He shrugged one shoulder. “Only for tonight,” heagreed. “Who knows. You might love it so much, you’ll willingly agree to be my slave forever.”
“Keep dreaming.” I snatched the collar from his hand. Now that I was holding it, I could inspect it better, and I saw there was a hidden latch to open it. “Is this all? I just put this on and then we’re done?”
“Done?” Taylor echoed, looking at me like I was an idiot. To be fair, he looked at me like that all the time. “We’re just getting started.”
He moved forward, forcing me to stumbled backwards, and he backed me through the living room until we arrived at my door, my shoulder blades hitting the solid wood with a thud. Taylor was in front of me, so close, that all I could see was him.
I squeezed my eyes shut, just so I wouldn’t have to look at his stupid face and his stupid body.
“Archie,” he said in a sing-song voice. His face was so close to mine, I could feel his breath against my cheek. “Let’s go into your bedroom.”
“N-no.”
His thumb grazed my chin, but I still didn’t open my eyes. “I think you’ve forgotten,” he said softly, “that slaves don’t say ‘no’.”
That made me snap my eyes open. “You’re not going to do something actually heinous, are you?” I demanded. “I know I’m your slave, but you can’t make me jump out the window, for example.”
“What’s wrong with you? Why would I make you jump out the window?” His fingertips stroked my jaw. What was up with him and touching my face? “I won’t do anything dangerous or illegal. I just want us to go into your room.”
“But why?” I demanded. My bedroom was my sacred place. Yes, it was a lot cleaner than Taylor’s, but letting him inside would be like inviting the enemy general into your army’s camp.
“Because,” he said, voice low, “I want us to get in your bed.”
I could have protested. Ishouldhave protested. Maybe Taylor stroking my jaw wasn’t random after all, but a type of hypnosis, because suddenly I felt weak-kneed and…
“Alright,” I whispered, and with a hand on the door handle behind me, I opened the door.
CHAPTER NINE
The Slave
While I had scanned over Taylor’s room like a detective searching for clues, Taylor couldn’t give less of a fuck about my bedroom. He didn’t look around, just shoved me backwards until my ass landed on my bed with a thump.
“Put the collar on,” he said.
I looked at the collar in my hands. He must’ve bought it at a sex shop.
“Let’s clarify some things,” I said, sounding braver than I really felt. “When does this end?” I gestured between us.
“We said it would be one night. It ends at sunrise.”
My eyes widened. “Are you going to keep me up all night?”
Taylor shrugged. How was he always so nonchalant? “Haven’t decided yet. Put the collar on.”
I hesitated, but remembered my earlier resolve. The best way to deal with problems was to get it over and donewith. I opened the collar and slid it around my neck, then latched it close. My entire body clenched as I fought against the sudden wave of humiliation. If anyone saw me like this…
He was watching me now, eyes raking over me. I expected him to say something scathing, or to make fun of me, and when his lips twitched up into a smile, I readied myself.
“You look very pretty,” he said.
I stared for a few seconds, then scowled. “Don’t.”
He tilted his head. “Don’t what?”
“Don’t make fun of me,” I said, glancing away.
He grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look up at him. His eyes were bright, almost…angry. “I’m not making fun of you. Everything I say tonight, I say with complete sincerity.”
