Mastered (The Enforcers 1)

“You explained what me being with you would mean. That I would be submissive to you. That you control me. All of me. And that I don’t get a choice and I don’t get to say no. And that scares me, Drake. I won’t lie. I’ve never depended on anyone else. Only myself. It’s safer that way. I don’t get hurt when I don’t give power over me to someone else. Please don’t take this as me not trusting you, though God knows it wouldn’t be unreasonable not to, considering we’ve known each other less than forty-eight hours. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you at least on an instinctual level. And maybe that makes me the naïve fool everyone is forever telling me I am. I just need to know more. You want me to submit. To give you ultimate power over me. How does that work exactly? I mean, what will you demand of me? I have to know everything or I’ll just scare myself silly imagining the worst-case scenario.”

“I never want you to be afraid of me, Angel,” he said quietly. “Never that. I will not hurt you. I have exacting standards and expectations. They may seem extreme, but in my world they are necessary evils.”

Her expression was faintly puzzled.

“I never want you to feel caged, but I also realize life with me will be an extreme change for you and you’ll need time to adjust. Any time, and I mean every time you leave this apartment or go anywhere at all without me, you’ll have a man on you. And only one of my most trusted. You will be protected at all times.”

Her eyes widened in alarm, but he plunged ahead before she freaked herself out more than she was already.

“I’ll want you available to me at all times. There will be times when I want you with me when I have to go out. When I’m home, you’ll be here with me. When you aren’t with me, I’ll want to know where you are and who you’re with at all times. I will not be pleased if you forget to inform me of your plans.”

She swallowed nervously.

“I’ve already informed your employer that you’ll no longer be working there.”

He broke off when she gasped and shot her a warning look that silenced the protest forming on her lips.

“Your girls are taken care of. Their rent has been paid for the next two years and I secured a written guarantee from their landlord of no increase in rent for the next ten years. And tomorrow, I need you to get your parents’ bank account number as well as the routing number so I can wire the necessary funds so that they will no longer have any financial worry, and neither will you continue to work yourself to the bone to provide for them.”

Evangeline’s jaw was clenched tight and she trembled from head to toe, whether in anger or just emotion he wasn’t sure. But knowing how much pride she had, he doubted it was the latter and most definitely the former.

“You stepped into my world willingly, Angel,” he said softly. “And therefore, you agreed to my rules, my way. I promised you would be taken care of and never want for anything, and that extends to the people who matter to you.”

Tears glittered brightly, hanging on her dark lashes, such a contrast to her honey blond hair and mesmerizing blue eyes.

“It’s easy to see what I get out of this arrangement,” she said in a strangled tone. “But what do you get, Drake? Because from where I’m sitting, you aren’t getting the better end of the bargain by a long shot. In fact, I don’t see that you’re getting anything at all. So why would you do all of this?”

“You, Angel. I get you. All of you. And believe me, you’re damn wrong about you getting the better end of the bargain. The way I see it, I’ll be forever trying to catch up, because having you is worth more than all the money in the world.”

He saw her look of shock and the instant eruption of chill bumps on her arms.

“All you need to do is be you, babe, and from what I already know, that isn’t going to be a problem, because you don’t have a fake bone in your body. And by being you, you’re going to be mine, and I protect and take care of what is mine. Give me your body, your submission, your obedience, your trust and you, and everything will be all right. I promise you that.”

“I don’t know what to say,” she said helplessly.

“You’ve already said enough. You told me yes. You’ve given me your trust. And to be honest, enough has been said tonight already. Right now, I’m going to take you into the bedroom and make you mine.”