Scorch

by Nikki Rae

  “Good girl,” he whispered once I’d settled.

  With that, he returned to the laptop, typing information or clicking the mouse. Every once in a while, he would pat my head or rub my shoulder. He was finished less than five minutes later, shutting off the computer and turning all his attention to me.

  “Doe,” he said quietly, but it made me jump with the intensity of its tone. “If this is what you want to do, I’d feel better if you weren’t on the floor.”

  He pulled me to my feet but I collapsed into him, embarrassed but too selfish to back away. I buried my face in his chest and he accepted me without hesitation, wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me so my legs dangled off his thighs while we both squeezed into the desk chair.

  For a while, we sat in silence, only our breathing filling the space.

  “Tell me what it is you need, Fawn,” he murmured into my hair. “If I can help, I will.”

  My fingers gripped his shirt as I struggled for what to say. “I…”

  Deep down, I knew Marius would give me anything I asked of him—tonight especially. However, I didn’t want him to feel obligated. I didn’t want this to be just another distraction.

  I stared at his chest, the shirt he’d buttoned since he’d gotten the phone call. The first came undone easily, and then the second and third. Marius let me slowly undress him, fabric sliding down his shoulders. I wanted to peel away the undershirt, but I’d already overstepped my bounds.

  “Fawn,” he repeated when I didn’t say anything. His fingers were at the nape of my neck. I tried to fight him, but he’d only compromise, pressing his forehead to mine. With nothing to hold on to, I steadied myself with an arm around his shoulders.

  “I know what it is you want,” he said, hands resting on my hips, “but I don’t know if we should.”

  This was almost silent, but I understood what he meant. I would have plenty of opportunities to be told what to do in the coming days, but that was precisely why this was so important. If Marius was uncertain whether he should give it to me, I had to convince him.

  He didn’t flinch when I touched the angle of his jaw. Nor did he recoil when I leaned in to kiss him. “I want to know…” I said, barely audible. “Show me what it would be like.”

  It came out far more timid than I’d intended, but the underlying command was clear.

  He kissed my cheek. “Then start listening to me.”

  My eyes met his and there was a slight smirk on his face, but this wasn’t a game—to either of us.

  “Come now,” he said, letting go. “On your feet, cherie.”

  I did as I was told, folding my hands in front of me as I’d been taught.

  “Have a seat,” he said softly, gesturing to the reading area.

  His proximity made it difficult to follow his instructions. I knew he wouldn’t be far, which was a comfort I’d soon have to also give up. Not wanting to take this time for granted, I stepped away from him and did as he asked.

  I sat down, palms facing the sky. Marius walked towards me but he stopped just out of sight. When he spoke, his voice came from above me. “Take off your shoes, Doe.”

  On either side of me, Marius’ hands rested on top of the chair. I didn’t like not being able to see him, touch him if he allowed, but this was what I’d asked for. Marius this way. Him controlling what he could and how he so chose. It was a bite of what House Wolf had in store for me, but without the pain.

  I did as he’d asked, unbuckling one sandal and then the other and setting them neatly under the coffee table. Once I was done, I sat up straight, mindful not to slouch.

  “Lean back,” he said at the same time a gentle hand came to the nape of my neck.

  Thankful for the contact, I moved backwards until my head was against his lower abdomen.

  I was mortified when a quiet whimper escaped me as he let go. Knowing what I wanted, he combed his fingers through my hair, sorting any tangles.

  “Take off your belt.”

  This was whispered, but I could hear a distinct waver in his voice. He didn’t want to push me too far. I could only hope obeying him would make him see I wasn’t afraid. Never—not once—had I been afraid of Marius.

  Keeping my head where it was, I uncinched the waist of my dress, the fabric tie slipping easily from the loops. Before I could fold it up, his hand came into view.

  It took a moment to understand, but I gave it to him. No longer touching me, I heard him testing the material as if deciding what to do next.

  “Give me your hands and sit up taller.”

