HIDEAWAY

Stolen Away Series Book One

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WILLOW PRESCOTT
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 For my three little monsters.
Thanks for driving me so crazy that escapism led to a whole fucking
book.

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 Dear Reader,

This is a dark romance that explores themes and situations some may
find unsettling or disturbing. This book contains triggers such as
kidnapping, violence, rape, and elements of BDSM including:
spanking, whipping, caning, and bondage. Please proceed at your own
risk. For those of you who like a little darkness, enjoy my loves.

Yours Always,

Willow

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 COPYRIGHT

Hideaway Copyright © 2023 by Willow Prescott

All rights reserved.

Cover Design by Books and Moods

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by

any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the
express written permission of the author except for the use of brief
quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, and

incidents bearing any resemblance to actual persons living or dead or actual
events is purely coincidental.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21

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 CHAPTER ONE

T HE cool, city lights turned to hazy orbs beneath the shroud of rain.
Chicago’s towering skyline appeared almost spectral amid the winter
deluge. It was just warm enough for the droplets to resist turning to snow,
but still plenty cold to leave a lingering sting of chill in its wake. Caden
Ashford wiped a dampened strand of hair from his face as he tried to focus
on his task.
Damn rain.
A week prior, a prospective client came to Cade with an endeavor that
seemed surprisingly simple. The man needed a single, invaluable item
retrieved from a relatively unprotected location. The client was, by his own
accord, the rightful owner, not that Cade gave a shit about the rights of
ownership. He was a procurer; the elite came to him, under the guise of
anonymity, when they desired an item so exotic and singular in nature that
insurmountable challenges, such as federal preservation or proprietary
rights, impeded direct attainment. Cade was there to bypass the legalities
and make their dreams come true. For an exorbitant fee, of course.
His endeavor consisted of three components: a library, a book, and a girl.
The location seemed relatively unchallenging for a man who had gleaned
treasures from museums and collections housed in the grandest of
fortresses. Endowed with a rather extensive, private assortment of reading
materials, Cade had never frequented a library for public use. From his
general knowledge, they were menial institutions that allowed items to be
taken, abused, and returned within a specific parameter of time free of
charge. In his educated opinion, any business that offered a service without
the intent to capitalize was fatally flawed. The fundamentals of such an
institution left Cade at an advantage; if they were inclined to let everyone
in, there would be little forethought given to keeping someone like him out.
The book he was commissioned with obtaining was rare. First fucking
edition rare. More than that, it was one of the older examples of printed
literature, dating back to the fifteenth century. He knew enough of literary
history to know that the disappearance of such a text would cause a great
deal of anguish in the academic community, but that wasn’t his damn
problem. His client wanted a first edition Chaucer, he would bloody well
get a first edition Chaucer.
The girl presented a unique challenge that deviated from his standard
operations. According to his client, the book was entrusted to the keep of a
single person. She was documented to be far younger than the typical
university archivists, a fact which made her position as the chief librarian
even more impressive. She’d completed a variety of PhD’s at an accelerated
rate and seemed very much the bland, dry, studious sort of character that
