Embracing Fate: A Captive Hearts Novel Read online

  Clara barely moved. She barely breathed as fear gained the upper hand. To my delight, she lowered the covers to her chin.

  “Is that what you are? A man who enjoys hurting women? You’re nothing more than a monster.” Her chin trembled, and her lower lip quivered. She licked her lips and swallowed. Then ever so softly—I practically had to lean forward to hear—she gave me the first of many treasures. “Sir.”

  I leaned back, but took the opportunity to place my hand on her thigh. “Very good, Clara. I know what it took to give me that. I will remove one of your punishments as a reward.”

  Her lids pinched together, and she sucked in her lower lip. Sweat beaded her brow. Excessive sweating, with or without true fevers, were common withdrawal symptoms. It was impossible to tell if her perspiration was from withdrawal alone, fever, or fear.

  “I want to go home.” Her lids fluttered, and she swallowed again. “Please, I just want to go home. I won’t tell anyone what happened.”

  “Ah, and we were doing so well.” I squeezed her thigh. “It will get easier with time, but you will address me properly. You’re back to two.”

  Anger flashed in her gaze, but she tamped it down quickly enough. I barely registered the emotion before she regained control.

  “Maybe I don’t understand what you want, Sir. After each sentence, Sir? Word, Sir? Or just every time I speak, Sir. Please enlighten me…Sir.”

  My laughter disarmed her. She did such an amazing job reining in her fiery temper only to lose it a heartbeat later. In a satisfying way, I respected that. Her submission would be worth it when won.

  “Watch your tone with me, young lady.”

  “Or what…Sir? You think that gives you the right to hurt me?”

  “For one, you’ll find your mouth washed out with soap. Your punishments will reflect how they were earned. It won’t always be a swat to your perky ass, although that is my favorite form of punishment. It makes the sadist within me happy.”

  “I know what I am, or what you think I am. But I’m not a slave. You may have bought me, but you’ll never own me. And as for sadists, if you want to hurt me, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

  Her boldness sang to me. It was as if fire licked along my nerves and burned within my veins. This was a woman worthy of the chase. My anticipation grew, and the beast within me hungered to slake its thirst.

  “You won’t be so bold when your cries harden my dick and I shove it in your mouth. Pain will be only part of your punishment my dear. Once you ignite the beast within, you will slake its hunger.”

  “You’re a monster,” she repeated.

  I leaned in close, hovering over her and brushed a lock of hair off her forehead. “I most definitely am, but my dear Clara, what you will grow to understand, and embrace, is that I am your monster. You and I are going to have so much fun together.”

  Chapter 18

  She snapped her mouth closed and pressed her lips together. It took a moment before I realized she wasn’t doing it out of fear, but for an altogether different reason.

  I yanked back the covers and lifted her into my arms. The poor thing didn’t resist. I rushed her to the bathroom where we repeated part of last night.

  Her entire body shook as she bent over the toilet and emptied the contents of her stomach. As I had before, I held her hair away from her face, doing a much better job this time than the first. After she finished, she curled into a ball.

  “Please tell me watching me puke isn’t a turn on for you.”

  She glanced up, peeking at me beneath her lashes. It took a great deal of strength to joke when her entire existence depended on my good will.

  When I crossed my arms, and gave my most dominant glare, her gaze shifted to the floor and she added the honorific.

  “Sir.”

  “Once again, very nicely done, and for the record it does not. Consider this a reprieve. I suggest you take a shower. It’ll help with the sweats and body aches. There’s no reason to rush. We have all day to discuss your place, my role, and our future. I’ll be waiting outside.”

  “I don’t understand,” she managed.

  “What’s not to understand?”

  “You haven’t tried to rape me, yet. Why?”

  “Now that is an exceptional question, my dear Clara. I’ve told you to do something. I suggest you consider what happens when you choose to obey, or accept the consequences for deciding not to. We’ll discuss everything in time, and you’ll discover the answer to your question soon enough.”

