46. Lauren
46
Lauren
“Yes, that’s it. Open up for me, princess,” someone purrs softly in my ear. “I’ve been waiting far too long.”
A sharp sensation zings across my forehead as my eyes flutter open, barely making out the man now straightening in front of me.
“Good girl,” he mutters, backing off.
My vision slowly clears, and panic rises in my throat as I take in the unfamiliar space. It reminds me of Marcus’ cabin, only smaller. More rustic, less luxury. I try to rise, but I realize my wrists are bound to the arms of a leather chair with scarlet ribbons. With a frightened gasp, I pull at them. “What are you doing, Colin? Have you lost your mind?”
Colin rests his butt on the arm of the couch, sneering. “Maybe.”
“This isn’t a fucking joke,” I snap, yanking at my restraints. “Let me go!”
“Ah, ever the entitled brat. You can’t even ask nicely, can you?”
“You knocked me out with the butt of your gun and have me locked away in this God-forsaken place—”
“Don’t you dare.” He points at me, frowning. “This is my father’s cabin. There’s nothing God-forsaken about this place. ”
I disregard his interruption with an eyeroll. “You took me against my will. In what world would you expect me to ask nicely? What is wrong with you? Untie me right now!”
My head suddenly jerks back as Colin makes an unexpected lunge toward me. His hands grip my arms, pressing them into the chair, his face mere inches from mine.
“You’re quite delusional to think you can order me about. This isn’t Cain Industries. You’re on my territory now.”
The dangerous edge in his tone makes me swallow. His hands dig deeper into my skin.
“You’re hurting me,” I whimper.
“Oh, you haven’t experienced hurt, princess, and if you knew what I know, you’d stop trying to order me around.”
I suck in a breath as pain shoots up my arms. “Colin, please.”
His eyes suddenly twinkle. “Oh, I love the sound of that. Do it again.”
My teeth clamp down on my lower lip.
“Beg me again, Lauren,” he whispers, pressing deeper.
“Ah!” I shriek.
“Let me hear you beg.”
“Please, let me go!”
He smiles, sinks his claws deeper, then finally eases back. With a shuddering sigh, I examine the pink bruises already forming on my arms. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“A valid question, one I’ll answer if you’re good,” Colin murmurs. “Will you be good for me, princess?”
Twisting my aching arms, I glare up at him. He’s still wearing that sickening smile, resting on the arm of the chair once more. There’s a wild look in his eyes that makes me wonder if he’s all the way here. Did I have a mad man working for me ?
“Answer me,” he spits, his smile suddenly vanishing. “Will you be good for me?”
“What do you want?” I mutter.
There’s a pause while he strokes his chin, thinking. “What I’ve wanted since the day I ran into you on the street.”
“Huh?” My brain tries to process what he just said. “When did you ever run into me?”
“The day you left that doctor’s office,” he replies. “I knocked you over.”
I frown, recalling that day. “No, that wasn’t you. That guy had blond hair. He had tattoos on his arms.”
How did he know about that incident?
Colin rolls up his sleeves. I swallow.
“I’m surprised you even noticed, since you only spared me a glance. Back then, I thought it was because you were in a hurry, but after spending time with you in the office, I realize that it’s a flaw. You think I’m beneath you. You think we’re all beneath you.”
“What? No! I’ve never once—”
My mouth clamps shut as I realize I’m defending myself to this sick bastard. I’m still trying to process what he’s telling me. “I don’t understand what’s going on.” Why didn’t he mention knocking me over when we officially met?
“An Ivy League graduate struggling to put the pieces together. Mhmm. I guess you’re just beautiful, no brains.” He shifts his position on the arm of the chair. “There’s something you should know about the day I ran into you.” An ice-cold sensation runs through my veins as his eyes narrow into tiny slits, his voice dropping to a sinister whisper. “I was on my way to kill you.”