Falling for the Villain

I’d never seen anyone look so handsome in all my life.

And I’d never hated him more.

More than when he shamed me.

More than when he hurt me.

More than when he made me bleed.

I hated him the most when he said her name.

His dark eyes landed on me, and a small smile curved across his full hateful lips as he put his hands gently on Elaina’s shoulders and squeezed.

“As always, you did beautifully. How would I survive without you?”

Lowering his head, eyes still on me while Elaina shot me a wink, he kissed her neck, his mouth lingering near her skin.

She froze like she was caught in his web.

He was the spider.

She was the fly.

I was the witness.

Tears of anger burned in my eyes.

Elaina cleared her throat and stepped forward, then turned to face him. “I’ll see you tonight, Donovan.”

Bile rose in my throat, imagining every possible scenario that would eventually break my spirit, my heart, my soul.

I was still sitting like a good pet when she left the room. Donovan eyed me up and down, so callous and calculating that I didn’t even want to imagine all the ways he would make me pay if I chose the wrong dress or addressed him the wrong way.

“You chose the gold,” he addressed in a harsh whisper. “I must have trained you well if that’s where your eyes fell to … considering…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a large Tiffany’s box.

I gaped and gasped. Shaking, I reached for it. “T-thank you, Master.”

“Ah, she sees a jewelry box, and now she gets it right.”

Was he … teasing me?

It was almost too much. The emotions welled up inside me and threatened to spill over. Adrenaline surged as I slowly opened the box and quickly frowned. It was solid gold and had his name carved inside it along with the phrase. “Mine to take, mine to break. The Society.”

He reached for the necklace and held it up. There was some sort of chain attached to it that dangled nearly to the floor and, at the end of it, some sort of handle.

“Turn,” he whispered.

I stood and turned around, confused and honored he’d give me something, so… Wait a second… As he clasped it around my throat, everything made sense with stunning clarity.

I was his pet.

Oh God.

I was his pet. I couldn’t cry, or he’d punish me and make me bleed. But I was his pet, and this was my collar, and that was his leash. I shattered in that moment, I wasn’t sure if it was the last remaining piece of my heart that hoped for something better, maybe even to be rescued by the very man who punished me, but it left.

And I realized he didn’t have to beat me into submission. No, he would lead me there with his own hands.

Donovan

I lived for her jealousy, for the way she stared at Elaina like she was going to murder her for gaining my approval.

It meant one thing.

She. Was. Ready.

The limo ride was painfully tense as Juliet gently touched the collar on her neck. I wondered if she was horrified or excited? Which would she be, and while I wanted to ask her, I already assumed the answer.

She was, of course, both.

Which made her even angrier.

Juliet liked this role of submissiveness, exactly how I liked the control, the ownership of something so precious, so beautiful, like a rare gem that nobody ever truly deserved but everyone would kill to acquire.

The limo arrived just on time, and I handed her the mask that would match her dress, the one I’d already picked out, and gently attached it to her face. It covered most of it, except her mouth and obviously her eyes, showing every man in attendance that only I could look upon her, however, driving them fucking crazy that they’d never get to see all of her.

Now she was owned.

By me.

A shudder ran through her as the door opened. I was introducing her to the Kingdom I owned, the one I operated, carefully calculated, and inherited from my father. I was showing her behind the curtain, and once she saw it all…

There would truly never be any going back, and I wondered if she knew that, walking into the large ballroom at the estate I’d purchased only for these events. I wondered if she shook with lust, fear, or all of the above. And I hoped, I perversely hoped it was both.

Music swirled around the ballroom, masters danced with their wives while their pets watched and vice versa. The ones being punished were put in a corner. The pets were forced to watch their masters enjoy an evening with their wives, and it killed them to see a smile on their owners’ faces while the wives gave them pleasure only the pets could truly give.