31. Seraphina
31
SERAPHINA
“ZIP ZAP”
As soon as Orion and the other man—Ghost—leave the room, I roll to the floor and wiggle to the door like a desperate worm. I position my head sideways to the door and press my ear to the splitting wood, desperately trying to make out the muffled voices on the other side. Alas, for all my efforts, the only thing I’m able to make out are Ghost’s passing words: She’s dangerous.
I purse my lips as irritation prickles my skin. That’s fucking rich coming from an ex-Phantom. He’s probably tortured and killed a hundred times the number of people I have.
“ She’s dangerous. ” I blow a raspberry at the door. “You’re no sweetheart, either, you know…”
It occurs to me I’m talking to thin air, and a flush of embarrassment creeps up the back of my neck. Of course, that all fades as footsteps clunk toward the door. The doorknob twists, and a blast of cold air smacks me in the face as Orion pulls it open.
His eyes roam over my backside, a smirk pulling at his mouth as he takes in the ridiculous position I’ve gotten myself into. Butt naked, bound, and face down on the floor is a first for me, though I imagine it’s far more amusing to be on the witnessing end.
I twist my head, doing my best attempt at a seething glare. “Can I help you?”
His smirk widens as he steps over me, pulling the door closed and locking it with a swift flick of his fingers. “It doesn’t look like I’m the one who needs help.”
“Then you have sorely underestimated me.” I sniff, turning face down to the floor. Pushing my forehead to the wood floors, I attempt to bring my knees under me but only end up falling to the side like a drunken baby gazelle.
Oh, and I probably looked fucking ridiculous to boot.
I shift my eyes to Orion, imagining shoving a rusted eye pick through his ear as his laughter rings out.
“Oh my…fucking…crackers…” He doubles over, clutching his stomach as that rich sound fills the air. “You… you’re too much.” He straightens, his tattooed forearm flexing as he wipes a tear from the corner of his eye. My gaze snags on that straining muscle, clenching my thighs as depraved thoughts fill my head. What the fuck is wrong with me?
I purse my lips. “Someone very wise once told me some advice I’m going to give to you: No one says ‘oh my fucking crackers.’ Do not try to make it a thing.”
His blue eyes twinkle as he looks down at me, but he doesn’t look like he’s about to respond any time soon. Instead, his attention has refocused on my breasts, the little red cuts and bruises he placed only hours ago. Orion’s throat bobs, his broad shoulders straining as he clenches and unclenches his fist at his side. When he speaks, his voice is rough and clipped, as if it’s taking him great restraint to say the words.
“We should… go out. It would be good for you to get some fresh air.”
I raise a brow, wondering what brought on this change in attitude. “Aren’t you worried what will happen when you let me out of these cuffs? You heard the Phantom—I’m dangerous.”
Orion crouches low, brushing my hair gently from my face. “It’s good that I like dangerous, then.” He slides his hand down my spine, drawing heat to the surface of my chilled skin. I’m so lost in the sensation that I don’t realize Orion has released my cuffs until he dangles them in front of my eyes.
My joy is short-lived, however. Reaching into his pocket, Orion pulls out what looks to be a dog collar—an electric shock collar, to be specific. I eye the metal pins with a raised brow before turning my gaze to Orion, daring him to try.
“If you wanted to put that thing on me, you really should have left my cuffs on.”
He tilts his head. “If you’re good, I’ll let you come…”
I scoff, rolling my eyes. “Now that I can move my hands, I can do that mysel?—”
He rushes forward, strapping the collar to my neck before I can utter the last letter. When it’s locked in place, Orion sits back on his heels with a haughty grin, raising a small remote control I hadn’t noticed before.
His thumb swirls teasingly around the button as he eyes me, his pupils blowing as he takes in the thick black strap around my neck. “Are you ready to be good for me, Seraphina?”
My eyes narrow in a glare. “I’ve never been good a day in my life, and I’m not going to start for a man with a malformed frontal cortex—Ow!” I jerk my hands up, fingers digging uselessly at the edge of the black box sending electricity through my system. “I fucking hate you.”
“The feeling’s mutual at the moment, dove.” He turns from me and stalks toward his dresser, grabbing a faded Pink Floyd shirt from the bottom drawer. It lands just in front of me, and Orion crosses his arms, waiting for me to put it on.
I glare at him the whole time, but the intoxicating scent of Orion is too much to resist, and it’s over my head in an instant. I breathe in the heady scent of pine sap and cigarette smoke, trying not to make a show of it as I clench my thighs together.
Orion chuckles, grabbing a pair of his sweatpants and walking them over to me. He crooks a finger, ordering me to rise—and I do. Electricity crackles between us as we stand there, breathing in the other’s essence. The vein in the side of Orion’s neck thrums violently as he motions to the pants he holds out to me. I place my hands on his shoulders for support as I step into the leg holes, biting my lip as his muscles shudder beneath my touch.
Once my legs are inside, Orion slides his palm down the front of my pussy, tapping the small metal casing with a breathy laugh. “Remember—only if you’re good. ” He leans in, brushing his lips across my jaw and working his way up to my ear. He nips at my lobe, licking up the shell of my ear with a growl rumbling from his chest.
All too soon, he pulls away, leaving me breathless and wanting. He grips the drawstring, pulling it tight and knotting it three times before stepping back, eyeing me up and down with an appreciative expression.
“Like what you see?” I smirk, twirling in a circle as a small laugh bubbles from my lips.
Orion just nods, unblinking. “I’ve never seen you look more beautiful than you are now—raw and smiling and dressed in my clothes. You’re perfect in the morning, Seraphina.” His throat bobs as he reaches out, grabbing my hips and yanking me toward him. “Alluring in the afternoon, intoxicating in the evening.” His breath is hot against my neck as his voice skitters across my skin. “And in the night… in the night, you’re addicting .”
I close my eyes, allowing his words to fall over me, to warm my dying heart. With Orion, it beats with a new strength. It fills me with a sense of hope—a light I thought had been snuffed out long ago. With him, I feel like I can dream again.
But that shouldn’t happen. Not with the man who’s drugged, captured, and collared me. It’s not right. Not decent. Yet as I let my eyes roam over Orion’s chiseled features, my thoughts absolutely in decent, I can’t bring myself to care.
Orion steps back, breaking the spell I was under. His usual smirk is in place as he gestures to the door, the remote control poised in his palm.
“Come, Seraphina. I want you to meet my alligators.”