“You mean, like the Disney princess?” I asked.
He chuckled. “It’s an endearment. It means I find you beautiful.” He traced the line of my lower lip with his thumb. “Sensual.”
I blinked at him. No one had ever called me beautiful. And definitely not sensual. I was the awkward geek who was barely worth noticing, unless it was to make fun of me.
“You don’t believe me,” he said, reading my confusion. “Do you think my cock would get so hard for you if I didn’t want you? You are lovely, sirenita.”
“You’re trying to manipulate me,” I accused, not quite believing him. Maybe he got turned on by dominating women, and my physical appearance had nothing to do with it. That made much more sense. “It won’t work.”
“It already is working. I’m not lying when I say I find you beautiful. But everything I do to you is a manipulation, and I won’t pretend otherwise. You’re being very sweet and well behaved right now. If I’d known how obedient you’d become when I played with your ass, I would have filled it sooner. You came so hard for me. I thought you were going to pass out. I think you enjoy being manipulated, being shaped into my good girl.”
I scowled at him. “You’re a bastard.”
“That might be true. But you will learn to speak to me with respect. There’s a consequence coming for that, but right now, you need to eat.”
I almost said I wasn’t hungry, the urge to defy him automatic. But my stomach was very aware that I hadn’t eaten in over twenty-four hours. I still didn’t know what time it was, but it was now dark outside. That meant I hadn’t eaten since dinner the night before, because I hadn’t trusted the breakfast Andrés had sent up for me.
“Okay,” I agreed, trying to sound resentful and failing. I was far too hungry.
Now that I’d finally opened my eyes, I noted that Andrés was seated on the edge of the bed, with me perched on his lap. He reached around me and tugged at the small food cart. A silver dome covered the plate, and when he removed it, I realized that my wasted breakfast had been removed and replaced with a mouthwatering steak.
My cheeks heated even as my stomach growled. That meant someone had come into the bedroom while we were in the shower. Had they heard my lustful scream?
I didn’t have much time to worry over it, because my basic needs were too insistent. A jug of water sat on the cart beside two empty glasses. I reached for it and filled one, immediately gulping it down.
“You didn’t drink anything today, either?” Andrés asked, his voice heavy with disapproval.
“I thought you might drug me again,” I reminded him.
“And you believe I won’t now?”
I shrugged. “I figured that steak is huge enough for two people. There are two glasses, one water jug. So I’m assuming that you’re not going to drug yourself too, you know?” I poured another glass and drank half of it before moving to pick up the utensils. I was so famished, all I could think about was cutting into the steak and getting some food in my system. No wonder I’d been so weak in my attempts to fight my captor.
He caught my hand before I could touch the silverware and guided it back to my lap. He also took the water glass from me and set it down beside the plate.
“Do you really think I’m going to let you handle a fork and knife?” he asked drily.
I glowered at him. “I just want some fucking food. I’m starving.”
He frowned, his scar deepening to a disapproving slash. “I will train your tongue later,” he warned. “And I’m sure you’re hungry, which is more pressing than your punishment. I will always see to your wellbeing, Samantha, but don’t continue to test me.”
“I wasn’t going to use the knife on you,” I said honestly. “I just want to eat.”
“I’m going to take care of you, cosita. Trust me.”
I snorted. “You’re not really giving me a choice. Is it trust if you don’t have a choice? Probably not. No, I don’t think it is. Nope. Definitely not.”
He studied me for a moment, something like a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Do you always speak this way?”
“What way?”
“You talk very fast. Like you’re speaking every thought that comes into your head as it comes to you. Are you doing it because you’re nervous around me? Is this the same as why you don’t like looking at people?”
“I mean, I guess,” I admitted. “But I don’t talk like this because I’m nervous. Well, I guess it’s worse when I’m nervous. I just have a lot of thoughts, and they kind of pop out, like you said. My brain is really busy all the time. Like, my thoughts never slow down. I can’t focus on only one thing at a time, unless it’s really challenging.”
“You focus on me quite intently,” he said, grinning with smug satisfaction. “Does that mean you find me challenging?”
“It means I find you terrifying,” I shot back, but there was less malice in my tone than I’d intended. There was something odd about speaking to him so earnestly. I’d never been able to hold back vocalizing my thoughts when pressed by a domineering male, but this was different. I didn’t feel particularly nervous at the moment. I was too concerned with my need to eat, and Andrés’ arms were relaxed around me. He wasn’t threatening me.