Jess Michaels

by Sin Collection

  Bianca’s chest hurt from not breathing for so long. It seemed like it was impossible to draw breath through her terror. Punishment. Ownership. Both were dangerous concepts in the hands of a man mad with jealousy.

  “What do you intend to do?” she whispered and couldn’t manage to keep the fear from her voice this time.

  He rolled over top of her and through his clothing and the blanket, his erection throbbed against her thigh. A wave of nausea washed over her even though she had prepared herself for what he intended to do. She knew she might not get away before he took what she wouldn’t give freely. She had resolved to close her mind to what would happen to her body and look for every opportunity to escape, even if it meant pretending she loved his touch.

  “First, I’m going to erase his imprint from your body by taking you,” he murmured near her ear before he caught the lobe between his teeth and bit down hard enough that she winced. “And then I’m going to mark you so I’ll know you’re mine. And so will everyone else.”

  “M-Mark me?” she asked as her hands flexed helplessly in the chains. “How?”

  He motioned his head toward the fire. A metal rod glowed in the embers. In horror, she realized it was a branding iron like a farmer would use on his cattle.

  “What is that?” she asked. Despite her best efforts, her voice was high and bordering on hysterical.

  He smiled. “My mark. I had it designed especially for you.”

  Tears stung her eyes and no matter how she tried to keep them from falling, she couldn’t stop the flood. Rape she could stand because she could let it happen to her body without allowing it to touch her heart. Abuse she could take because it would heal and she was strong enough to keep it from destroying her.

  But to be permanently scarred… marked for eternity with this man’s sick crest… it was too much to bear. It would be a constant, ugly reminder that he had tried to take her soul.

  “You don’t have to mark me,” she cried and hated herself for begging. “I will give myself to you if you want me so badly. Just leave the branding iron in the fire where it belongs.”

  He ran his hands up her sides and cupped her breasts through the blanket. “You’ve given yourself to me before, Bianca, but you still turned to another. Having my hands on you wasn’t enough to remind you who owned you when another man came to call. This way you will always know who holds control over your body and so will anyone else who dares desire you. This mark is meant to make a public claim since you refuse my ring.”

  Bianca tried to stay in control, but the thought of being burned made her body tremble wildly. She shook beneath him, anticipating the touch of scarring steel against her flesh.

  “G-Give me the ring,” she pleaded. “I’ll marry you. Now, here. Just don’t burn me. Please.”

  He laughed. “You see, already you’re mine and I’ve yet to use the brand.”

  With a triumphant growl, he yanked the blanket off. As he tossed the covering aside, he stared at her, mesmerized by her nudity and under the spell of his own desire. His distracted focus gave Bianca the time to gather her composure. Or at least try to.

  Branding her was a terrible picture and when she thought of it, it made her sick. But Everett fed off her fears and wasn’t going to free her hands if he thought she would run. The only escape was to convince him she craved his ownership, his touch and his sick desires. Including the mark that would scar her for life.

  “I am yours, Everett,” she whispered past the bitter bile in her throat. “If you feel you must mark me to make that claim public, then it’s no less than I deserve for betraying you with Hawkins.”

  He brought his gaze up to her face in a slow, deliberate motion. When his eyes met hers, they were filled with cautious surprise.

  “You’re beginning to see reason?” he asked in a tone filled with disbelief and hope all at once.

  She nodded and arched her back just enough that her breasts thrust toward him. “I am. You were right. I needed to be away from the influence of Lucius Hawkins and my own fears to begin to truly understand how devoted you are to me. How could I deny a lover so dedicated to me that he would want to make such a public claim on my body? If you need to mark me to prove that to yourself, I will let you. In fact, I’d like to help. To hold your hand as you sear my flesh with your brand.”

  She shivered at the imagery her words brought, but forced back her utter terror. There would be no escape without her arms being freed. This was her only chance to do that.

  “The idea of the pain excites you?” he asked and by the way his erection bulged toward her, she could see there was only one answer that could help her cause.

