Page 63 of Theirs to Tempt: The Marriage Claim

I laugh.

But the sound is brittle, even to my ears.

“Shall we see?”

“Do you worst.”

His eyes darken, and he smiles, slow and wicked.

“You remember the first woman we watched a while ago.”

I don’t answer because I don’t need to. I’ll never forget the sounds, the woman’s responses, the tightening inside me…

“We’re going to give you a taste.”

I set my chin mutinously.

In the mirror and the zillions of reflections bouncing around me, I look ridiculous. “I can use a safe word.”

“You can.”

His agreement catches me off guard.

“I can insist I be allowed to go home right this moment.”

“You can. But you will not be allowed to leave by yourself.”

I exhale.

“But you’re not going to do any of those things.”

Caleb removes his jacket and hangs it from a hook I hadn’t noticed.

“Because you’re curious. Because you don’t want to leave here without knowing what it’s like, before experiencing this for yourself.”

Caleb rolls back his shirt sleeves.

My heart skids to a stop, then races on again.

I don’t want this. Don’t want to want this.

Lucian stands next to the bench and crooks his finger toward me. “Be a good little girl, Sophie.”

I squeeze my eyes shut.

“Of your own free will, come here. Find out the consequences for disobeying me.”

His voice has me hypnotized.

What other explanation can there be for the way I start toward him?

“Such a good girl.” He fists his hand in my hair and eases back my head. “Our good girl.”

Why aren’t I objecting?

“I’ll never demand your trust, but for the next few minutes, we’ll ask for it. And I vow, we will earn it.”

“That’s not possible.”