would be expected of a librarian. Cade had dealt with her type before; in his
experience, mercenaries were far more preferable to academics. The latter
seemed to be born with a hill to die on, whereas anyone who valued money
could always be reasoned with.
The plan had been in place for a week, and it was almost time for the
acquisition. Unfortunately, surveillance tended to get complicated when you
couldn’t see more than a few feet in front of your face. And without
adequate surveillance that night, his operation would have to be delayed.
Cade wasn’t partial to delayed gratification in any aspect of his life. So, as
far as he was concerned, the rain could kindly fuck off.
Cade took another frustrated swipe at the drenched, dark curls that had
fallen into his face. Fierce eyes scoured the darkness in search of their
unassuming target. A small group of students bolted from the building out
into the rain, obviously eager to escape the watery onslaught and find
shelter in their dormitories. Cade moved a few steps back; melding into the
shadows was second nature to him. Having escaped the notice of the
striving scholars, Cade advanced on the aged brick building that bore the
resemblance of a cathedral. Though even if it were a sanctuary, God himself
could not impede Cade in his mission.
The large, ornate windows allowed for undisturbed observance. Cade was
grateful that the architects clearly had no penchant for privacy. A few older
members exited the building and made quick headway for their respective
destinations. After they were out of view, Cade circled around to look for
any stragglers. The first floor looked clear, and the view of the second floor
suggested the same. Which left the basement level and its occupants. Cade
allowed himself a small shiver as he made his way through the mud and
rain to a tree just out of sight. He leaned against the damp bark, set his
focus on the entrance of the building, and waited.
After what seemed like an eternity of being slowly drowned, the moment
Cade had been awaiting in rain-soaked anticipation finally arrived. The
blurred lights ahead began to extinguish, like candles in the windows of an
ancient tower being blown out one by one. The library was the most historic
building on campus, and the dark neo-Gothic architecture turned eerie in
the faint moonlight. A figure emerged from the large wooden doors at the
entrance of the building and turned to secure them behind her.
She was quite underdressed for the aggressive weather, and her pale blue
dress began to cling to her skin. On second glance, her lack of a cover was
not due to under preparedness for she had a raincoat wrapped carefully
around a stack of books that she held close to her chest. Clearly warmth was
not on her list of priorities. Cade shook his head in disapproval as he
watched her scurry away in soaked shivers. Having spent his whole life
around people who valued objects over anything else, he still couldn’t
understand the sentiment.
She stopped suddenly and took a moment to turn penetrating eyes to the
darkness where Cade hid, searching for some unknown entity that drew her
unease. Cade held his breath and shrank back against the tree. Had he
slipped, made some sort of sound or movement that called her attention?
Cade shook his head at the notion. No, she was merely a woman of
moderate vigilance who found herself walking a deserted campus alone at
night and looking to the shadows for nightmares to manifest. And with
good reason. Nightmares weren’t the only things that lurked in the shadows.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary to satisfy her fears, the woman
hurried onward. Cade checked his watch for the time. According to the
surveillance work of Jace and Declan, it was the same as the last two nights,
almost to the minute. Perfect. She was a creature of habit. He could
appreciate that. He would, in fact, appreciate it very much when they came
back in search of something very specific. Something only she could
provide.
“Until next time, Miss Caine,” Cade whispered in anticipation as the
small figure disappeared into the rainy haze like a spirit in the night.

