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It was obvious I needed ain, I snapped, "You failed this lesson, Tess Snow But we’ll visit it again soon enough"

Her head flailed from side to side "No…please Just lettalk back And you’re not done Not by a long shot" Spinning on ainst the conflicting hatred and lust oozing insoftly against the expensive travertine

I threw a look over my shoulder My body suffered a sick roll Tess shuffled, her eyes downcast in her own drugged-up world

I wanted nothing ise I wanted to beg for forgiveness for putting her through this

I had to believe I was helping, because right now it felt like I was ed her through the dark-shrouded house I ignored the rich decor of the twelve bedrooned bypride of place on a cliff overlooking the sea, it was part of the subdivision I’d participated in a few years ago It was also the house that granted one sex slave in return for the bribery of Tenerife planning officials

It was ee cashed-up rich fks to buy into the twenty-plus complex

It’d been a quick phone call to secure and ensure complete privacy Franco would make sure eren’t disturbed There wasn’t a e in the crescent ain--the bad memories would be left in its walls, and Tess would be free

Stepping into a bathrooed Tess to a standstill New sun tried to enter the room, but I’d drawn every blind, every shutter

Tess and I were fored us, al and peace

"Look at me, Tess Snow"

Her eyes met mine, flinty and fierce Tears decorated her cheeks like silver droplets, and I wanted so fking bad to lick theht it for her

"It’s ti hands, I untied the belt froown off her shoulders She stood tre ers screa htened, but I didn’t wait to see if she’d obey I couldn’t look at her another second If I did, I’d break e freefor into the botto wetly into a tub that’d never been used before It wasn’t as big as the Tuscan bath where Tess had been stolen, but it would have to do

Glancing around the large bathroom, I made out the silhouette of the two person shower, the twin vanity, and glittering towel rails Only I knehat the rooht To Tess this would be naeon

A small noise jerked my head up My mouth fell open as a curse ripped its way upfk me"

She’d disobeyed me She’d run I should’ve known!

My dress shoes slipped on the tiles as I charged after her "Tess! Goddammit, coerness splashed through ht her she’d be my prize--my conquest

Why the hell didn’t I keep her tied? Did I think she’d forget about our masquerade and stand obediently for me? Did I believe she was so afraid of whoever she saw in her delusion to obey? The burn for freedoer than her fear of pain or retaliation

The knowledge walloped er than her fear of pain

If I could get her to accept freedom Get her to think she won her freedo hope I knehat I had to do

But first I had to catch the bloody wo the tightrope between civilization and ani in h the house Rooiven her Reacting to nightmares I fed to her

And now I’d turned into a worse predator than I already was

Every roorew I lost control of the cage I’d locked theafter prey Hunting for the weak Searching for a woman I wanted to fk so dahts of saving her were deleted by the overpowering rage inher beneathto erous I salivated at the thought of catching her

My s of non-consent, screaround, spreading her legs Both of us gasping for breath while I took her in retribution

Shit, Tess, you really shouldn’t have run

I slammed to a halt as a noise sounded from the back of the house The beast inside hohile the ht I’d found her Theto make her cry

Then rationality knocked aside et her before she found an exit If anyone saw this If anyone itness to the CEO of Moineau Holdings chasing after a nad wo kidnapped for the sex trade…Shit, my company would be ruined I’d be ruined I’d end up in jail

I couldn’t let that happen

Sprinting faster, I grabbed onto walls, hurlingfootsteps up ahead

A gli around a corner

My body shuddered, cursing the tight balls between s, the lust thick in ed s as I hurled after her She was headed for the back door

No! My heart exploded as I careened around the bend just in time to see her beeline for the exit--the exit we’d entered through She’d been unconscious How did she knoas there?

Tess grappled with the handle while I stood gawking like an idiot In a twist and leap, she barrelled through the door and into bea after her, squinting in the nen Tess was fast, but she was no ained on my runaway slave and every black part of oing to show you why you don’t run from me