It was utterly quiet in the room. I?
?d grown to crave the sounds of life and people like Silas did. I always had music on now when I was home alone. The silence was unnerving.
“Are you going to touch me?” I asked. Who cared if I broke a rule?
“Not yet.” His heavy voice was depraved. “I’m just enjoying this. Was it hard for you to agree to this?”
“What?”
“When I called, the owner explained how his girls would let me do whatever I wanted.” His voice got louder as he came to the edge of the table. “But he lied, because then he said I couldn’t have you.”
I pressed my lips together. Just shut up and fucking touch me, asshole.
“And when he told me you weren’t submissive? It only made me want you more. It’s no fun when the girl just takes it. I like them feisty, and you redheads usually are.”
The back of my neck tingled. Something was off.
“Tell me,” he demanded, “how getting on this table made you feel. Because knowing I got you to do it makes me hard.”
I swallowed back the acidic taste which had risen in my mouth, refusing to take the bait. “You want to know how I feel? Touch me and find out.”
He made a tsk, tsk noise. “You’re too eager. I need to teach you some patience.”
There came the sound of a belt buckle being undone. It slid free from belt loops. Every part of my body went on high alert. That action had to be enough. How could he defend it as being anything but sexual?
I opened and closed my hands rapidly, signaling Julius and Payton who’d be watching on the monitor that I needed out. They’d radio to Marquis to move in.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m trying to figure out where’s the best place to deliver my lesson.” He slapped the belt against the edge of the table and I flinched. “Not on your tits. Kirk was so impressed he wouldn’t shut up about them the rest of the night.”
“Oh, God.”
It made sense now why Payton thought he was attractive. His dominating and cruel attitude didn’t match what I had expected, because this man wasn’t Roland. I flung my hands open and closed several more times. Had time slowed to a standstill?
“I’ve changed my mind, Congressman.”
“You know what? Me, too. The belt’s too much to start with.”
The table shifted minutely as he climbed on top of me. He straddled my waist, trapping me under his weight. His pants were still on, thankfully. I could feel the fabric against my skin.
“I meant the deal’s off,” I clarified. I tried to squirm away, and he groaned like it was pleasurable for him.
“Is this the part where you try to run me down for more money?” His hands closed on my breasts, and I reacted. I tucked my thumb to my palm, yanked my hand free from the restraint, and slapped him so hard across his face, the impact turned his head.
I tore off the blindfold and blinked against the light.
Victor Bennett wore the same look he’d given me across Silas’s gallery. Lust and rage. It was scary, but not nearly as horrifying as when he captured my free wrist in both of his hands and slammed it against the table.
“No!” I yelled. I fought against him, but he had both hands to my one, and it was almost easy for him to wrap the Velcro tightly around my wrist. When I tried to bring my knees up, he adjusted so his weight was pinning the tops of my thighs. I couldn’t move.
His cheek flamed pick, but his eyes burned red. “See, there’s that fire I expected. I’m going to enjoy teaching you manners, whore.”
“Get off of me. I’m not a whore.”
He laughed like I was ridiculous, and his hands were on my breasts again. This time I couldn’t do anything but fight against the straps. They cut into my wrists as they held tight.
“Stop,” I ordered. Yelling was futile. I knew the rooms were soundproof, but I did it anyway. “Marquis!” Bennett’s palms coursed over my skin and he pinched a nipple hard enough for me to gasp with pain. “Get your dirty hands off me, asshole.”