  “Yes. The moment of pain will be exhilarating. Especially when you pleasure me afterward.” She felt physically ill but forced a smile. “Make me scream in agony, Everett, and then scream in ecstasy. But unlock my chains, first. Let me writhe under your touch without being bound to this bed.”

  She leaned forward as far as her binds would let her. “Please.”

  He let out a groan of desire before he caught the keys in one hand and crawled up the bed beside her. He cock pressed into her side as he bent to plunge his tongue between her lips. He thrust it in and out wetly as he slipped the key into one of the locks. The bind broke open and she slipped her hand out. A bruise was already present where the metal cut into her wrist, but she didn’t care about the throbbing pain. In just a moment, she’d be free to find an escape route. Already, she glanced around for all points of possible exit.

  Everett straddled her naked hips as he reached for the other lock and Bianca readied herself to knee his groin as hard as she could. But before he had a chance to slip the key into the lock, a loud bang and shouting came from outside the door.

  Bianca froze in frustration as Everett’s hand stilled before he set her free. She was so close to avoiding the burning brand, if only he would put the key into the other lock.

  “Everett,” she whispered in her most sultry voice, “Let your servants fight out their differences. I need to touch you, please.”

  He tilted his head to look at her and opened his mouth just as a sound echoed outside and had her soul taking flight with hope.

  “Bianca!”

  It was Hawk’s voice, calling her from the hall outside. Screaming for her with such desperation, it actually pained her. Without thought for the consequences, she took a breath and screamed back with all her might.

  “I’m here, Hawk! I’m here!”

  Everett’s face twisted from a smirk of desire to a mask of rage as he backhanded her with all his strength. She flew back, striking her head against the headboard. Stars lit up before her eyes, but she had enough wits about her to scream out again.

  “Hawk! Hawk!”

  Everett threw the keys to the bottom of the bed as he stormed toward the door. With each determined stride, he pulled the pistol he used to kidnap her out of the waistband of his pants.

  The blood drained from Bianca’s face. He was armed and Hawk didn’t know it. If he burst into the room to her rescue, he could easily be shot and killed.

  Without thought for her own safety, Bianca screamed out, “I’m here and he has a gun!”

  Everett turned at the door with a howl of rage and leveled the weapon in her direction. “If I can’t have you,” he growled. “No one shall.”

  But as he pressed down on the trigger, the door splintered and flew open, striking him to the ground and sending the gun skittering across the floor with a metallic clatter.

  Hawk stood outlined in the doorway. He was panting from the exertion of breaking the door down, but his eyes lit up as he saw Bianca.

  “Hawk,” she cried as fresh tears came to her face. “You came for me.”

  A little smile turned up one corner of his lips and gave him a boyish air that melted her. “I will always come for you. Nothing could stop me.”

  As he started into the room, Everett rose to his knees and tackled him. “Nothing but me,” he howled as the two men s
prawled onto the floor.

  ***

  Hawk hit the ground with enough force to knock the air from his lungs, but he shoved back against Everett with every ounce of strength in his body. With a primal roar, he threw the other man from on top of him.

  Hawk grabbed for the upper hand as he punched Everett squarely in his already broken nose. Firth howled at the crunch of bone, but unlike in the garden, he was ready for the attack and swung back with the lethal strength of a mad man. Hawk blocked his first punch, but the second to his gut blew the remaining wind from his lungs and sent him flying to the floor on his back.

  In the background, he heard Bianca’s screams of terror and fought all the harder. God only knew what Everett had already put her through. If he didn’t make it through this fight, her life was forfeit. Hawk couldn’t let that happen to the woman he loved.

  Everett’s body hit him with all his weight as he jumped onto Hawk’s chest and started swinging wildly. He managed to block many of the blows, but Firth’s fists hit their mark more than once. Still, Hawk didn’t feel the pain. All he could think about was Bianca. Her safety, her life. With that as his motivation, he was able to get the upper hand in the struggle yet again.