  My gut told me to force her to get in that shower, but every choice needed to be hers. It was the only way any of this would work.

  Consequences and rewards would shape every interaction between us. My demands, and the penalties for disobedience, determined our path. The destination I had in mind wasn’t unattainable, but would require significant work and self-control on my part.

  Holding her naked in my arms set my entire body ablaze. Her defiance stirred my desire to dominate. Her compliance shook the pillars of my soul. In this battle, Clara had no idea she had already won. I would give her everything.

  Her glare softened and her tight fingers uncurled from her tiny fists. I backed away, allowing her to set her path. To my delight, she rose to her feet and stepped toward the shower.

  Nude and helpless against my open assessment, Clara didn’t flinch. Once again, her strength defied my expectations. In the few steps from the toilet to the shower, she didn’t try to shield herself from my hungry gaze and didn’t try to rush. Part of that may be due to the tremors of her body, but I sensed Clara decided her nakedness wouldn’t be one of the things she controlled.

  She would soon discover how little was within her power, as well as how completely she controlled our every interaction. It was a dichotomy I eagerly waited to explore. The things I desired would only come when she understood how much power she held.

  I headed for the door because I needed to get out of there.

  The shower turned on, and she stepped inside. Her whimper almost had me turning around, needing to comfort her, but that was not yet my place. To her I was a monster, but I vowed one day she would willingly embrace what that truly meant.

  My orders were for her not to rush. Each interaction would heighten the tension between us. These moments would be carefully crafted, allowing her to accept her new normal, and allowing me to increase my demands without breaking her beyond my ability to put her together again.

  I took my seat and read from the novel she had started. Not five minutes later, the water turned off. I rose from my seat and retrieved her robe from the closet. She exited the bathroom wrapped in a towel. I held the robe for her and inclined my head.

  “Here, let me help you.”

  “Why bother?” She gave a shrug, and then added, “Sir?” while staring at the floor.

  “Because it makes you more comfortable to cover yourself in front of me.”

  Her eyes pinched together. “But, isn’t that the point? And you’ve already seen me naked.”

  “True, but that has been while puking your guts out, and it’s not the point at all. Every piece of you now belongs to me. I’ll have ample opportunity to acquaint myself with your body later. For now, how about you decide? You may sit and continue our discussion naked, or you can wear the robe.”

  “You’re not going to make it an order?” She bit at her lower lip, and I held back a groan. Every time she did that, my dick took notice.

  “That depends, do you like it when I give orders?”

  “No.” She leveled her chin and gave a defiant stare. Her fingers curled again, forming tight balls.

  I said nothing and waited for her to give the honorific. When she didn’t, I lowered the robe.

  “Each time you refuse to address me with proper respect, you earn five strikes. To make things easy, I’m wiping the slate clean as of this moment. You choose how much pain you accept into your life.”

  “This isn’t a game,” she stamped her foot. “Y
ou can’t do this to another person.”

  “I can, and I will. The rules are simple. Whether you allow pride to dictate your actions or not, isn’t my concern. But you can count on one thing from me. I fulfill all my promises. If I say I will do something, then it will happen. You have now earned five swats to that perky ass.”

  She took a step back and clutched at the towel. “You’re a monster.”

  “You keep saying that. And I’m more than willing to be your monster as you are my slave. It’s a Yin and Yang thing we share, the beauty and her beast. I’m willing to embrace everything that has to offer. Are you?”

  “That’s sick.”

  “You’re now up to fifteen. Each time you hit twenty, I’ll deliver your punishment. It won’t matter what we’re doing, I’ll stop everything and administer your punishment. You’ll learn to expect this, embrace it, and you’ll respect it.”

  “I don’t respect anything about you.” Tears once again shimmered in her eyes.

  I waited for a moment, a breath or two, waiting to see if she would test me. Frankly, I expected it and eagerly looked forward to putting her over my knee.