THE evening storm played against the window panes like the swell of a
symphony. Kara quite liked the rain; it was a friendly companion to a good
read, and it helped to preserve the tranquility of the library. The average
student wouldn’t brave the inconvenient whims of Mother Nature to obtain
a hard copy text for an assignment undoubtedly due the next day. And the
non-average sort were always welcome.
Kara’s breath stilled in reverent rapture as she inspected their most
recently donated text, lovingly caressing the time-worn spine, rubbing her
thumb across the faded letters and feeling the smoothness of the binding.
Jane Eyre—her favorite piece of literature and one in a collection of three,
first edition novels by the Brontë sisters recently bequeathed to the archival
department of the library. Instinctually, she drew the book close, the pale,
blonde waves of her hair rippling over the discolored pages as she breathed
in the intoxicating scent of aged paper and ink. It was an irreplicable smell,
as though history itself was present in a form tangible to all the senses.
 Carefully gathering her new additions, Kara made her way to an obscure
door in the far left corner of the first floor. After unlocking the door, she
turned on the lights, secured the lock behind her, and descended the steep,
narrow staircase. Few people were even aware of the library’s lower level,
and even fewer had access to it. The realm beneath the bustle of students,
keeping company with the written thoughts of men and women who had
passed centuries before, was where Kara truly felt at home.
Kara and a couple senior members had offices on the lower level. There
were two rooms with special equipment to study the older and more
delicate texts; it was where Kara spent much of her day assisting professors
and PhD students with research and examination. There was one room on
that level with such limited access that only Kara, as the chief librarian,
knew the entry code: the rare books archives. Kara made her way to the
door, first edition Brontës still in hand, entered the five digits into the
keypad, and opened the door.
She was met with a chill as she entered the repository of rarities. A
temperature of sixty degrees was optimal for the preservation of texts, but it
was not the most comfortable thermostat setting for human tastes. Kara
checked the humidity levels as she made her way to the bookshelves to find
a vacant spot for their new acquisitions. After laying its sisters to rest
alongside a recently donated collection of The Canterbury Tales, Kara
couldn’t resist taking a moment to inspect what lay beneath the aged cover
of her favorite text. The preservation really was quite exquisite; she would
immensely enjoy cataloging any unique features and comparing with other
editions the library had in house.
Kara never tired of her work as the head of the archives department. The
classic texts always seemed to excite and surprise her in ways that human
interactions lacked the capacity. The library had been her sanctuary since
she first started at the university as an undergraduate. Some had ridiculed
her choice to settle into a uneventful and solitary life amid the shelves of
aged texts, but in spite of her twenty eight years, Kara couldn’t imagine
anywhere she would be happier. And nothing quite rivaled the welcoming
smell of well-worn books.
Kara’s thoughts were suddenly disrupted by the sheer quiet of the room
and undisturbed silence above. Assuming that Jane Eyre had absorbed her
attention a little longer than expected, she glanced at the time.
Shit.
It was nearly an hour after closing. Kara carefully placed her text with its
comrades and secured the room before heading in haste to her own office.
She gathered her coat and a few books from the desk for some late night
entertainment and made her way to the stairs. The rhythmic tap of her high
heels meeting marble filled the great hall with an authoritative echo that
seemed to challenge the empty silence as she moved swiftly to turn out the
lights and make her escape into the night.
Kara was met with a damp and chilly breeze as she drew open the heavy
wooden doors to the outside world. She had forgotten that the rain she’d
been romanticizing from within the dry confines of the library offered a
companionship of inconvenience for a long walk back in the dead of night.
Without hesitation, Kara removed her coat and wrapped it securely around
her books, bracing for the freezing onslaught. She’d take wet clothes over
wet books any day.
It was on these days that Kara truly regretted her inability to accessorize
with sensible shoes. Navigating the muddy wasteland that separated the
campus from the faculty parking lot would be an adventure in pencil thin
heels. Her feet had already begun to get wet as she splashed her way down
the ruddy brick of the main walkway. Kara’s steps faltered as an eerie sense
of being watched washed over her like a chill that had nothing to do with
the weather. She searched the shadows warily as she readied her keys in her
fist as a weapon against any ill-wishing foe. When nothing dangerous
presented itself, Kara soothed her suspicions and hurried on. She’d ask
Mike to double check the library on his midnight security rounds as a
precaution. She could see the luminous glow of the parking lot and her
solitary car in the distance. Kara held her sharpest key at the ready until she
was safely inside the confines of her car.
Should any nightly shadows choose to emerge, Kara Caine wasn’t going
down without a fight.
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 CHAPTER TWO

