I woke myself up groaning in terror. My neck was so tense that my head was drawn back, and my hands were clenched into fists. I tried to relax my body as I lay in the dark, but ants were crawling on my skin. I had to move.
In the kitchen, I got a glass of water, the cool liquid soothing my scratchy throat. As I set the glass on the counter, the skin on the back of my neck tingled as if I was being watched. I looked around the dark apartment, the only light streaming from the water station on the fridge and saw nothing wrong in the shadowy corners. I was being ridiculous. My uneasiness was because of the bad dreams.
Rubbing my forehead, I took the glass to the sink and started to walk back down the hall when movement in my periphery snapped my head to the left. In the dark I saw nothing, but just to be sure I headed to the light switch on the opposite wall.
As I reached for it, something caught my hair and pulled me backward into a hard chest. I cried out into the darkness and a gloved hand slapped over my mouth, muffling my screams. My pulse shot through the roof as my arms were pinned, and my natural responses kicked in. I was a fighting kind of woman, so even though the intruder had caged my arms, I kicked my leg backward, hoping to catch balls with my foot.
Based on the build, I assumed they were a man, but he wasn’t caught off guard by my tactics. My leg went between his and in a quick heave, he lifted me up off my feet and pitched me forward. The floor slammed into my knees, and my cry into his hand was nearly silent. He came to the ground with me and my nails clawed at the fabric covering his arm.
He jerked my head back into him and something cold and metal was threaded around my neck. My heart skipped, and I stopped struggling, knowing that he probably had a weapon, and I was defenseless. He pulled the chain taught, the links biting into my skin. I sobbed, tears streaming down my face, and chantedpleaseover and over underneath the glove.
Not that my attacker would listen. He was my worst fears of the last decade materialized. He was the eyes watching from the shadows, always lurking, always watching and waiting. This was it. I’d managed to live peacefully and unbothered, but I’d always feared he would come after me for what I did. He’d finally caught me, and I was finally going to meet the fate I’d evaded all those years ago.
He wrenched my head to the side and his hot breath danced across my neck. He was really going to take this all the way back to that night and play out the whole thing. As his lips brushed against my skin, my body betrayed me as chills skated down my spine. He kissed his way up to my ear, his warmth lighting me on firewith rage.
“I think I like you in this position, baby, on your knees with a pretty necklace around your throat.”
The words knocked me sideways, and I went still and silent. A wave of disbelief crashed over me, drenching my anger as relief followed closely behind. What the actual fuck?
I reached up, tugging his hand off my mouth, and he let me. “Ryan?” I choked. “What the fuck are you doing?” As the words left my lips I slid my fingers beneath the chain around my neck and tried to loosen it.
“Uh uh, baby,” he said, as he pulled the chain tighter. "It's Zander tonight. You’re going to make up for lost time earlier,” he taunted. “As your punishment, you’re going to suck my cock and I’m going to watch, all while I have your pretty little throat at my mercy.”
Heat rushed between my legs, pooling in my core. My chest heaved again, but for a completely different reason than before. My nipples pushed against the black satin of my sleep dress as Zander traced my collar bone with his thumb, an action he seemed to love doing. Having his chain around my neck and his rough hands manipulating my body into the position he wanted was something I hadn’t dreamed I would like. But knowing it was him behind me was everything I didn’t know I wanted.
“How did you get in?” I panted as he moved his hands to my breasts and palmed me through the slick fabric.
“You said no limits, baby. So I threw a cloth over your camera and picked your lock.” His chuckle was somehow erotic. “The funny thing about locks is they’re only there to make people feel better. If someone wants in, they will find a way to get in. It's actually not that difficult.”
My mind was in a lust-filled haze, only mildly registering his words. His hands traveled down my stomach, grasping my thigh with one and cupping my pussy with the other. Hisknees were on both sides of my hips and he pressed his hard length into my ass.
“Fuck,” I moaned.
He had somehow secured the chain around my neck and the ends trailed down my back, the coldness soothing my hot skin.
“Turn around,” he ordered, dropping his gloved hands from my body.
I scooted on my knees until I was facing him. Kneeling on the floor together, we stared at each other in the darkness. His hair stuck out from under his black hood and his face was barely visible. Fuck, he was hot like this, too. Earlier in my office, he was mouthwatering in his business casual attire. Now, he was wearing a hoodie and dark jeans, looking like he was ready to hurt me in the best way. He had put my pleasure first this afternoon, but now he was ready to take everything he needed from me whether I wanted it or not. The thought of being used that way made my pussy throb.
We crashed into one another with the force of a gunshot. Zander claimed my mouth, his tongue lapping every part he could reach, and I drowned in him. His heady smell of cedar and citrus, the same one from the office, filled my senses, and I groaned into him. Our hands tore at our clothing and while I was unsuccessful at removing his hoodie, my dress was ripped down the middle before I knew he had even reached for it.
When he pulled away, I ached for his lips. He kept his eyes locked on my face for an eternity, like he was deliberately not looking at my body on display for him. His jaw clenched and nostrils flared, tension written on his features. I dropped my gaze to the fisted gloves at his sides, and my mouth watered at the thought of them whispering down my body.
I flicked my gaze back to his face, and he finally let his eyes fall. He heaved in a breath as he took in my generous breastsand pink nipples. His head tipped forward as his gaze trailed lower over my soft stomach. When he landed on the V between my thighs, his breath rushed out as he ducked his head to the side.
“You’re going to be the fucking death of me. I keep saying it like it's a revelation, but I should accept you’re my undoing,” he panted. His voice was different. I hadn’t heard it this deep and gravely before. Even his sexy audios on his website weren't like this.
In a flash he was on his feet and in front of me, snatching the chain from where it rested between my shoulder blades. He crouched, his other hand grabbing my hair and yanking my head back so I was staring into his eyes.
“Are you going to cooperate with me, Raven?”
I just looked up at him, and when I didn’t answer, he gave the chain a yank. I whimpered and began nodding frantically.
“I need you to use your words, baby,” he snarled, the endearment adding a hint of sweetness. “Tell me you’re going to obey me or tell me to stop.”
My voice came out in a whisper. “I’m going to obey you.”
“Say my name.”
