56. Penelope
Penelope
Pressure on my wrists.
A dull pain in my back.
A caress.
Whispering.
Hot air against my cheek.
The multiple recognitions pulled me from the dark nothingness, catapulting me right back into a nightmare I’d had one too many times. But this wasn’t a dream. Fingers brushed back my hair, moving to my cheek and down to trace my jaw. It was barely there. Soft. Unwanted.
The violation had a cry coming from me, despite I could barely get a grasp on my thoughts or body. All I knew was instinct. That was to fight.
“Shh. It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
My mouth opened, but it was so dry, I couldn’t get words to form. My tongue felt like a sponge. I swallowed, feeling it help a little.
“You’ve had a hard night. I hear you’re quite the fighter. George has made me give him my word that I won’t uncuff you. Are you that dangerous, Penelope?”
“… Take… them off… and… find out.”
King Lawrence chuckled as he stayed seated next to me, going back to stroke my face.
“I’ll take your word for it. I’m not in the mood to fight. I have other things I’d much rather be doing.” He paused, lowering his fingers to leave my jaw and move down the length of my neck. “Do you remember Scotland?”
“Unfortunately.”
At my weak response, his fingers paused just inside my blouse on my collarbone. I put all my strength behind jerking away from his touch, but I barely moved.
“You’re fighting me good. You shouldn’t be able to move. I like your fight. You’re going to need it eventually. Just not yet. And to make sure that doesn’t happen,” his hand waved deeper into the room.
Movement stirred in my peripheral, and I managed to move my head slightly in the direction to take in a man I’d never seen before.
“Meet Dr. Ayden. He’s my other physician’s replacement.”
“…Sick.”
“Necessary. For how long depends on you.” He turned. “Leave us. I’ll let you know if I need anything.”
His touch began to move again, and the doctor stepped back, disappearing as a door shut behind him.
I felt the IV in my hand as I slowly moved my fingers.
I tested the strength in my arms, barely able to flex my hands.
I outstretched my legs, pointing my toes as I slowly rotated my feet.
I was extremely weak and delayed but not completely incapacitated.
“I have to say, Penelope, I’m really disappointed in you.
I was so sure you’d be stronger than Vaughn.
That I wouldn’t have to break his hold, but…
here we are.” He paused, his brow drawing in as he leaned back from me.
“I guess I should ask before we go further. Is there any baby I should know about?”
My lids narrowed. It was too early to know anything, but everything in me screamed to lie.
“No.”
“Thank God. I really didn’t want to have to give you that horrible stuff again.
After all, we can’t have any ties to a man who will be dead soon.
Not if we want the line to die completely.
” He unbuttoned my top button. “Good riddance. The man is unstable. First, he takes what is mine. You. Then he breaks it. Impregnates it. Nearly kills it. And breaks it some more.” He unfastened another button, running his finger through my cleavage.
“Now, I’m going to have to completely destroy everything he’s created.
He wanted you strong. I want you obedient. They’re not the same. Not even close.”
I was getting sleepy again. The medication was suddenly hitting harder. I blinked through his words, trying to force my own from my lips.
“I don’t… love you.”
“You will. That’s the beautiful thing about conditioning, Penelope. Before you know it, it’ll be like Vaughn never existed. All you’ll see is me.” He moved to the next button. “After all, it’s only fair.” His gaze lifted from my cleavage to meet my eyes. “All I see is you.”
I closed my lids searching for the strength to fight. To thrash and scream. I could barely stay awake enough to speak.
“You killed… my child. I hate you. I do not… consent… to you… doing this.” A shuddering breath left me. “Let me go.”
“Consent.” A light laugh left him. “What is consent when the person asking for it isn’t of sound mind? You don’t know what you want. You only know what Vaughn would expect of you. How do you know you wouldn’t like being with me until you were with me? What if you end up liking me better?”
“I… won’t.”
He shrugged, easing the blouse open. “Only one way to find out.”
“Don’t.”
The tear that escaped spoke more words than I could manage. It held my fear. My refusal. It had King Lawrence reaching over to rub his thumb over the wetness.
“No need for tears. You’re not going to be in trouble for being with me. Vaughn’s never going to find out, because he’ll be dead before he does.”
A sob left me and more tears fell.
“Shh. I know you’re afraid, but you don’t have to be.
I have so many stories that could work. I’m going to take such good care of you.
When the world knows it was Vaughn who was the masked captor—When they know what he did to you…
they’ll understand why you came to me for protection.
They’ll see why we fell in love. Doesn’t that sound perfect?
I wasn’t sure at first, but that’s the one.
That’s the one that will win them over.”
He lowered on the bed next to me, easing his weight onto my side. For minutes he went back to stroking my hair. To tracing my features. I drifted in and out, not able to stay present as he kept brushing his fingertips lightly over me.
It was cool air hitting my chest that had me fighting through the fog so that I could open my lids.
They barely moved. I could see King Lawrence hovering over me.
And he was focused as he looked down. The red jacket and black button up he’d been wearing was gone displaying his lean but defined chest. And he…
had a knife. I blinked, and anxiety had my lids fighting to stay open.
“Welcome back.”
He shifted my body as he manuevered the shredded clothes out from under me. My eyes jerked down and my breaths turned deep.
“…No.”
“Oh, yes. I told you not to feel guilty. Aren’t you at least a little curious?”