K ARA jolted from her habitual daydreaming while menially sorting

requests, thrust into reality with the unusual appearance of a large
figure walking into the library. A pair of figures actually. It was the one in
front who had captured her attention. He was clearly older than the average
age of a typical student, but he didn’t quite possess the quiet refinement of a
university professor. He was tall, dressed in a brown, tweed suit that fit
snugly enough to hint at his muscular build. Round, tortoise glasses framed
his striking blue eyes that stood out starkly against his beautiful, deeply-
tanned skin. His dark, curly hair was styled short and his perfectly
manicured facial hair left her in doubt if she’d ever beheld a specimen who
was more the epitome of debonair than the man walking toward her.
Fuck, he’s coming this way.
 Hurriedly, Kara fussed with her unruly blonde waves and needlessly
smoothed down the front of her dress. Thank whatever powers that swirled
above, she was wearing her favorite floral print wrap dress that accentuated
the slight curve of her hips and revealed the perfect hint of tit. She looked
more than acceptable, and from the appreciative glint in the approaching
man’s eyes, he noticed.
“Good evening,” Kara greeted when the enticing stranger approached her
desk with his companion. “May I help you with something?”
“Why yes, you may,” Jace responded with a smile that bordered on
dazzling. It was a practiced gesture, but it was always effective on women.
“I’m Dr. Jamison, and this is my research assistant, David.” Jace gestured to
the younger man beside him that Kara had clearly forgotten existed. “I
spoke with Anne Spade yesterday about viewing a few texts from your rare
collections for an essay I’m writing. She said they would be available
today.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Spade isn’t available tonight,” Kara replied, not sounding
the least bit apologetic as she was suddenly, guiltily grateful that her
colleague had called in sick and left her to attend the library alone that
night. “But the rare archives is actually my department. Let me check and
see if she filed a special request for you.”
The notice of Ms. Spade’s absence wasn’t news to Jace. It was his own
less than friendly suggestion that coming into work that day might not be
beneficial for dear Anne’s health that had encouraged the dowdy librarian
to spend a quiet evening at home. It was amazing the power that could be
wielded over that sort of skittish creature with so little effort. The weak and
insignificant always crumbled under Jace’s steely gaze like rubble beneath
a boot. He took a moment to size up Dr. Caine as she rustled through some
papers at the front desk. Jace doubted the small, bookish girl would require
much effort to manipulate into his schemes. In fact, the whole night would
probably be disappointingly easy. Compared to his usual jobs, taking a book
from a librarian would be child’s play.
“I apologize, I can’t seem to find any record of your visit today,” Kara
announced in confusion after having checked the logs twice. It wasn’t like
Anne to forget a special access request; she was always exceedingly detail
oriented.
“Oh that is disappointing,” he answered, appearing unfazed. “I don’t
suppose you would be able to arrange a viewing tonight? We did travel
quite a long distance for this opportunity.”
Kara took a moment to consider his request. She was typically rigidly
adherent to their appointment policy, but she didn’t want to be an
impediment to someone’s quest for knowledge.“Of course, I can make an
exception. May I see some identification for both of you and have your
academic permissions form?”
A brief expression of exasperation passed across Jace’s face.
“Unfortunately, my assistant failed to pack the academic permissions form.
It is sitting on a desk back at the university. He still has some things to
learn,” he said, shooting a dark look at the quiet boy beside him with ebony
hair and nearly black eyes that were soft and kind. “Could you kindly
forgive his oversight? We were really looking forward to collecting this data
for our research. You have such a renowned collection of early editions in
your library, Dr. Caine. I would hate to miss the chance to examine them,”
Jace pleaded in an overt attempt to appear charming and persuasive.
Kara froze in unease, trying to recall if she’d at any point given Dr.
Jamison her name. She had not. “I’m sorry, to which university did you say
you belong?” Kara inquired, suddenly growing inexplicably uneasy. She
desperately hoped that the sinister twisting of Dr. Jamison’s features was