  Inching back, I raised my wrists above my head. Marius placed my palms over the top of the sofa, arms spread wide. Then he reached for a throw pillow and propped it beneath me. Now that my shoulders were no longer hunched, my arms relaxed behind the wooden frame, where I clasped my hands.

  I was rewarded with a kiss on the forehead. “Very good.”

  Crouching behind me, Marius brought the belt from my dress around my wrists. Pulling them together with a single secure knot, I felt more tension as he wound the remaining length around some part of the frame I couldn’t see.

  Once I’d adjusted my posture, I leaned back my head again and tried to relax. The windows cast an orange glow across the expanse of white bedding and furniture, and Marius stroked my hair as I gazed backwards.

  “Now,” he said, stepping away once he was satisfied none of my curls had been trapped beneath me, “why don’t you tell me what is troubling you.”

  When I swallowed at this angle, it felt heavier. It was more difficult to speak. He didn’t say anything, patiently waiting for a response.

  “I hate lying to him.” It left my lungs before I could catch it, a sticky thing I didn’t want to look at too closely. Tears welled in my eyes, threatening to choke me as they filled my throat.

  Realizing my distress, Marius said, “How would you feel about more restraints?” Thinking better of it, he added, “Do you think it might feel a bit better?”

  I sniffed, which forced a few tears past my eyelids as I squeezed them shut. Still, I nodded, not bothering to think about what my answer meant.

  Marius wiped my face and when I glanced back at him, he gave me a friendly smile. Once he’d confirmed I was okay, he stepped out of view. A second later, I heard him unbuckling his belt. I didn’t so much as tense when it cleared his beltloops, or when it made contact with my skin.

  He used the strap of leather to bind my forearms together and after a short deliberation, he wound the belt around my elbows, straightening my back even further so my chest jutted outward.

  As he stood, I felt him checking to make sure nothing pinched or was too tight. “How’s that?” he asked, then made the question mercifully easier to answer. “Better?”

  I started to nod but he caught my chin between his fingers. Clearing my throat, I said in a voice smaller than I liked, “Yes, Mr. B.”

  This was met with another kiss, this time on the temple. It warmed everything within me and I had to look away as soon as he released my hair.

  Marius rounded the sofa and came to sit beside me in the cramped space, brushing strands of hair away from my eyes. We were silent a while, as he let my body sink into the new position, hands relaxing when my arms and back couldn’t.

  While everything else was burning to the ground, Marius made me feel safe, invincible. I wanted to carry that into whatever darkness lay ahead, whether it was a Wolf or Lyon who met me on the other side.

  My muscles tensed at the sudden buzzing coming from his pocket; Marius’ phone was ringing again. He dug into his jeans, the screen lighting up between us as he lay the device on my thigh.

  “He’ll be expecting to talk to you.”

  I automatically shook my head, and he stopped the motion with a palm on my knee.

  “May I show you something?”

  Another vibration made me jump; there wasn’t much time. I could only think Marius wanted to speak to my Owner while I was bound by someone other than him. T
hat prospect alone was scary, but I wanted to prove I trusted my Transient Owner.

  “Yes, Mr. B.”

  It came out as a whisper, but he didn’t hesitate to answer the phone.

  At first, it seemed Master Lyon wouldn’t let him speak, interrupting whenever he attempted to say something. As he closed his mouth, I listened to my Owner’s muffled French. I realized why he was upset: I’d avoided him, and I’d left my phone in my room so I wasn’t tempted to use it.

  After a moment, Marius said, “Elle est juste ici.” She’s right here. “She fell asleep. I heard her running the shower, so she’s awake now.” His voice was even, unfazed by whatever might have been said on the other end of the line. He spoke as if I wasn’t there, which made it feel like we shared some kind of intimate secret not even the man who Owned me knew.

  “I think she’d like to speak to you,” he said with a glance in my direction, “if you’re pleasant to her.”

  With the little distance between us, I could just barely make out my Owner’s relieved intake of breath. After what I gathered was his form of an apology and a request to talk to me, Marius pressed the receiver to his shirt.