“No. Don’t… do this. Don’t—”
“The more you fight, the more the medicine kicks in. Don’t you want to enjoy it?” He lowered his weight to my nude body. “If you surrender, if you relax, the medicine will reward you. Let me make you feel good, Penelope. You’re going to love this.”
Lips brushed over mine, and I bit against his bottom lip, crying out as my teeth barely sunk in.
“Naughty. I bet you meant to draw blood.” Harder his lips pressed into mine. “I see relaxing isn’t something you’re going to do the first time. That’s okay. You see, my stamina is pretty impressive. You’ll learn.”
His lips traveled to my neck, moving down to my chest. My heart wasn’t beating fast, but it was hitting hard.
My breathing turned shallow, and hard suction drew my nipple into his mouth.
The zing of pleasure and pain left a sound leaving me.
He’d meant it to hurt, and I hated that it hadn’t caused more pain.
The pleasure was all too real, and I knew it wasn’t mine. Not really.
“Fuck. Look at you. I wondered… I fucking imagined. But not this good. This is better than I had hoped.” Again, he lowered, taking turns sucking between my breasts. When his hand cupped my thigh, and he eased my legs apart, my cry was louder.
“Stop. Just… take me home. Please. Don’t… do this. I won’t… say anything. I won’t—”
Fingers eased over my pussy, and he made a deep throaty sound.
“You’re so fucking wet. See. I told you you’d want me.”
“I don’t.”
I sobbed, trying to force my legs closed. Trying to swing or kick or scream. My mouth opened, and the heaviness of sleep tried to steal me away. My leg jolted as his finger eased inside of me, and more tears escaped. My lids refused to open, and time seemed to drag. Crinkling had me jumping.
My lids lifted and confliction nearly made me sick.
King Lawrence tore the wrapper with his teeth, not even looking up at me as he removed the condom and began working it down his length. When his eyes did lift and connect with mine, a smile tugged at the side of his mouth. He leaned forward, moving in to hover above my lips.
“You’re back. I see you’re more relaxed. Perfect timing.”
Pressure eased against my opening, and his mouth lowered to mine as he inched into me.
“Pl-ease.”
King Lawrence pushed deeper, moaning as he ignored and drank in my word. My hand pulled against the cuff, and a sob came as he withdrew, surging forward even harder.
“Those tears are his programming. Soon, you’ll be begging me for this.
” He sucked the top of my lip into his mouth, hungrily going back to slip his tongue into massage against mine.
“You won’t be able to get enough.” Harder he thrust. “Your cunt is mine now, and I’m going to use it all day.
Every day. Fuck.” He moaned again. “Do you feel how good it grips to me? How much your pussy wants me. You want me, Penelope. You’ve always wanted me. ”
His thrusts turned brutal as he began to slam into me and push deep.
Despite the medication, I felt pain flare in my back from my injuries.
“I was stupid for waiting so long. I’ve learned, just like you will learn.
We’re meant to be together.” He slowed, grinding his hips.
A deep rumbling sounded and he pulled back, easing out of me as he stared down. After a few seconds, he laughed.
“Habit. But why? I don’t have to do this anymore.
” A realization seemed to come over him as he reached down, removing the condom.
“I want to cum in you. Why shouldn’t I? I mean…
we’ll kill the first to make sure it isn’t Vaughn’s.
I’m sure he’s been fucking you like crazy.
Probably before he left to the ball tonight.
I would. But I have you now. I don’t have to technically wear protection. We’re going to be together anyway.”
“You’re… crazy. I don’t… want to be… with you. I… hate you. You… make me… sick.”
He laughed, leaning forward and sliding back inside me. He paused, his eyes rolling in bliss.
“Fuck. That feels so damn good. Oh… fuck.” He swallowed hard, breathing from his mouth as he kept the thrusts slow. “I’ve never been with a woman like this before. Oh… fuck. Fuck. Fuck. I could get used to this.”
“Small.”
The king paused.
“What did you say?”
“I said… you’re small. Not good. Not for me.”
His eyes narrowed, and his head tilted.
“I happen to know I’m not small at all. And you’re full of shit. What a mean thing to say.” The smile that appeared wasn’t from a version of Lawrence I’d ever met before. It was evil. Hateful as he latched to my face.
“He has you that brainwashed, huh? If I’m so small, let’s see how much you can take.”
The cuffs around my ankles unlatched, and he lifted my legs, pushing them towards my chest. He held to my knees, withdrawing and slamming his length into me with such a force, my mouth managed to drop open with the powerful scream that tore it’s way free.
The sound had something shifting within him.
It activated something crazed. Something desperate as he slammed into me again.
And again. Each time was more painful. Each time was harder than the last. His hand leveled over my mouth and nose, and I was too weak to turn or fight him.
I could feel my deep breaths getting cut off from the pressure of his palm, but there was nothing I could do about it.
He was holding to my face tighter.
Pounding faster.
Even as I gagged, he didn’t stop.
Stars danced around my vision, and somehow another muffled scream left me.
And then… heat. Cum. The first half filled me, but he pulled out, shooting the rest all over my stomach and chest. I didn’t miss the blood on his cock. I missed nothing as manipulations pushed through.
I may have been drugged, but this wouldn’t last forever. When I had the strength, King Lawrence was a dead man.
I’d eventually find a way to overpower him, and when I did… I’d make him scream just like me.