merely her imagination.
“Ohio State,” Jace answered through gritted teeth, keenly aware of her
change in demeanor. Maybe his task wouldn’t be as easy as he thought.
Which was fine with him. He enjoyed a little physical coercion, especially
with pretty little doe-eyed things like Dr. Caine.
“Well, we are actually about to close for the night. I could always contact
Ohio State University tomorrow and get a copy of the academic
permissions form? I’m sure they’ll have one on file,” Kara offered in
compromise, hoping to escape a scene she had an inkling could turn ugly at
any moment.
“Sorry, but tomorrow isn’t going to work for us,” Jace answered coldly,
making no move to back down.
Sensing that the situation was slipping beyond the point where she
controlled the outcome, Kara made herself appear as tall as possible with all
of her five feet and three inches; thankfully, her high heels added nearly
another four. She put on her best mask of cold librarian authority—the one
that scared the shit out of rowdy students who used her library to socialize
rather than study. “The library is closing. Please escort yourselves out.
Now.”
“I was hoping to avoid any unpleasantness, Dr. Caine.”
“Who’s being unpleasant? I did say please. Get your ass out the door
now, and I’ll even add a thank you.”
Judging from the dark look she received in return, maybe sarcasm hadn’t
been the best approach. In response to her indelicately stated request, Jace
planted both of his hands on her desk imperiously. Towering above her with
broad shoulders and arms hidden not so discreetly beneath the tight
confines of his suit, the man was a formidable entity. Kara shrank back
slightly in spite of herself. She certainly wouldn’t be making an escape on
account of physical merits. She could only hope Dr. Jamison didn’t have the
brains to match the brawn.
With a quick scan of the library, Kara made the unfortunate discovery that
she and the two men were the only occupants. Mike wouldn’t be making his
rounds for at least another hour, so she was on her own unless she could
discreetly get to her phone to call for assistance. As nonchalantly as
possible, Kara reached into her pocket in search of her phone. At the same
time, Jace drew back the edge of his suit jacket to reveal a handgun tucked
into his waistband.
“I think it might be better if you kept your hands where I can see them,
Dr. Caine. We wouldn’t want any accidents to happen,” he threatened
harshly.
Kara froze, startling at the sight of a weapon in the library and wondering
what the hell she’d gotten herself into. As it was a simple enough request to
preserve the peace, Kara abandoned her search for her phone and placed her
hands dutifully on the desk.
“Good girl,” Jace said in patronizing tone that made Kara feel about three
inches tall. “Now, I believe you were about to show us the archives?”
Kara looked at the two of them, trying to surmise what they would
demand when they reached the level below. And if she would be willing to
provide it. She needed time to think and formulate some sort of plan, and
she couldn’t do it with her back against the wall and two men staring her
down intently. The lower level was her domain, and, if she took her time
navigating, she could perhaps think of an escape plan by the time her
adversaries realized she wasn’t exactly cooperating.
“Fine. This way, please,” Kara acquiesced curtly.
“Nice to see you’re actually capable of compliance, with a little friendly
persuasion,” Jace goaded as he tapped the side she knew concealed his gun.
“Just follow my instructions, and we’ll be gone without a fuss, and you’ll
be safely on your way home.”
Somehow his words didn’t offer her much reassurance. Kara walked
slowly, checking windows for signs of people passing by, looking for any
suitable places to hide, gauging the amount of time it would take for her to
reach the front door if she ran. She would have to ditch her shoes first.
Running, or hiding, or much of anything really was intrinsically harder
when performed in miniature stilts. But there would be plenty of time to
consider the hazards induced by her fashion choices later. Provided there
was a later. Having stalled as long as she inconspicuously could, Kara
finally arrived at the door in the back of the library with a semi-feasible
plan. All she needed was a bit of luck.
“The archives are kept on a lower level to prevent light exposure. We’ll
have to go down the stairs to reach them.”
“Lead the way, Dr. Caine,” Jace encouraged amicably.
“I’ll have to retrieve the keys from my pocket,” Kara warned as she
reached for the side that held her keys as well as her phone.
