“Hey,” Felix calls, pushing out his chair. “Where are you going? Meeting’s in four minutes.”
Adam doesn’t look back when he growls under his breath, “Not going to make it.” He pauses. “Griff, you’re coming with me. We’re moving my evening appointment up.”
He disappears through the corridor, and my chest expands as I’m finally able to breathe.What the hell was that?
Griff grunts, shoves his seat back, then follows Adam.
“Goddammit,” Felix mutters, shaking his head. He glances at Raife. “Well, we need to leave. Now.”
“Yeah.” Raife’s voice is eerily calm. He’s still watching me, a strange, almost pleased, smile on his face. “I’ll meet you in the main house.”
Felix glances from Raife to me, then sighs. “Fine. Whatever. Just hurry it up.” He mumbles something else as he strides out of the room.
“I swear,” Raife murmurs, chuckling, “you never cease to surprise me.”
My brows knit. “I didn’t do anything.”
“It would certainly seem that way, wouldn’t it?” He shakes his head. “Stella, you may leave.”
“Yes, Master.” I don’t turn to look when her heels click toward the exit.
“Remove your clothes.”
My throat goes dry. “What?”
“You heard me.” He rises from his seat and moves the empty tray to the floor, then hops on a chair. “First rule as my secretary: always listen the first time.” He reaches over to mess with something on the chandelier. “Ah, here it is.”
Hard metal hits the glass table in the same moment that I stand. I’m fumbling with the clasp on the back of my dress when I realize what the object is.
A chain. It’s connected to the chandelier at one end. There are two handcuffs at the bottom.
My dress falls to the floor, my knees shaking.
Raife lowers himself from the chair and pushes it back in. He nods toward my bra then glances at his watch, almost bored. “Quick, lovely. I have someplace to be.”
My voice is small when I say, “Of course.”
I’ve never been shy about being naked in front of a man. But when he happens to be the same man who fantasized over burning me last night and is now waiting to chain me up, the nerves coil around my bones and squeeze.
I let my bra drop beside the dress, then slide off the thong that was so kindly provided by the Matthews brothers themselves.
“Mmm, lovely indeed,” Raife appraises, raking his eyes up and down my naked body. Just as I bend to remove my black high heels, he interrupts the movement with a sharp tsk. “Leave them.” He pulls a black tablecloth from a cabinet in the right corner of the room, lays it over the glass tabletop, then pats the material. “Up.”
My lips press into a thin line, but I quickly relax them. “Yes ... Master.” I crawl onto the table, my knees sliding along the smooth tablecloth, and wait for the next command.
“Stand and extend your arms to the sides.”
I do as instructed. My body stiffens when he clasps the cold, heavy cuffs around each of my wrists, rubbing the skin that’s still raw from last night. He tugs at the chain until my arms are stretched above my head, limbs straight as a rod, and my pulse picks up, breaths going shallow.
I close my eyes and focus on my breathing.
“You see ...” Raife trails a finger up my ankle, his voice soft. “Last night, I couldn’t help but notice your aversion to restraints.” His cold nose brushes my leg, and he pulls in a long inhale. “I can smell it, you know. Your fear. I have to say”—his fingers inch higher, up my thigh, and my eyes snap open when he strokes my slit—“it’s rather addictive.” He rubs my entrance with two dry fingers, and I tense in anticipation. But there’s no pain when he pushes them inside me. It’s a smooth glide, and I know I have his brother to thank for that. He pulls his wet fingers out and slips them into his mouth. “Mmm, yes, just as I’d hoped,” he purrs. “I can taste it, too.”
He steps away with a reluctant groan and wanders back to the cabinet in the corner. His back is to me as he shuffles through items, then he returns to the table and arranges six candles around my feet. They’re tall and white, and they form a perfect, small circle. So small, in fact, that if I were to move my feet an inch or two, I might knock them down. He pulls his lighter from his pocket and takes his time igniting each candle, one by one.
“This tablecloth is made of one of the most flammable fabrics there is. Did you know that?” he asks, his brows rising as though the fact impresses him. “Rayon. It shrinks once it catches fire, and it clings to human skin.” When the candles are all lit, he backs away and angles his head, taking in the sight.
The flames tease my ankles, a rush of heat nipping at my skin with every flicker. My throat is tight when I swallow, and a light sweat builds on my forehead. The strain of standing as still as a doll while in four-inch heels is already weighing heavily on my knees and feet.
Raife’s eyes dance with admiration. “It’s quite dangerous, really. One slip and—well, I advise that you be very, very careful.”
He smirks and withdraws a sleek, black phone from his pocket. He holds it out in front of me, angles it. I hear a distinctclick. “I do wish I could stay and watch, but this will have to do until I get back.”
He turns to the exit, and my stomach flips. “Wh-where are you going? You’re leaving me here?”
He continues strolling away as he calls over his shoulder, “Second rule as my secretary: don’t ever question me.” It’s not until he’s already stepped over the threshold that he pauses and adds, “What’s that saying? What doesn’t kill you ...” His words fade off, and I’m left with nothing but his dark chuckle echoing in my ears and a fire dancing at my feet.
