Page 21

“Coming?” George called out, waiting by the open hatch.

I swallowed my nerves and stepped onto the deck, only to immediately lose my balance as the boat rocked. George’s arm wrapped around my waist instantly, pulling my spine flush against his solid chest.

“Told you to watch your step. Looks like you need to learn how to listen,” he murmured, his voice low and rough, like gravel dragged over velvet. “Come on in.”

I followed him down the narrow steps into the main cabin, wondering how a man his size even fit through the hatch.

The moment I stepped inside, George completely filled the space. He had shed his heavy jacket, leaving him entirely shirtless. His sweatpants hung dangerously low on his hips, exposing the deep V of his pelvis and the dark trail of hair leading downward. His handsome features illuminated in the dim light. His skin was still damp from a recent shower, water droplets tracing slow paths over the hard ridges of his abs and the broad planes of his chest. Those dark, dangerous eyes locked onto mine, and something feral flickered across his face. His triumph was raw hunger, and absolute certainty.

He smiled, a victor claiming his prize. “I knew you’d come.” He loomed over me, devastatingly handsome, his sharp jawline and brutal, athletic perfection illuminated by the dim cabin light. It was infuriating how beautiful he was, even while acting as my executioner.

“Don’t pretend you gave me a choice.” I whispered.

“I did,” he countered, stepping back and gesturing behind me. “The door is right there. You entered of your own free will.”

“Oh, right. And if I turn around and leave, you won’t post that video online?”

“Is that what you want? To leave?” He crossed his massive arms, leaving the choice entirely in my hands. I hated how badly I needed him to just take the choice away from me. After a long, trembling second, I stayed put. The hatch clicked shut behind me, sealing my fate like a prison gate.

Aside from the salty ocean breeze filtering through the vents, the cabin smelled entirely of him, rain, expensive leather, faint cedar, and warm male skin. The enclosed space was sparse and hyper-masculine: one low lamp casting a heavy golden glow, a wide leather couch, and a solid wooden coffee table that looked sturdy enough to pin someone against.

I wrapped my arms around my chest, trying to stop the visible shaking. “I released the audio during your game to ruin you. I brought backup to the lot to beat you up. I humiliated you in front of thousands of people,” I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of my own confession.

George moved closer, his steps slow and deliberate, giving me every opportunity to bolt. I didn’t move an inch. When he reached me, he didn’t grab me or threaten me. He simply lifted my chin with two fingers, far gentler than he had in the parking lot, studying my face as if he were memorizing every flicker of fear and every filthy, shameful desire I couldn’t hide.

“Is that an attempt to get punished early, counting your sins?”

“Huh,” I breathed, pulling back slightly. “You’re full of shit, George. You didn’t have to blackmail me if you honestly believed I wanted this.”

He chuckled, the sound dark and vibrating in the tight room. “I just gave you the excuse you needed to finally do what your body has been craving.”

“Why would I ever want you after everything you’ve done to me?”

“Because I make you hard, baby,” he murmured. The endearment hit me like a slow, filthy caress, condescending and soothing all at once. My heart slammed against my ribs. “You’re tired of pretending you’re in control. Tired of those safe, anonymous club scenes that leave you feeling empty. You don’t want those pathetic masters who couldn’t handle you if they tried.”

“Oh yeah? You think you know what I want?”

“I know because I see you.” His thumb brushed over my lower lip, pressing just hard enough to feel the heat of my shallow breath. “You want real. You want someone who sees the beautiful mess you are and still wants to break you wide open... then put you back together while you’re still shaking.”

Tears stung the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them back furiously. “I hate you.”

“I know.” His thumb swept over my lip again, slower this time, teasing the edge of my teeth. “But your cock is already leaking in your jeans just from standing near me, isn’t it?”

My breath hitched. He was right. Shame flooded me so violently my knees nearly buckled. I could feel the wet spot growing against my briefs, my length throbbing traitorously.

George’s hand slid to the back of my neck, his fingers locking into my hair, firm and possessive. “Here’s the new deal, Sig. No more games. No more running to other doms who don’t know how to properly handle you. You give yourself to me, completely, and I’ll give you everything you’re terrified to beg for. Pain. Care. Ownership. But if you stay tonight, you stay under my rules. Every time I call, you come. You’ll be mine.”

I searched his face, looking for the trap, but all I saw was a raw, terrifying hunger directed entirely at me.

I closed my eyes, the last of the fight draining out of me in one long, shuddering exhale. “If I say yes... you can’t ever show that video to anyone.”

“Never,” he promised, his lips brushing my temple, his warm breath ghosting over my skin. “That video is for me alone. To remind me exactly how beautifully you break.”

The silence stretched between us, thick and electric.

“You’re acting like you’re waiting for me to consent,” I whispered.

“I’m waiting for you to accept that this is what you need.” He brought his mouth so close to mine that our lips almost brushed, but he refused to close the gap. When I instinctively leaned in, desperate for the friction of a kiss, he pulled back with a low smirk.