Before she could reach either, Kara felt the hardened, boulder-esque
presence of someone pressed far too firmly against her back. One hand
slipped around her waist and grasped her wrist restrictively, while the other
slid suggestively down the curve of her hip before dipping into her pocket.
His touch lingered a moment too long before he removed the contents
hidden away in her dress.
“Allow me to assist you,” Jace offered smoothly as he tucked her phone
into his coat and held up the keys in front of her.
Kara allowed herself a moment’s glare before taking the proffered keys
from his hand.
Well, there goes plan A.
She felt even more helpless without her phone by her side as she prepared
to descend into the darkness below. From down there, only one way of exit
was possible; she just had to make sure she got there first. Kara turned on
the lights, going against her nature to leave the door unlocked behind them,
and started down the very familiar path. “Watch your step; it is pretty
steep,” she cautioned out of habit. When they all reached the bottom floor,
Kara gathered her courage and attempted to appear casual. “Do you mind if
I grab a book from my office? I need to take it home with me tonight. The
archives room is the last one at the end of the hall with the keypad,” she
offered in a perfect facade of cooperation.
“What is the code?” Jace asked with the eagerness of a sprinter nearing
the finish line.
“It’s 3-8-2-5-8, then press enter.”
F-U-C-K-U
Kara dipped into her office and removed her shoes as the other two
rushed for the last door, ready to have their prize and be done with it. When
she heard the beeping of the keypad, Kara hastily started for the stairs, the
urgency of speed outweighing the need for quietness. She was halfway
toward the door to freedom when harsh hands grabbed her waist and jerked
her over a shoulder.
 “Put me down, you fucking asshole!” she shouted as she made frantic,
futile attempts to escape his hold.
“Trying to make a run for it, Dr. Caine? And here I thought we were
getting along. I guess you’re not quite as smart as I thought,” Jace seethed,
the grip on her waist tightening. “Declan, go get a chair from one of the
offices,” he ordered his supposed assistant.
Kara tried to think of what motive these two would have for using aliases
and forcing their way into the secure areas of the library. They obviously
were in search of one of the rare books, but the contents of the archives
weren’t common knowledge. The texts catalogued in the archives were
known to Kara herself, a few members of the university board, and select
higher members of the academic community. Maybe it was just a shot in the
dark to see if they could get away with something valuable?
“You were supposed to be an easy mark, Dr. Caine. In fact, I should
already be on my way to enjoy a nice glass of whiskey. Instead, I’m having
to waste valuable time dealing with your bullshit. And until I get what I
want, things are going to get rather uncomfortable for you.”
Considering her awkward position on his shoulder, Kara doubted the
situation could get much less comfortable. “So I’m going to assume your
name isn’t Dr. Jamison?” Kara asked, trying to gather any information she
could use.
After Declan emerged with a chair, Jace threw Kara down roughly on her
ass. “That is correct,” he confirmed with a smirk as he kneeled down in
front of where Kara was sitting. With one swift movement, Jace reached for
the hem of her dress and ripped upward and across, removing the bottom
half. His hands lingered on her legs a bit too long afterward, and Kara
shivered in response.
 “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Kara asked in infuriation as
she stared at the ruins of her favorite fucking dress.
“Easy on the shouting, or you’ll get a gag as well,” Jace warned as he
moved to tie her wrists to the chair with the pieces he’d torn from her dress.
“We can’t have you trying to escape, now can we? And since it’s your fault
a simple job has been drawn out this much, I think you can stand to
sacrifice a little clothing.” Jace took a step back to admire his handiwork
before Declan took him aside to converse in hushed tones. She wouldn’t be
moving anytime soon unless he allowed it.
Kara tested the makeshift binds on her wrists; they didn’t give an inch.
Dr. Jamison, or whatever his name was, certainly had practice securing
hostages, Kara noted with unease. Perhaps this was a planned, professional
operation and not just a happenstance robbery. Kara studied the two men
before her; they were immersed in what appeared to be an argument,
oblivious to her scrutiny. The assistant, Declan, looked young enough to be