  I waited for him to say something, but he was only searching for further confirmation I still wanted whatever it was he intended to demonstrate.

  “Ready?” he whispered, only guiding the phone to my ear after I’d nodded.

  When I couldn’t immediately greet my Owner, he forced himself to speak first. “I heard you went swimming today.”

  The sound of his voice hurt more than I’d anticipated, and I glanced at Marius, who smoothed my furrowed brow. “S-sorry I haven’t answered,” I blurted without meaning to.

  “It’s all right, Doe,” Master Lyon answered. “I’m just happy you aren’t hiding in your room.”

  Though there was still an edge to his tone from his previous pain, he spoke softly, not wanting me to regret picking up the phone.

  “Yes,” I finally responded, rewarded by a squeeze of the hand. “Marius taught me how to swim.”

  My effort to add more to the conversation than one-word replies appeared to please him. When he next spoke, his voice was less strained. “And you weren’t even scared, were you?”

  Beside me, Marius used one hand to hold the phone to my ear while the other settled on my knee. Checking my reaction for any form of protest, he inched slightly up the hem of my skirt. Now I fully understood why he’d asked whether I was ready; he intended to distract me with more than just the restraints. The added weight of not alerting my Owner to whatever Marius chose to do to me.

  He must have seen this realization, because he smiled with questioning eyes. His free hand lay on my thigh, not knowing if I would agree.

  I leaned into his touch as I recounted our day at the beach to Master Lyon. The longer we spoke, the more confident Marius became. His fingers trailed the curve of my side before returning to the edge of my dress, which had ridden slightly from his or my doing. It just covered the scars along my thighs, where he paused, making my pulse increase to the point that I almost missed what Master Lyon was saying.

  “I have good news.”

  Abandoning my lower half, Marius’ flat palm smoothed up the center of my torso, grazing the mark along my throat. Leaning back my head, he slowly wrapped his fingers around my neck, squeezing just enough.

  When I didn’t reply with any interest, Master Lyon continued. “I’ve been able to return earlier. “I’ll be flying back tomorrow evening, which means I will be there in two days. Then we can all travel home together.”

  No matter how vague, my mind spun with the new information. I wanted him to share more, perhaps tell me Odette had been rescued—or better: caught before she put her plan into action. Whether he returned with her or not, he’d only be delaying what had already been decided.

  Marius loosened his grip, cupping my cheek when he saw I’d lost my focus.

  I’d gone too long without responding to my Owner, but Marius pressed a finger to his lips as he took away the phone. Although part of me felt colder without his voice in my ear, the relief of no longer having to keep up the façade was worth sacrificing a goodbye.

  Quietly, Marius told him in French how I was exhausted by the sun and the swimming and fallen asleep again. Marius’ palm found the center of my chest as if the contact alone could slow my rapidly beating heart.

  “Yes,” Marius was saying, and I couldn’t be certain whether he was speaking to me or him.

  Eyes trained on mine, hand around my throat, he talked to my Owner as if I wasn’t there. I couldn’t have felt any more grounded to the spot.

  “I’ll tell her,” Marius said, quiet as if I really was asleep.

  Setting his phone on the end table, Marius released me for a moment and then came back with lighter fingers. Lifting my head so I was firmly in his grasp, Marius brought the palm of his other hand to the back of my skull, pulling me slightly closer.

  “I know how hard that was,” he whispered. “You did very well, Doe.”

  Testing how far I could go, I pressed my forehead to his, exhaling when he didn’t move away. Marius’ green eyes bored into me, the proximity along with the glare from the sun doubling everything.

  “You can lie when you need to,” he said into my ear. “You can accomplish anything if you need to.” The hand on my throat rested just below my chin. “Isn’t that right, mon amour?”

  When I looked at him, his expression gave away nothing—he was merely waiting for an answer. He believed this statement, but that didn’t mean he was willingly going along with what Odette and I wanted.

