue, my thumb brushing across her bottom lip. "No words. You don't speak this weekend unless I specifically tell you to. Not to me, not to the others, not at all. You want to communicate? Figure it out without that smart mouth."