her student, and his face held an innocence that had yet to be marred by an
intimate acquaintance with the world. He was obviously new to conning his
way into academic establishments. His associate, however, bore the
countenance of a man who had very few vices left to explore.
“So what exactly are you trying to acquire here?” Kara called over in an
attempt to gain any information she could. She also hoped to stop whatever
scheming was unfolding out of the reach of her hearing—not being privy to
their secretive plotting was making her nervous.
“A collection that was recently donated to the university,” Jace answered
freely. Any information he had was irrelevant to her, so he saw no need to
conceal it.
 “Oh?” Kara continued conversationally, trying to mask her surprise.
While the knowledge of what exactly was catalogued in their archives
wasn’t widespread, the timelines of donations were only known to a very
select few.
“We’re meant to retrieve an early edition of The Canterbury Tales. Mind
fetching it from the book prison back there and saving us any more wasted
time? It’s probably just laying around collecting dust with a bunch of other
old books too ancient to read or use or keep within a few hundred feet of
the sun,” he said, glancing around the lower floor distastefully. He usually
worked in the realm of luxury, acquiring items from museums and private
collections housed in mansions. He was getting tired of the dark, musty
room and the librarian bitch.
“The William Caxton first edition of The Canterbury Tales?” Kara
confirmed, unable to quell a gasp of shock. That collection was one of
Avery Reed’s most recent donations to the university, and it was the most
magnanimous contribution the library had ever received. “It’s fifteenth
century for Christ’s sake. That text is of paramount historical, academic,
and literary significance, not to mention it’s worth a fortune.”
“Exactly. And?”
“And, I would rather fill my pockets with stones and take a stroll at the
bottom of a river than deliver a first edition Canterbury Tales to anyone
lacking the proper intentions or the skill set to handle such a delicate text.”
“Trust me, sweetheart, that could be arranged,” he threatened darkly as he
strode the distance between them and bent to grasp her wrists, meeting her
unwavering gaze with cold, violent eyes. Under his icy glare, she faltered
only slightly. “However, the state in which I chuck your remains into a
murky underwater grave is entirely up to you. I was tasked with getting a
book out of the vault back there; the methods I use to extract your
cooperation can be as creative as my twisted imagination allows,” Jace
added as an extra layer of intimidation, eyeing his prey greedily.
At that moment, Kara felt the first prickles of fear across her skin. She
was trapped and helpless with no viable options at her disposal. And she
was very likely about to be tortured for the sake of saving a piece of
literature that had survived for centuries before her, and, if she had anything
to say about it, would exist for many after her. She looked at Jace with all
the hatred she could muster and saw a dark gleam fill his eyes in return.
Jace could tell he was getting to her; the fear coursing through her veins
intoxicated his senses like a fucking drug.
Kara had an unfortunate habit of reverting to antagonism when she felt
threatened, and it often escalated rather than helped the situation. Before
she could repress the words, instinct overpowered common sense. “I guess
you’re one of those guys who can only get hard when they’re beating up
helpless girls,” she provoked as spitefully as she could. Kara heard a growl
of anger a split second before she felt, rather than saw, a hard hand meet her
cheek with a resounding smack.
Jace is sensitive about his manhood. Noted.
“Jace,” Declan warned. Jace ignored the young man’s caution; Kara had
the full extent of his attention.
“You’re a mouthy little bitch, aren’t you?” Jace asked spitefully as he
considered the best retaliation for the her disrespect.
Kara’s cheek stung, but the pain felt better than being powerless. She
couldn’t believe that she’d been attracted to that prick when he first walked
in the library. Of course, he’d be a fucking psychopath. Kara watched as
Jace’s eyes lit with the fire of cruel machinations; he just hadn’t picked
which torment he would carry out. Though her words had sparked whatever
hell Jace was about to put her through, Kara didn’t regret them. Revenge
would take precedence over retrieving the text she would sacrifice
everything to preserve. And perhaps, if he went far enough, his cruelty
