No response.
My chest constricts, and I wheeze with all my might to take in some air. I’ll die of embarrassment, mortification, and… No punishment could be worse than this. All eyes will be on me.
Daphne Godwin dressed as a sex bunny. Naked. Vulnerable. Being walked in The Vault by a collar.
This is Apollo’s way of destroying me. Not killing me… destroying me.
Crumpling down to the ground, I pull my knees to my chest and allow the tears to fall. If Apollo’s goal was to break me, then he succeeded. I now know he will not kill me. That was never the plan. His plan was to bring me to my knees and have me submit to his every command. His plan was to break me, not kill me. But maybe I want to die. Maybe I want to die so I don’t have to endure this humiliation any longer.
I’m so lost in my misery that I don’t hear Apollo approach me. For a moment, I actually forgot he’s even in the room.
Looking up at him with tears streaming down my face, I beg, “Please, Apollo. You, out of all people, know. You know how hard I’ve worked to change people’s view of me. It was so hard to be the respected, distinguished, admired Mrs. Godwin that you wanted in a wife. Don’t take that all away by forcing me to attend an event like this.”
“Did you worry about the Godwin name when you tried to have me arrested for murder?” he asks. “Did you care about the Godwin name when my brother was crucified by the media even before his trial began? Did you care about what people were saying about us or thinking about us then? Why care now?”
“It was a mistake,” I choke out. “An awful mistake I wish I could take back. But Apollo… I beg you.” I pull at the collar to emphasize my appeal.
He kneels down beside me and looks me straight in the eyes. “Look at me and know that I’ll never let your name get soiled. I may dirty up this body of yours, but I’d let no one say or think anything negative about you. Not as long as you are my wife.” He places his fingertip on my cheek and strokes softly. “It’s called The Vault for a reason. What happens in that bank will never breech the walls. Never. What happens tonight is just as private as what we’ve done in the cloak of this manor.”
I shake my head. “People talk. You and I both know how toxic the talk of Heathens Hollow can be. I don’t want to go back to being that girl from the Eastside of the island. You saved me from that. Please don’t make me go back to being that person.”
He moves his fingertip and gently runs it along the collar where it meets my neck. He dips his finger between the metal and flesh and says, “Tonight, we can be anyone we want. I don’t have to be Apollo, and you don’t have to be Daphne. You are simply my bunny and I your master.”
“No,” I wheeze, continuing to cry. “Please.” I should be in a gown. I should be in expensive heels. Jewels should drip off my ears and hang heavy around my neck. I’m Daphne Godwin and that means something…or at least it did. He’s stripping me down to nothing, and if his intent is to break me by doing this, well then, he wins.
He removes his hand from the collar and places it on my head. Slowly, he strokes his fingers through my hair, never taking his eyes away from mine. “Shhh…just calm down. No more tears.”
“Then don’t make us go to this. Please!” He shakes his head. “We’re expected at The Vault. I can’t arrive without my pet. So dry up those tears and trust that though yourdignitymay not be protected tonight, your reputation and the privacy of your name will be.”
His gentle touch and petting of my hair eases some of my distress. Apollo has always been a man of his word. If he says my reputation is safe, then I’m leaning toward believing him. Besides, do I really have an option? And the one thing about Apollo and his family is they protect what’s theirs with ferocity. Their name and reputation are everything. If Apollo destroys my reputation by attending this party, he does the same to his.
“That’s a good pet,” he praises when he sees I’m no longer trying to plead my way out of this situation. “Tonight will be a night to remember.” He continues to stroke my hair. “You’re going to handle yourself just fine.”
Would I be? How could I bejust fineever again?
“I hate this,” I cry. “Why are you so cruel? How can you be so cruel to another human being? I may have fucked up, but I’m still your wife. I’m still the woman you married.”
He gives a crisp tilt of his chin. “I know.”
“So, why are you doing this to me?” I point to the cage. “Why?”
“Consequences, princess. You had to know there’d be some.”
“Do I deserve to be treated like an animal?” I ask. My words seem to make a difference, but I also get the sense that there is no use trying to convince Apollo to go against whatever twisted and dark plan he has.
Apollo places both palms on each side of my face and forces me to stare directly into his eyes. “You need to behave. Tonight’s event will start soon. You don’t want to know what happens to pets who disobey, and I promise you that this collar, cage, and butt plug will be minor in comparison. Behave. Do you understand me? You have nothing to prove. You’ll lose.”
“I’ve already lost,” I point out. “I’m wearing a collar and a tail while being held captive. There’s nothing more for me to lose.”
“But there is. I have ways of making my enemies lose so much more. Don’t push me. Just don’t.” He leans in and kisses me gently on the forehead before standing. He extends his hand to assist me up now that I’m no longer crying and having a meltdown. “We’re going to be late.”
Standing, I take a moment to allow the slight dizziness to dissipate. Apollo places his arm around my body to hold me steady while the room swirls around me. It doesn’t take long to feel back to my old self. My old self with an addition of a bunny tail and a collar, that is.
“Are you hungry?” he asks.
I nod, wondering if he’s going to make me eat out of a bowl on the floor of the cage or some other humiliating act.
“Good. There will be food at The Vault.” He stands back a few inches so he can take in my entire appearance. “You look absolutely perfect, my pet. Perfection.”