Page 300 of Coal Hearts

The first communication in three days.

With the stealth of a terrifying beast, he pressed his cheek to mine and breathed, “On your hands and knees, little nightmare.”

My eyes flared as he removed his fingers and reached out of the shower for one of the many towels on the rack. I scowled as he brought it beneath the spray and hot droplets instantly drowned it, making the plush white cotton go soggy.

Slapping it onto the floor, he pointed at it.

He didn’t speak again.

Didn’t have to.

We both knew who the Master was, and I cursed him all over again as he clamped a hand on my shoulder and pushed me down.

And down.

And down.

He didn’t stop pushing me until I kneeled on the towel.

The moment I kneeled, he twisted me away, then pressed on my nape, urging me forward.

I deliberated fighting.

I imagined so many scenarios of kicking his legs out from under him and killing him with a heavy fall. I pictured grabbing the showerhead and ramming it down his throat. I entertained myself with visions of strangling him with the towel or bludgeoning him to death with the soap dispenser.

But all of that took strength and speed.

And he already had me on my knees.

And, out there, lurked a hundred more like him.

And every single one of them would gladly trade places to hurt me.

What was worse?

Being fucked by a man who’d already been inside me or fucked by someone new?

What would break me less?

Being taken by a man who’d never lied or the one who made me hope?

With a despairing sigh, I stopped straining against his hand and tipped forward.

I gripped the slippery tile. My knees grateful for the towel’s cushioning.

Heavy water pummelled between my shoulder blades, slightly too hot, prickles of heated pain.

My dripping hair hung around my face, and I refused to look behind me.

Refused to see how hard he was.

How desperate he was to fuck me.

Grabbing another towel, the wet slap of it sent a flush of goosebumps and terror.

The shudder of him falling to his knees behind me made me beg to be anywhere else.

His fingers found me again, testing my readiness, granting me at least some consideration to prepare me.