Page 168 of To Catch a Sub

Landon smacked the heavy handle of the knife against the padlock. It popped open.

Colette’s arms fell limply to her sides and she yelped.

Landon massaged her forearms and hands. “Can you stand?”

She nodded and he helped her to her feet. Colette swayed, dizzy and sick. Leaning against him felt like the best option.

Somewhere in the distance there was another explosion, and angry shouts.

She’d heard the first explosion, and the subsequent running, but hadn’t dared hope it meant anything.

Landon eased her away from him, frowning down at her breasts. “You’re…cold.”

“Ice packs,” she said softly.

His gaze jerked to her face, then back to her breasts.

Once Tonsure finished piercing her nipples and welding the rings closed, he tried to sell Damien on the idea of piercing at least some, but preferably every, part of her pussy. Damien had spread her legs and fondled her labia as he considered the options.

He’d opted to wait until after they were married, because he didn’t want to ruin his first experience of fucking her with “metal bits.”

She’d started crying from fear and the first stirrings of defeat, but when Damien questioned her tears, she said that the nipple piercings hurt.

Damien had someone bring him small flexible ice packs. He placed them on her nipples before winding the stretchy bandage around her chest to hold them in place. As he did it, he murmured about how she was his wife and he’d always take care of her.

The look on Tonsure’s face said he knew it wasn’t a good idea. Ice to help with pain after a piercing was smart. Compressing a new piercing, and applying anything ice cold directly to the nipple, was not.

Landon sliced through the bandage with a quick jerk of his knife. “I’ll fucking kill them.”

The bandage fell away, but the small round ice packs were stuck in place. Landon reached to peel them away, but Colette caught his wrists, her own grip still weak.

Landon froze, gaze searching her face.

What was she doing? She couldn’t hide what they’d done. No matter how much she wanted to.

Colette released his wrist, watching his face as he slowly peeled the ice packs away.

She was looking for pity and disgust to cross his features when he saw the heavy gold rings through her nipples. The eight-pointed star charm dangled from one ring, three Cyrillic letters—Damien’s initials—from the other.

She was like livestock that had been tagged for identification. So anyone who saw her would know who she belonged to.

There was no pity or disgust on Landon’s face.

Shock claimed him first. Then rage. A blinding anger that made her breath catch before he pulled it back.

Landon glanced back towards the door. “We can wait in here for Rolf and Andrei to take care of everyone and I’ll carry you out.”

“Do we have to wait?” She wanted out of this room almost more than she wanted her next breath.

He immediately shook his head. “No. But you’ll have to walk. Maybe run.”

Colette nodded and stooped while holding her breasts, grabbing a second, unused wrap bandage that Damien had left on the floor. She started to wrap it around her chest. After a second, Landon’s hands covered hers, slowly winding it around her as she tangled her hands in his hair to keep her arms out of the way.

“Tighter,” she said softly. “If we have to run…the rings are heavy.”

He paused, pressing his forehead to hers. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered.

Tears burned her throat and she tightened her hands in his hair.