A Debt Owed (The Debt Duet 1)

A wicked grin spreads on my lips. “Do you still want clothes? Or should I drag you down the aisle in your birthday suit?”

She looks at me at in disgust. “What?”

“You heard me.” I cross my arms over my chest. “You want to wear clothes to our wedding? Ask me, and maybe I’ll let you …”

She scowls once again and refuses to look me in the eyes as her lips part. “Fine. Please, can I wear some clothes to my goddamn wedding?”

“No,” I say, narrowing my eyes. “Beg me like you mean it.”

She takes another deep breath as though she feels humiliated. Good. I want her to feel that. I want it to sink into her bones so she’ll never forget. So she’ll think twice before she throws a tantrum.

“Can I please wear clothes?” she asks, this time without the begrudging tone.

Fuck. I love hearing her grovel. I could get used to this … I definitely could.

I approach her again and place a hand on her head, petting her hair. “Good girl. Now go make up to Jill, and then we can all get on with our day.”

When I press a gentle kiss onto her cheeks, she completely freezes. By the time I move away, she still sits rigidly on the bed and doesn’t even look me in the eyes as I open the door and close it while making the last eye contact.

I know my lips and touch can be overwhelming. She’ll get used to it soon.

Charlotte

A few days later

“Stay still. It’ll only hurt for a few seconds,” the man says as he sits down on a stool beside me.

My hands clench together in an effort to stop the tears from forming in my eyes. Easton’s standing right in front of me, and he watches while the man places the wet cotton against my ear and then a sharp tool. I can’t look away, but I don’t want to look at Easton either. Instead, I close my eyes as the sharp tool punctures my earlobe and a piercing pain emanates throughout my ear.

“All done. Easy, right?” the man muses as if it’s nothing. “Now the other side.”

I don’t even know his name or why he’s doing this to me. Doesn’t he know I’m not here because I want to be? That he’s doing something against the law?

Piercing my ears without asking me if it’s okay … exactly what I’d expect from a man like Easton. Vicious to the bone. He glares at me like a man obsessed. As though he’s marking his property. I’m like a cow getting branded, and it makes me want to explode.

But Easton’s vigilant eye stops me. He’s only here to keep watch, in case I try to say something to this man piercing my ears.

Still, I hate sitting here without saying a word while my second earlobe is pierced. It burns like fire, and my whole body shakes with rage when it’s over. With a tepid smile on his face, the man picks up a small mirror and holds it up so I can see. Two sparkling diamonds flaunt my ears. I’ve never had earrings before, and if you ignore the stinging, they don’t look so bad. Except for the fact that no one asked me what I wanted, of course.

“Perfect,” Easton says to the man.

“Clean it every day with this solution,” the man says, handing a tiny bottle to Easton. “And make sure she doesn’t touch them too much.”

Easton nods at the man, and says, “My assistant will take care of the payment. She’s downstairs.”

“All right,” he says. “Thank you for your business, and I hope you enjoy your new earrings, ma’am.” He smiles once more before packing up his things and leaving the room.

While I remain seated on the chair, Easton goes to close the door. I fiddle with the earrings while my eyes are fixed on the small hand mirror. I’m only a prize, a part of Easton’s collection adorned with diamonds and gowns. A pretty little doll he can dress and play with.

A hand rests on my shoulder. Easton appears in the mirror, wearing a lopsided grin. Like the devil himself, he brings his lips to my ears, and whispers, “Beautiful.”

The sound brings chills to my skin, causing all the hairs on my neck to rise.

Suddenly, he places a soft kiss on my neck. I freeze, my muscles tightening. His lips drag up all the way toward my earlobe, where his tongue dips out to lick up a tiny speck of my blood.

Fuck.

Why does my body send out such mixed signals? I hate it.

“They look riveting on you,” he murmurs into my ear. “Don’t you think?”

I can’t even focus on what he’s saying. My mind is still reeling from that kiss. But it’s wrong, so wrong … I can’t give in to his demands, no matter how sinful those lips felt on my skin.