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“Oh, I think you do. And when I get back, we’re going to talkallabout what you do to me. And why you do it. Are you ready for that?”
It took her many seconds to sputter the trembling words. “Fine. But talk is cheap.”
“It is. Unless you useropeto demonstrate.”
Ready or Knot
Gretchen’s mouth had gone bone dry at that last threat. What was he saying? He would tie her up? Why?
Oh, she’d done it, she’d pushed too far. Damn her stubborn pride! She needed to come clean with him, but how would she? She hadn’t meant it to go so far but it was like an avalanche, once it got going, she got swept away.
“I believe this is the first time I’ve heard you speechless.”
Oh God, hearing such intention in his voice was too much for her. “I’m… trying to be nice.”
His laugh. It was big and strong and terrifying like everything about him. Which was why anger had always been her go to weapon from day one. It was the only thing strong enough to stand up to him and all his beauty and toxiclure.But she couldn’t keep using it if she was going to give herself to him. As a wife. A real wife. That was the realization she’d come to. She wanted him so much. Not even the pain of himnottrulywanting her could keep her from having him.
“Nice and sexy, that’s what you’re being this week. And next week you will be what, Ma Petite Fyoo-rie?”
“I’m…” Oh God,apologizealready! “I’m sorry!”
More deep, mocking laughter. “Do you even know the meaning of that word?”
“I do!” she forced out, spinning around and turning the stove off. “To prove it, I returned your rope. It’s here. I’m sorry I hid it. I’m sorry I was mean to you, I’m sorry I hated you for rolling the fate dice for me, I’m sorry I was… too childish to seethat you can still be a good man even though you didn’t really pick me for a wife.” She caught her breath, pressing her hand on her heaving chest, waiting for him to blast her. The phone rang right in her ear, and she looked at the screen. The call haddropped!He was calling back! No!
She answered, fighting to steady her breaths, wondering what all he’d heard.
“Lost signal,” he said. “You were in the process of convincing me you knew the meaning of sorry.”
Oh no!
“But save it for when I get there. I want to see your pretty face when you give that performance.”
“You don’t need to stop for ropes,” she remembered, not sure if he’d heard that.
“Yes. I do,” he assured.
“I-I have yours,” she blasted. “I… I put them back. The ones I hid, I put them back. And… I’m sorry I hid them.” She swallowed to stop the pants from escaping.
“There’s that S word again,” he muttered, not even a little convinced.
“Yes,” she said, closing her eyes. She wouldn’t try to convince him. She’d just… be a wife and… he’d see she meant it. “You’ll hear a lot more of it. And see I mean it.”
This time the silence crackled. He’d never once made sexual advances toward her. Not that he could once she found out he’d been forced to pick her, she’d made it impossible. For good reason. Well… it seemed perfectly good at the time. And now he was showing interest but in all the wrong ways. She didn’t like the threat in his tone in connection to sexual things. She’d had every manner of sexual adventure one could imagine, even with monsters, but how far would book experience take her? And she was a thousand times more terrified of him than she ever had been. But there was no turning back or turningit off. She’d been cornered by Juliette and spilled everything to her, evencried.More like sobbed. She had no idea how to fix anything and Juliette told her how and that’s what she was doing, but it wasn’t working!
“I know how you love to fight. When I get back,” he said, the roughness in his voice dancing in her blood. “Be ready. We’ll have our biggest fight ever. And Iwillwin.”
Oh God, no. “I don’t… want to fight with you.”
He gave a low, rolling chuckle. “Oh, Ma Petite Fyoo-rie,” he said quietly. “I think you have no idea what you want. But I do know what you need.”
Panic threatened to send her screaming and running clear out of the swamp. Or at least to her secret cubby at her beloved library now several Hatches away. The need to be there ached in her bones more than ever now. She realized she needed to respond then covered her mouth when a sob threatened. “Do what you must,” she blasted then hung up the phone.
“Oh Lord, help me,” she whispered, pacing in the kitchen. She nearly dropped the phone when it rang in her hand. A cry of relief took to the air at seeing Juliette’s name. It was a miracle. She blinked and blinked, fighting to clear the tears from her eyes to see the buttons. She spotted the green one in the blur and smashed it. “Juliette!” Her name blasted out on a sob.
“Gretchen! What’s wrong?”
“I’ve gone too far,” she choked. “I knew this was going to happen, he’s so angry, he’s not believing me, he-he-he suspects I’m up to games and I don’tblamehim!”
