“Are there?” My words came out in a hoarse whisper. “I need to know something.”
“What is it, princess?” His grip didn’t loosen. “What do you need to know that I haven’t already told you?”
“Who put my father behind bars? Did you have anything to do with it?” The next thing I needed to ask got tangled in my throat, but I forced the words out. “Was it your father?”
“I had nothing to do with your father’s situation.” He shook his head back and forth. “If I did, I wouldn’t be offering to help. I didn’t have to bring down your father’s empire to claim you, princess. You’ve been mine since the beginning—all I had to do was open my door.”
It wouldn’t have been that easy and you know it—not after the way you’ve treated me.
“You didn’t answer my other question.” I felt him pull my hair a little harder and his eyes got dark. “Was it your father?”
“I won’t lie to you, princess.” A sigh crossed his lips.
“So, it was.” I felt my body trembling.
“I don’t know.” His lips pursed. “But that doesn’t change our agreement. I’ll get your father out of prison and I’ll help you restore the Cabot name.”
“You’ll go to war with your father?” I winced and blinked away the pain that was starting to spread across my scalp. “You’ve never stood up to him before.”
“There are many things you don’t know.” He released my hair and my head fell forward. “The agreement is made—the deal is signed. As long as you uphold your end of our bargain, you will get everything you want.”
“I will do my part.” I sighed and swallowed hard. “I promise.”
“You believe that don’t you?” He chuckled and turned back towards me. “You’ve already violated your contract—and the ink isn’t even dry.”
“What?” I blinked in surprise. “I have not.”
“I know what you did in your room. I know you—touched yourself.” A slight smile formed on the edge of his lips.
“That was before I even signed the contract—wait—how do you know?” My head lifted and our eyes met.
“Nothing goes on in my house that I don’t know about.” He tilted his head to the side. “There are cameras everywhere—including your room.”
“What the fuck?” I started to stand, but Devlin put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down onto my knees. “You can’t do that—it’s an invasion of privacy!”
“You will have no privacy here. That privilege ended the moment you walked through the door. Strip.” He took a step back.
“I’m sorry?” I narrowed my eyes. “What?”
“You do not question!” His words were like daggers. “You obey!”
His commanding tone caught me off guard—but it did something else too. It practically compelled me to obey him. It made my body scream for his dominance—his touch. I had never been naked in front of a man. If Devlin was going to claim me and take my innocence, then it was inevitable that he would be the first. I had fallen so far from the grace I cherished. What were my clothes worth? My dignity was gone the moment I signed the contract. If that wasn’t enough, falling to my knees in front of the devil did the rest. I reached back and started to unzip my dress. Devlin watched with a slight grin forming on the edge of his lips—it got wider as the zipper moved down my back.
“Yes.” He nodded. “Show me what you’re going to give me. Show me the forbidden fruit that no man has touched—that no man will ever touch but me.”
“Yes, Master.” The words left my lips before I even realized I was about to say them.
My dress fell to the floor around my knees and I was kneeling in front of Devlin in my bra and panties. My fingers trembled when I reached back to unsnap my bra. I hesitated when I felt the metal twist against my fingers and the fabric became loose. I could see the desire in Devlin’s eyes—a desire that I wanted to see so many times before that moment. I just never expected to be on my knees when I saw it. My bra finally fell forward, exposing my breasts, and then tumbling to the floor. Devlin’s hand stroked the front of his pants—a bulge clearly visible against the fabric. That was for me—a reaction to my body—a reaction to my submissive nature. I wondered if he would claim his prize the second I was undressed. Would he take my innocence right there on the floor?
“Now your panties.” He motioned to me again. “I want you to remove them and put them in my hand.”
Devlin extended his hand and my fingers trembled again as I moved them to the waistband of my panties. I took a deep breath and pushed them underneath the fabric. I slid them down my hips, exposing my pelvis, and then I was forced to shift on my knees so that I could shuffle out of them. I slid them down my legs, doing my best to maintain my position on my knees, and pushed off my shoes as I untangled my panties from my feet. Devlin wasn’t close enough for me to extend my hand and reach him. I had to crawl—that was my only option. More waves of humiliation swept through me as I put my palms on the floor and started moving towards him—until I was close enough to put my panties in his hand.