The Dark Protector (Kingpin's Property 1)

“Get me out of here,” I snarl at him as he approaches me. I try to pull on the restraints, but it feels like I’m only making the knots tighter.

Xavier reaches for me, his fingers wrapping around my necklace. I know he’s going to take it away from me - I knew it since he first saw it. He’s so jealous, he can’t bear the thought of me having a memento from home.

“You don’t need this anymore,” he says coolly before snapping the chain off my neck. I yelp, but it doesn’t stop him as he admires the cross before sliding the necklace inside his pocket. “Now let’s have some fun. I’ve had a long day, angel. And the only thing that’s going to help my mood is listening to you beg for me.”

I glance at all the people in the room, some of them gawking at me while others avert their gazes, worried about Xavier’s rage if he catches them looking. None of these people are going to help me. They’re prisoners of the cartel, just like I am.

“I wanted to do something special for your big day,” Xavier grounds out. “You only got two left after this, angel. So I was thinking I would give you an audience, so you can beg appropriately for such an enormous crowd. They’re all here to see you, Tallulah. Now, are you going to beg for me?”

I shake my head no. He can take things away from me, but I can do just the same to him. I’m not giving him the satisfaction of listening to me beg. I’d rather die than submit to him in front of all these people.

With a self-satisfied smirk, I force myself to stay silent. I can tell Xavier’s noticed, his jaw clenching as he glares at me.

“Really, angel?” he hisses, grabbing my face by the cheeks. I close my eyes as he stares me down. “That’s how you want to play this game?”

I don’t respond, even though the words are on the tip of my tongue. I’m so eager to defy him, but I know my silence will hurt more.

“I’m going to leave you strung up all night,” he tells me, dark voice dripping with sweetness. He knows just how to play this game. But I’m a formidable opponent, and he’s about to find out just how stubborn I am. “If you don’t speak up, Tallulah, so help me God, I’ll leave you like this for hours. No relief for you. Not even for that little dripping pussy. I know you’re fucking wet down there. I don’t even need to check. But maybe I should, just to show these men I own you. What do you think?”

An involuntary whimper rips itself from my lips, but I force myself to keep my eyes closed, not saying a word. My lips thin out into a line. I’m not letting him win.

He spits out curse word after curse word. His hands leave my face, and I cautiously open my eyes. I know he’ll go through with his promise to leave me here, naked and exposed to all his business partners. Now I can only pray his jealousy runs too deep for him to let these men touch and use me.

My heart beats into overdrive. I’m panicking, but I still don’t say a word. I feel sweat breaking out on my forehead. Part of it is nerves, the other part pure frustration that Xavier is putting me through this.

“Everybody out,” Xavier roars. “Seems like my toy is feeling shy tonight.”

The men mutter to themselves as they file out of the room. It’s just me and Xavier now, and my skin is covered in goosebumps at the thought of what he’s going to do to me when nobody is watching.

I’m so tempted to speak, to beg for mercy, but my lips stay clamped shut and I force myself not to speak.

With a heavy sigh, Xavier pets my cheek like I’m his beloved pet who’s misbehaved.

“You’ve been punished so much lately,” he mutters. “Do you really want to keep racking your debts up? Tonight was supposed to be special, Tallulah. But now I’m taking that privilege away from you.”

“P-Please,” I whisper despite my best intentions, a dark flush covering my cheeks. I can’t force myself to say more.

“No, angel.” Xavier’s voice is soft with his disappointment for me and I want to cry for doing this. “We’ll try again next time. For now, stay here.”

He leaves the room and locks it from the outside. Only when I hear his retreating footsteps do I allow myself to cry openly. And I still don’t do it loudly. I keep my voice down and whimper and sob as quietly as I can. I will not allow him to have this victory. He may have won this battle, but I’ll keep my head high.