I have a decision to make.
Help her or leave her to freeze to death.
Fall right into the trap the trainers have most definitely set for me or hold on to the little of freedom I can.
And lose the last bit of my fucking humanity in the process.
I shake my head, gritting my teeth as I try to shake that nagging voice at the back of my head. The stupid one that still has me actually considering helping her.
“Do you know why they brought you here?” I ask her.
“I—I do,” she mumbles, her voice barely a whisper as she remains curled in a ball on the floor. “They brought me here ‘cause they think if I can get close to you, then it’ll make you easier to control.”
My brow raises in surprise at her honest answer. So she knows.
But the way she’s saying it doesn’t quite make sense to me. She’s not saying it conspiratorially, as if she’s saying something she thinks will earn my favor. She’s saying it almost as if she’s defeated, resigned to her fate.
“You wanna control me, shortcake?” I growl, my jaw ticking when the nickname slips through without me thinking.
Shortcake?
Where in the ever-loving fuck did that come from?
She surprises me by pushing herself up. She’s quick to pull her knees to her chest and cross her ankles to hide her body.
She shakes her head, her movements jerky from the stiffness in her muscles. Probably from a combination of the shock collar and the cold.
“No need to hide. I’ve already seen it all,” I growl.
My jaw clamps shut, and the annoying feeling of guilt picks at me. Like a scab at the back of my brain.
She flinches, burying her face in her knees, hiding even more of herself from me.
Oh, I don’t like that. I don’t like her hiding from me.
I have to bite back a growl as I force myself to sit down, myback pressed against the wall as I prop my elbow on one raised knee.
“Stand up,” I bite out. My demand is harsh, and my tone is harsher.
It’s not a bark, though. She could refuse.
I’m curious to see what she’ll do.
She blinks at me with those wide eyes and slowly pushes herself to her feet.
Obedient little puppy.
The low, approving growl that leaves my chest surprises me.
Her arms cross over her chest, pushing her tits together to try to hide some of her modesty, as she nervously shifts her weight from foot to foot.
“Come here.”
Her strawberry scent thickens in the surrounding air, taking on both the sour hint of her fear and a thrilling sweetness that has my mouth fucking watering.
She takes a couple of hesitant steps forward. Close enough for me to lunge out and grab her, if I wanted. The length of chain they left me with might as well mean I’m not chained at all.
But I don’t.