  A crash of splintering wood filled the air as they hit one of the chairs in the corner of the room. Hawk kept expecting Everett’s servants to run to their master’s rescue, but with the exception of a lame attempt to keep him out when he pounded on the door moments earlier, no one had tried to stop him. Perhaps they were as sickened by Firth’s actions as he was.

  The two men rolled across the floor, exchanging blows and curses. Hawk swung for Everett, but he ducked out of the way just in time and skirted out of Hawk’s grasp. He lunged for the other man again, but not before Everett swept up the pistol that had clattered across the floor and turned on him to level the weapon in his face.

  “Well, well,” Everett panted with a smug grin. “Isn’t this interesting?”

  “No,” Bianca whispered from the bed. “Please, Everett, don’t hurt him.”

  Firth never took his eyes off Hawk as he motioned for him to stand with the barrel of the weapon. With hands raised, Hawk did as he’d been ordered. His heart throbbed. The other man would shoot him and then he’d no doubt hurt Bianca even more as punishment.

  “I’ll do more than hurt him,” Everett laughed. “I’m going to kill him. And then I’m going to do even worse to you, you lying bitch.”

  Hawk winced as he tried to block out pictures of Bianca being tortured because of him. He tried to forget that he would never hold her again. Never touch his lips to hers. Tears filled his eyes and he didn’t try to stop them from falling.

  “What a man,” Firth laughed as he spit out blood. “Crying over your life.”

  “Not mine,” Hawk whispered as he locked eyes with Firth. “Hers.”

  He heard Bianca gasp at the same moment Firth began to pull the trigger. He shut his eyes as he readied for the painful burn of a gunshot and then the dark peace of death. But instead, he heard a scream of pain… from Firth.

  His eyes flew open just in time to see Bianca, now free from her chains, pressing a hot brand into Firth’s face.

  “You let him be, you son of a bitch,” she screamed as the fire seared his flesh.

  Hawk leapt forward. Grasping Firth’s hand, he twisted it back until the wrist snapped, then slipped the gun out. Just as Everett clenched the opposite hand into a fist to punch Bianca, Hawk pulled the trigger and filled the air with the overpowering explosion of a bullet leaving the chamber and entering the man who had terrorized Hawk’s woman.

  Hawk didn’t have to look at him to know he was dead before he hit the floor.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “The constable will arrest you,” Bianca murmured as she leaned her head on Hawk’s shoulder and rocked in time with the slowly moving carriage. “You could hang for Everett’s murder.”

  Hawk shook his head. His life was the least of his concerns. He had almost lost Bianca and the thought of that made him shake with terror even as he held her in an attempt to comfort her.

  After he shot Firth, the servants who had been hiding came down to inspect the damage. None seemed too upset about their master’s demise. They’d found a gown for Bianca and promised to send the constable over after they told him their stories. Hawk had a sneaking suspicion the tales they told would leave him in the clear.

  None of it mattered anymore. What mattered was Bianca and getting her home where she would be safe.

  “I thought he was going to kill you,” she whispered and her hand clutched at his jacket lapel.

  “So much so that you apparently broke the chains,” he laughed.

  She smiled up at him and it was like a beautiful painting it moved him so. “I managed to grab the key with my toe and unlocked my bound wrist,” she corrected him. “Don’t exaggerate.”

  “However you broke loose, you saved my life.” He tilted her chin up with one finger as he bent to kiss her gently. “And I shall never forget it. I only wish I could have saved you from all this. I’m so sorry.”

  “You’ve nothing to be sorry about,” she whispered as she continued to look up at him through soft blue eyes.

  “I am sorry for Oscar,” he whispered and held his breath as he awaited her response.

  She shook her head. “I don’t want you to be sorry.”

  “How should I be then?”

  She didn’t answer except to straighten up and press a kiss on his lips. Her arms came around his back in a tight embrace as she deepened the kiss and urged him closer and closer.

  “Be mine,” she whispered. “Right here. Right now. Make love with me.”

