“Then what are youdoing?”

“Dragging you to the darkside, Peach. Isn’t that what you asked for?” he leaned into her andnipped her bottom lip.

She nodded and the heatfrom her core radiated off her body in waves. When she relaxed, hebegan to bind her wrists in a decorative knot he had learned tomake back in his sailing days. Back when he and… his bodystilled. Chapter One.

“Victor?”

He shook his head violentlyand picked up where he left off. Guiding her over to a corner ofthe room, he looped the end of the rope around a heavy-duty ceilinghook he had installed himself when he first bought thehouse.

“When did you put thathere?” Elsa asked, looking up at the silver hook.

“Awhile ago,” he answeredas he slowly began to pull the rope taut.

“Is your game always thisorganized and planned out?”

He let out a breathychuckle at the look on Elsa’s face. She exuded a combination ofanxiety and uncertainty.

He waggled his eyebrows ather playfully. “You have no idea the extent to which I plan thesethings out.”

With the first pull of therope, a soft gasp escaped her and with each subsequent tug of thenylon, her body straightened and stretched until it finally cameinto perfect position as she rested on the balls of herfeet.

“I’m afraid,” he heard herwhisper so softly he almost missed it.

He paused to hold her headsteady and his eyes caught and held hers. Her piercing brown eyesgrew large and liquid and her bottom lip trembled faintly. She wasgenuinely fearful of him. But why? He had already told her that hewould never harm her. There was more going on in her head than hecould read just by studying her expression. If only he could read her thoughts…

“Why do you insist onmaking me repeat myself, Peach? I already told you I would neverhurt you,” he cooed soothingly to try and ease heranxiety.

Her body swayedhypnotically but her apprehension remained. She didn’t trust himand could he blame her? He tried to concentrate on the beautifuland artistic image of her naked body and flowing hair down herback, but One was still lingering in the shadows. He closed hiseyes, took in a deep breath and pushed the memories of that time ofhis life back to where they belong – in the far back corner of hisnever-to-be-recalled things. The same place most of his childhoodmemories resided.

Redirecting his attentionon her face, he saw what she had been talking about – the small rayof light. It was there in her eyes, but e didn’t want any part ofit. The light was a lie and offered nothing but false hope, yet itwas there and she believed in it…

As he glided a hand downthe center of her breasts, he stepped back. “If you want me tostop…”

Elsa’s soft, feminine andmeek voice broke through as if she had sensed his desires “Do it,Victor. Use me. Force me to do your will. Make me feel alive. Showme your darkness and I’ll share my light.”

***

Still trying to catch herbreath from the vicious fucking-while-being-suspended-in-mid-airshe had just been submitted to, Elsa rubbed her raw wristsvigorously trying to get circulation back into them. She had neverbeen more afraid of him than at that moment when the rope tightenedand she was completely vulnerable to him. Chapter Five had flashedin her mind and the things he did to her. But she wasn’t Peyton andMr. Black recognized that. She saw it in his tortured eyes when healmost stopped.

Lying next to Victor, sherolled onto her side and thrust a wrist in front of hisface.

“I thought you said noirreparable damage?”

He laughed obnoxiously andpushed her hand away. “It’ll heal.”

She propped herself up ontoan elbow and rested half her body on his chest to get a better lookat him.“My mom is coming on Tuesday.”

Victor lifted his head offthe pillow and stared at her a brief moment before responding.“Tuesdays and Wednesdays belong to me.”

Her mouth parted in shock.“Since when?”

“Since I added the new rulethat in addition to weekends, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are alsomine.”

“Don’t you think Ishould’ve been informed of this new rule?” she poked him in theribs.

He shrugged his shoulders.“I planned on informing you. Eventually.”

“What other new rules doyou have for me?”

He smiled evilly and leanedhis head back, but kept his eyes locked onto hers. “You’re to playwith yourself every work day during your lunch hour, record it andsend it to me.”

“You’re impossible, VictorLaurenzo. Seriously, that’s the most ridiculous rule. First you sayno masturbating and now you want me to…”

“Stop talking or else I’lladd another one. Anyway, my rules are subject to change at anytime.”

She sighed miserably. Itonly served her right after having said he failed her. “Yes, well,just an FYI, Mr. Rule Maker, I signed an agreement that stated yourhouse, your rules. Fingering myself at work isn’t in your house, sotechnically I don’t have to abide by that.”

“You’re getting awfullyballsy, Ms. Cassidy.” he narrowed his eyes. “Go ahead, then, don’tfollow my rule because of a perceived technicality and see whathappens. But for yourinformation, I never said no masturbating, I saidall your orgasms belong to me. Again, you’re speaking out of turnand assuming things, because my newest rule only states for you toplay with yourself and nothing about coming. I never said I wasgoing to allow you to orgasm without me, therefore, I’m not havingyou break any of my previous rules.”

Elsa swallowed hard. Leaveit to Mr. Black to point out the finer points of his unreasonablestipulations. “You truly are the wickedest man I’ve ever met,” shepouted.

“You’ve just figured thatout?” he smirked.

“But what about my mom?”she asked. “I mean, I can’t say no to her, Victor. She’s my mom. Imiss her.”

His lightheartednessvanished and he twirled a lock of her hair between his fingers. “Iwouldn’t really expect you to say no to her.”

She sighed and kissed himin appreciation of his kindness. She rested her chin on his chestas she looked up at the scar on his chin, wondering if it wascaused by his mother. What a distressing thought. Seeing him stareup at the ceiling, she was reminded of the look on his face as hewas binding her. He had seemed so tormented. She wanted to try andget to the bottom of it as gently as she could.

As she scanned his face forsomething, anything, the softness in his eyes was replacedwith insolence and his expression grewserious.

“You’re doing it again –trying to figure me out. Stop.”

Despite the harshness in his voice, shewasn’t giving up that easily. “Don’t underestimate me. I know morethan I say, think more than I speak, and notice more than yourealize. I know there’s a good man beneath Mr. Black.”

Sitting up brusquely and pushing her off hischest, he gripped her chin. “Do you know why I call myself Mr.Black?”

Elsa blinked rapidly, took a deep breath andheld it. This was it. She was breaking through.

His brows drew together in an agonizedexpression. “Because deep down, that’s what my heart and soul is -blackened and charred, burnt and unrecognizable,” he gritted histeeth. “There is no light in me, Elsa, so don’t.”

She shook her head, not getting his meaning.“Don’t what?”

“Fall for me,” he pleaded with his eyes.

She moistened her lips nervously and felt themisery of his statement. “What if I told you it’s too late?”

Victor pushed himself off the bed violentlyand stepped back just out of her reach, and an inexplicable look ofwithdrawal came over his face. “Then I would tell you that I feelsorry for you because this isn’t going to end well.”

She stood as well and took one step forwardto reach a hand out, desperate for his touch, but he pushed itaway.

“This is just a game, remember? I’m only hereto…”

She cut in, ready to finish his ludicrousstatement. “I remember. You’re here to ‘help’ me. But here’s a newsflash, Victor: it seems to me that I’m not the one who needs thehelp here.”