  She sniffed and then surprised me. “Sir. I don’t respect anything about you…Sir.”

  “Now, isn’t that what a perfectly obedient slave sounds like? You surprise me, and thank you.”

  “Thank you? That doesn’t even make sense…Sir.”

  I loved the tiny furrow between her brows when she squinted. It made me want to pull her into my arms and kiss her forehead.

  “Doesn’t it? Why would it surprise you? When you choose to obey my rules, it brings me pleasure. When you please me, I want to return the favor.” I made an expansive gesture of her room. “Look around you, Clara.”

  Her eyes followed the sweep of my arm.

  “I could have put you in a concrete cell, chained you to the wall, and done any of a hundred things to degrade you and make your life miserable. Instead, I’ve surrounded you in luxury. It’s my pleasure to pamper you and my promise.”

  “Promise?” She took a second to swallow, then continued. “Sir.”

  “Yes, my promise to you. I take care of what belongs to me. You’ll find your life pleasant with me. My rules are absolute. Don’t ever think they aren’t. I’ll punish as required, but only to enforce my discipline and authority. Beyond pleasing me, you’ll find yourself free to pursue the things which interest you.”

  “But I can never leave…Sir.”

  “No, you cannot.”

  “Then I’m a prisoner, Sir.”

  “No, you’re my slave, and before you say it again, I’m your monster. I wear that title with pride, as you should wear yours.”

  “Being a slave is nothing to be proud of. I want to go home. If you release me, I won’t tell anyone what you’ve done. Please, Sir, show some compassion.”

  “Now, that’s a sad truth you need to come to terms with. I’ll never release you, but even if I did, you wouldn’t want to leave.”

  “You’re insane. Of course, I do.”

  I waited, giving her a moment to realize her mistake. When she failed to call me Sir, I closed the distance, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her to the seat in front of the window.

  Her towel fluttered to the floor as I bent her over my knee. Clara shrieked as the first strike fell. I didn’t give her a chance to catch her breath. This first punishment would need to be memorable. I also didn’t hold back on the power of my strikes. It wasn’t necessary to leave her bruised, but she would remember this.

  Each of her cries brought the beast closer to the surface. And I didn’t try to hide my growing arousal as I struck the globes of her ass. My dick dug into her tummy as bright pink skin turned a fiery red. I rounded through and past ten and worked my way up to twenty. With her shrieks turning to sobs, I landed the last two strikes on the sensitive crease which separated her butt and thigh. Then, I pushed her to the floor.

  Bending down, I grabbed at the towel and marched to the bathroom where I hung it on a rack and desperately tried to control my breathing. My cock pulsed behind the zipper of my pants, long and fully engorged, I ached to go back in there, toss her on the bed, and take my pleasure by force.

  One deep breath turned to two and eight more calming breaths surged into my lungs before I allowed myself to return. My pulse still spiked, but I was back in control of my predatory urges. I picked up her robe and walked over to where she huddled on the floor.

  “Do you understand what you did?” My tone demanded a response, and she turned bleary eyes to me.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “Tell me.”

  Her eyes pinched shut and her shoulders curled inward. “I didn’t say Sir.”

  “Correct.”

  “But…Sir, it’s hard, and not natural to say it every time. Surely, you can’t expect…”

  “I absolutely expect it. Calling me Sir serves an important purpose between us. It establishes the flow of power; who has it and who does not. You have no power here. Time to get that through your head. Embrace it because it is your present and your future. With time, it’ll become easier. You’ll see.”

  “You hurt me.”

  “That was nothing. I wanted to do so much more. Take a moment to reflect on what happened. Be thankful you belong to me and not one of the true monsters who don’t possess the degree of restraint I displayed.”

  I waited to see if she could piece together what happened. To make her mine, she needed to not only respect me but trust me, and most importantly, she needed to understand a fundamental truth.

  “If you liked hurting me so much, Sir, why not rape me?”

