That minute doesn’t come.
Nothing does.
It sounds as if I’m the only person in the room, if it’s even that. But it has to be, considering my hands are still clutching the sheets under me and I know I’m on a bed.
Who’s bed, though? That is the question.
Pushing myself up, I take a deep breath. Men’s cologne. It’s all I can smell, it is all around me, and I know that scent well. And I know who wears it. Who that particular smell belongs to.
That can’t be possible, though.
I count to ten before I risk opening my eyes. I’m telling myself that maybe I simply drank something I shouldn’t have. That this is all a dream, and soon, very soon, I’m going to wake up and think nothing more about this. But as I get to that last number, and I’m still in the same position, I start to freak out. And my eyes fling open.
My breathing’s heavy, my hands are glued to the sheets, I see then that they are red as if they have been tied up to match the sheets which are red, vibrant red. I’m lying on a king-size bed, and when I look down, I think, Fuck! What on earth am I wearing? I have on a black lace see-through bra and G-string.
My heart starts beating out of my chest. My eyes which are welling up with tears look around. And then they spot him, sitting in the corner, a cigarette to his mouth as he watches me smirking.
“I’ve been waiting…” His voice is so deep.
My heart bounces so hard in my chest at his voice, until I see the look in his eyes.
“What…” My words won’t come out. They’re stuck in my throat. What I meant to say is ‘I don’t understand what’s happening. How did I get here?’
“I own you, Everly, and now you’re mine.” My eyes go large at his words. They don’t make any sense. Not at all. What’s going on? He owns me? I go to move, and as I do, I stop quickly.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I’m not someone you want to fuck around with, Everly. Stay where you are and spread your legs.” I hear him stand, and I chance a look and see him removing his shirt.
My eyes are glued to him in a way that I can’t help. I’m so attracted to him.
“Now, be a good girl and I may reward you. Or don’t, I don’t care.” He shrugs, putting out his cigarette right next to my head and looks down at me with lust in his eyes. “I prefer it when they struggle.” His smile is evil, so mean.
How did I fall in love with this man?
Better yet. Why did I marry him?
“Gunner.”
All he has on is a pair of pants, and they come off pretty damn quickly.
I struggle to sit. My head’s still groggy, so I blink my eyes a few times in an attempt to try and clear them. “Where are we?”
Gunner doesn’t answer, just climbs onto the bed, pushing me back and hovering over me. “You were a bad girl, Everly. So very bad.” His hand traces my face, softly. But with a wave of anger I haven’t witnessed before. “Now you must be punished.”
“Gunner, where are we? What’s going on?”
He kicks my legs to the side. “You are with your husband. That’s all you need to know. Now shut up and be a good girl, and I might let you come.” I feel him press himself against me. He’s bare, and I still have my G-string on. His hand moves to my throat and he applies pressure. Hard.
“Gunner…” I hit at his hand, and his other one comes up and pins mine both above my head. He smiles at me, but it’s sinister just like him.
“The more you struggle, the more I like it.”
I stop. His pressure remains, but he doesn’t apply more.
A single tear leaves my eye, and he leans down while still pinning me with one hand above my head and the other on my neck, then he licks the side of my face. Taking my tear with him, he then comes back to kiss my lips. “You’ve made me so fucking mad. So damn crazy. No one has ever had that power. How do you hold it?” he asks a question I cannot answer. So, I don’t. “I’m going let go of your hands now. If you try to fight me, I will choke you, then I will fuck you till you wake back up. Do you hear me?”
I nod my head very slowly, not being able to move much with his hand wrapped around my throat. His other hand releases my wrists. I keep them where they are, afraid to move. He reaches down and tugs at my G-string and I feel it rip. It hurts between my legs from the pull, but he doesn’t care, he simply smirks.