  My last night with Master Lyon—the night before he transferred me—had been spent preparing me for what came next. For once, I wanted what I had right now. No plot, plan, or deception behind it. It’d spent so long getting to the next step when I didn’t know what was really in front of me.

  “Yes, Mr. B.”

  His tiny smile widened as he scooted backwards, quietly regarding me.

  We were silent too long, so I forced myself to speak. “Could…?”

  The second I hesitated, his hand returned to under my chin. I wasn’t scared, but my pulse increased and I had to make a conscious effort to breathe evenly. Despite the sudden action, his touch was tender. He didn’t squeeze or restrict me any more than to make me pay attention.

  Marius’ gaze was soft. “Fawn,” he murmured, “if there is something you want, you need only ask.”

  I understood, but it was impossible to put into words. “Please,” I said on a breath. “Please don’t make me go back to my room.”

  He stroked my cheek, face incredibly close. We’d had this conversation before, when he’d escorted me from the cellar with a hood over my head. Even then, I’d had a motive: to find some semblance of humanity in the man who’d purchased me.

  Now the only thing I wanted was Marius.

  Lips grazing mine, he whispered, “I wouldn’t dream of it, mon couer.”

  Six

  He pressed his lips to mine, and I leaned in for more as he pulled away. I was about to protest when Marius stood on his knees to reach behind the chair to untie me. I was a little disappointed that he’d freed me so soon, but my muscles were already aching from the short amount of time I’d been bound. He massaged the blood back into my fingers and arms before repositioning them in front of me. With one hand, he rubbed my shoulders while he brought me closer with the other. I sagged into him, laying my cheek on his arm.

  Marius combed my hair, kissing my temple slowly, like he wasn’t sure what to say or do. I returned this gesture to assure him, lips trailing the very edge of his shirt where I could sense the heat of his bare skin. It was smooth, no marks disrupting the contact. I had only a blurry recollection of our first time together, as I was focused on spinning another lie, yet there was nothing false in what I felt for Marius—not once, not ever.

  He was the pure type of love little girls were promised.

  When his hand found the back of
my neck, I expected him to move away. Instead, Marius crushed me further into his chest, letting me taste him. The scent of mint and lavender clung to his clothing, making me brave enough to ask for more.

  I wrapped one arm around his waist, feeling the broad muscles underneath the thin shirt.

  Marius rested his chin on the crown of my head. “Ask, Fawn.”

  Licking my lips, I could taste the salt from his skin. I sat up straighter and he did the same, waiting for me to speak. I didn’t know where to start.

  “Do you need these to see?” I fiddled with the curved metal behind his ear to indicate what I meant.

  “They are distance,” he answered, gazing at me through the lenses with a half-smile.

  “Then you don’t need them,” I said, sliding the glasses from his face.

  Handing them to him, Marius set them on the end table beside him. Once he’d settled back against the cushions, he asked, “What else?”

  When I’d first knelt before him under his desk, I’d done so to give up control. After I’d handed it to him, I hadn’t thought he would offer it back. Biting my lower lip, I struggled with what I should ask for, what it was that I wanted. I didn’t think I could articulate it aloud, much less to him.

  Instead of trying to speak, I slipped my arm around his neck, straddling his legs. Marius’ face turned the slightest tinge of pink as he accommodated me, arms encircling my waist.

  He parted his lips to say something, but I kissed him before he could utter a word. Marius pulled me tight against his chest as my tongue roamed his mouth.

  When we broke apart to catch our breath, Marius’ gaze wandered to the bonds he’d discarded on the table. “If you cannot ask for what you want,” he whispered against my skin, “will you allow me to give you what you need?”

  I did my best to conceal my surprise, but I nodded. My mind traveled back to no less than a few weeks ago, when I was so overwhelmed I couldn’t pack my own books.

  Marius was quiet, which meant he was listening. He absorbed all he saw and formulated how to make it better. He knew what I needed—what I was too afraid to request of him.