  “I’m surprised you haven’t yet figured that out.”

  I tossed the robe over her nakedness. The longer the creamy expanse of her skin was bared to my eyes, the more difficult it became to maintain control. I did want her. I wanted her screams as I took her by force. But I could never have her that way. For that reason alone, I restrained the longing within me.

  Had my father truly created a monster by making it so that I could no longer enjoy sex without taking it from unwilling victims? I refused to believe that or give him that power over my life anymore.

  “Now, put on the robe and kneel in front of me. We’ve barely begun to scratch the surface of what you’ll become.”

  She shoved an arm into the voluminous sleeve of the robe, then wrapped it around herself. Sweat beaded her brow, and from the way she hunched, I could tell the cramping in her stomach had started. It would only get worse over the next couple of days.

  I went to the bathroom to get her a drink, then texted Chambers to make sure he picked up sports water. Clara would have difficulty maintaining her hydration during the worst of the withdrawal, and she would lose valuable electrolytes in the process.

  When I returned, she faced the window, arms wrapped around her midsection. Her shoulders shook with silent cries. I took my seat and cleared my throat. When she glanced over her shoulder, I pointed to a spot a few feet in front of me.

  “Kneel.”

  She glanced at the spot I indicated and stumbled over. She would need rest, soon.

  When she settled on her knees, I held out the glass. “You need to drink. Start with this. I’ll have something else brought in a little while. Are you hungry?”

  She took the cup with trembling fingers and brought it to her lips without spilling the water inside. “Why do you care?” She winced as she tilted the glass to her lips. After she swallowed, she glanced at me and her tone turned snarky. “Sir.”

  She might be right about saying Sir every time she spoke. For now, I’d leave that rule in place. It could be a concession I gave later for good behavior. That would work. Pleased with myself, I leaned back and crossed my arms.

  “I care, Clara, because you are the most valuable thing in my life.”

  “Didn’t your mother tell you that people shouldn’t own people, Sir?”

  “My mother died when I was very young, and my father was the
devil incarnate. You don’t want to know what he did to women. I’m a saint compared to him. And you’re correct, people shouldn’t own people. But monsters crave slaves, and you are mine.”

  “And you are My Monster…Sir.”

  “It seems we are coming to an agreement.”

  She took another sip from the glass, then cupped it in her hands. With a deep breath, she seemed to gather her strength. More pinching of her eyes as she worked through what to do next. I loved how hard she worked to control herself.

  Her chin lifted and her grip tightened on the glass. “It’s not like I have much choice.”

  “You always have a choice.” She needed to understand that power would always belong to her. My job was to structure the choices available and guide her along a path I desired.

  “I feel like my entire body has been run over by a Mac truck. I’m shaking, and I can’t make it stop. The hairs on my arms are lifted, like a constant chill I can’t shake. Initially, I thought it was you, but it doesn’t feel like that.”

  “Like what?”

  “You’re being too nice, too rational. I should fear you, but—”

  “It’s not my intention for you to fear me.” I leaned toward her.

  “Really? I was kidnapped, sold at auction, knocked out, and brought here. I don’t even know where here is. I’m locked in a room and trapped with a man who thinks he owns me and gets hard when he hurts me. That’s a lot to fear.”

  “That’s ten.” I resisted the urge to chuckle.

  “That’s not fair, Sir, you interrupted me.”

  “Really? Here’s another rule, and let’s see how you do. No lying. Ever. And that includes withholding the truth from me.”

  She rocked back on her heels.

  “Whether I interrupted you or not, would you have forgotten to say Sir?”

  “Your rules are designed to make me fail, Sir.”

  “That’s not an answer. Shall we add another five to the count? I believe that would take you to fifteen. How does your ass feel?”

  “Honestly, I don’t care if you add five or not, Sir. I don’t know if I would or wouldn’t have. You interrupted me. The onus isn’t on me.”