  Without waiting for his answer, she dove back into another long, hot kiss. Her tongue gently traced his lips, then glided inside to taunt.

  “Now?” he mumbled against her lips, but the protest lost its power when his hands strayed up to her buttons, seemingly of their own accord. The gown was too big and it came loose easily. His hands slid along her hot skin and she tilted her head back with a moan of pleasure that rocked him to his very core.

  Even after everything that had happened in the basement room, she still wanted him. Even just the slightest touch made her hot with desire. That power was heady.

  Pushing her gown open, he bent his head and blew hot air over her nipple. It puckered to a hard point as he sucked it between his lips and tugged gently.

  Bianca’s cry increased as she arched her back. Her fingers tangled up into his hair and she ground her hips along his thigh for relief. As he continued to tongue her nipple, he slipped a hand between her legs and rubbed her rhythmically through her gown. Her eyes fluttered shut as she rolled her hips in time with his hand.

  Her chest flushed as he drew her nipple in and out of his mouth in a series of hot, wet pops. Bianca’s moans came faster, more breathless as she reached for completion at his hand and mouth. He knew she was coming a split second before her cry filled the carriage. She froze in her spot, trembling before her hips thrust wildly against his hand.

  She was still throbbing when she clawed at his trouser buttons. One by one, they popped free and his erection bobbed into her hand. Hawk let out a moan of his own when she stroked her palm down his length, then replaced that with her lips. She sucked greedily for a moment, sending blinding blasts of light to fill his head.

  He lifted his hips up in time to her licks, reveling in her warm wetness and the moans that vibrated around his cock. Then she released him, leaving him cold for just a moment before she shoved up her skirt, straddled him and dropped down into his lap. His erection surged into heat even wetter and tighter than her mouth. Heat that still trembled from her orgasm.

  “Kiss me,” she murmured against his lips.

  He immediately complied. She rode him as he kissed her, tasted her as he panted between thrusts. He held her against his chest as they rocked in time and brought each other closer and closer to the edge of the world.

  There wasn
’t finesse in their lovemaking. But the desperation after such a terrifying afternoon was sweeter than anything he ever experienced. Her body clenched harder each time she ground down onto him and soon he felt her tremor in release and allowed himself to join her.

  Just as he pumped hot into her, she leaned down and whispered, “I love you so much.”

  Her words, unexpected in the heat of the moment, made his release the most powerful of his life and he cried out long and hard as he filled her with his essence and his love.

  ***

  Bianca smiled as she took Hawk’s arm and he helped her down from the carriage. Warmth and satisfaction filled her every fiber as she walked up the stairs to his front door and he let her in. She said she loved him. And nothing had ever felt better. Even if he didn’t return that sentiment, she needed to say it.

  “Bianca,” he said quietly as he led her down the hallway out of the foyer. “You should know, when I couldn’t find you, I got some help. Your-”

  He didn’t get to finish. Before he could, Bianca’s father raced out of the study and swept her into his arms to hug her. Bianca was too shocked to speak, so she simply wrapped her arms around him and felt him tremble.

  “Papa,” she murmured as he put her down. “Are you all right? You’re shaking.”

  “Me?” Her father’s tone was between a laugh and a sob. “I nearly lost my only daughter to a mad man today. The fact that you’re here and safe makes me the best man on earth.”

  He touched her face briefly before he looked at Hawk. “Thank you for bringing her back unharmed.” His eyes flitted to her. “You are unharmed, aren’t you?”

  She smiled. “I am.”

  “Thank God.”

  He ushered them both into Hawk’s study. Bianca was shocked to see her brothers waiting there, as well as Landon Hawkins. Her brother’s rushed forward to greet her as Landon straightened up from the mantel with a nod for his brother. As her family each embraced her in turn, she felt their relief. All of them had been terrified for her. For the first time in a long time, she felt the love of her family, untempered by disappointment or qualms over her choices. Tears stung her eyes as she took the seat her youngest brother offered her.