"Do you want a choice?" Nox whispers in my ear. "Is that what you want, little bird? For me to let you have your wings?"
"Please," I whisper needily as he lets go of the chain leash. I don't know what I'm asking for and I'm not sure Nox does either. But he lets the chain fall and takes a few steps back. I miss him already, my chest tightening as I watch him leave. He walks to the door and unlocks it, leaving it wide open.
"You can go if you like," he nods toward the hallway. My heart speeds up, wondering if he'll let me go or take my choice away at the very last minute again. "You're free, little bird. I won't keep you caged any longer. If you want to walk away from me, this is your chance."
My mind wants me to fight this. To beg him to keep me. But my body has different plans. I pull myself up from the bed, toying with the loose leash around my throat. I sink to my knees and keep my gaze trained on the floor, too ashamed to look at him. Wordlessly, I hand him the leash, my hands trembling as I wait for him to take it.
He doesn't.
"Say it."
"What?" I demand, looking up at him with a fiery expression.
"Say you're mine."
"I'm..." I struggle to say what he wants.
"Say it, or I'm making you leave."
"I'm yours." My eyes burn with hatred as they meet his. "Please."
"Not enough." My expression is mirrored in his dark gaze. "Tell me you're property. My fucking property."
"I'm..." I swallow thickly, closing my eyes so I don't have to look at him and face the humiliation of our conversation. "I'm your property, Nox."
"Look at me."
I shake my head wordlessly, eyes still closed. But he kneels on the floor next to me, gripping my face in his hands. "Look at me, little bird, I want you to fucking mean it."
My eyes fly open despite my instincts screaming at me not to do it. "I hate you."
"No, you don't. Now say it. Make me fucking believe it."
"I'm yours."
"Not fucking buying it," he growls. "Fucking convince me, Dove. Or I'm making you leave."
"P-Please." His words send a jolt of fear down my spine. "Don't make me go. I'll be good."
"Then say it." His fingers glide over my scar. "Last chance, little bird. You want me to let you go?"
I shake my head, fighting back tears.
"Tell me then."
"Don't let me go," I blurt. "Don't make me leave."
"Why not, Dove?"
"Because I'm yours, I belong with you."
"You're mine?"
I nod brokenly. "I'm your toy."
"What's mine?" he grunts, fingers traveling over my chest and pinching my already hard nipples. "Are these pretty tits mine?"
"Yes," I whisper.
"And what about this?" he traces his fingers over my lips. "Mine?"
"Yours."
His hand wanders down over my navel, barely brushing over my pussy, driving me crazy. "And this?"
"Yours, it's all yours."
"Beg me."
"What?" I turn my fiery eyes to his.
"Beg me to keep you. Degrade yourself."
"Why?"
"Because it gets me hard as fuck," he hisses. "And I'm done asking, Dove. Show me what a good girl you can be."
"P-Please. Keep me."
"More."
"Keep me as your prisoner," I whisper brokenly. "Don't ever let me go. I want to be yours. I don't want anyone else. Keep me, Nox. I want to be your... property."
"You already are." He grabs the chain and tugs on it. "You know what you just did, don't you, Dove?"
"I..." I avoid his gaze, unable to handle its weight. "Please. I want to be yours."
"I know you do, but now that you said it, I'm never letting you forget it." He tugs on the chain, smirking at my crestfallen expression. "Starting to realize what you did, aren't you, Dove? You know I'm never going to let you go again? You belong to me now. Forget about your little boyfriend. Forget about ever looking at another man that way again. You're my property now, and I don't let my property lust after anyone but me."
He tugs on the chain until I get up. He walks me over to the plants and my heartbeat speeds up yet again as I face the plant with the unfurling leaf.
"You're going to grow for me, just like that," Nox whispers in my ear. "You're going to be a good girl for me and heal, so I can abuse you all over again. Say it."
"I'll be a good girl for you," I whisper, the words barely registering though I believe them fully. "I'll do anything you want, Nox. I'll be so good for you, I won't disappoint you ever again, please..."
"What are you begging for, little bird?" He spins me around so I'm looking at him. That's when it really hits me, all of it.
How long I've been alone in here.
How much I crave the touch I've denied myself for a full decade.