would turn Declan to her aide. Kara took a deep breath and braced herself
for Jace’s assault.
“Declan, go upstairs and make sure everything is secure,” Jace
commanded without taking his predatory eyes off Kara.
Shit. That had not been part of Kara’s plan. She needed Declan there; he
was her only possible ally. The thought of what harm might befall her after
being left alone in a room with Jace was terrifying. Suddenly, the fire of
resolve and determination that had fueled her resistance vanished like a
flame beneath the wind. Kara looked to Declan to implore mercy.
“Jace, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” Declan argued, the same fear
of Jace’s intentions clearly present in his countenance. He’d signed up for
robbery, not assault. Or worse.
“Trust me kid, you don’t have the stomach for what comes next,” Jace
assured the younger man. He didn’t want to ruin the kid’s taste for the job
his first night out. Sometimes their line of work wouldn’t always provide
pretty solutions, but that was a lesson for another time when Declan had
more experience to understand the need for force. Perhaps the kid would
even grow to enjoy the violence as its own source of fun like he had.
Against his better judgment, Declan gave one last sympathetic look to the
women tied to the chair and headed for the stairs. He took no pleasure in
leaving anyone helpless to the whims of Jace’s perverse amusement, but he
didn’t have the pull of rank to intervene. Declan ignored the urge to steal a
last glance at the scene below as he exited and shut the door soundly behind
him.
Kara tried to steady her breathing as trepidation threatened to consume
every fiber of her being. Whatever harsh fate awaited her at Jace’s hands,
he wanted no witnesses. His violence was for her alone. Kara attempted to
steel her will for the sake of preserving something greater than herself.
Judging from the eager cruelty of Jace’s expression, the path to academic
martyrdom would not be pretty.
“You know, doctor, I’m glad you put up a fight,” Jace stated amicably as
he stalked toward her. Without warning, his hand shot out and made brutal
contact with Kara’s other cheek. Both sides of her face burned with the
force of Jace’s abuse, but she didn’t back down or lower her gaze. “It’s so
much more fun when you struggle.”
He slapped her again. Hard. Kara fought the first swell of tears, angered
by her body’s natural response to the pain, as the nauseating, coppery tang
of blood filled her mouth. Cruel fingers dug into her jaw as Jace bent to
draw her closer, so close that the musky scent of his cologne suffocated her
senses. Kara could hear the thundering of his heartbeat, pumping with
adrenaline and what she sickeningly suspected was arousal. His lips
brushed against her ear almost gently, but his breath was hard and fast
against her neck.
“And the victory will be so much sweeter when you finally break,” Jace
whispered, his voice full of dark anticipation as his fingers tightened
painfully around her face.
Taking advantage of the repulsive closeness of Jace’s body against her
own, Kara made the most of her unbound limbs and thrust her knee up as
hard as she could in the hopes of incapacitating him with a sharp hit to the
balls. With a misfortune of aim, Kara’s knee caught him in the hip.
Grunting in pain and irritation, Jace lunged for her throat, inescapable
fingers mercilessly crushing her windpipe. Judging from his unrelenting
fury, Jace knew exactly what she had been aiming for. All too quickly, the
room began to darken as consciousness slipped from Kara’s reach.
Just as she had resigned herself to Jace’s destruction, the door above
opened again. A man who was not Declan emerged with a countenance full
of concern. Against all odds, Kara had been granted a liberator. Jace turned
to scowl at the intruder, but when he met the stranger’s gaze, his stance
shifted completely. Deference replaced the dominant arrogance that had
ruled Jace just moments before. Kara studied the stranger as he descended
the stairs with an authority that was undeniable. He didn’t belong to the
faculty, and he was at least a decade older than the usual student population.
If he wasn’t associated with the university, then what chance of fate had
brought him to her aide at that moment?
“What is going on here?” the man demanded in a tone that fell between
frustration and fury.
His voice held a refined lull that belonged more to the upper class of
London than to the streets of Chicago. The stranger was able to meet Jace at
eye level, an impressive feat as the latter was certainly over six feet tall. He
didn’t possess Jace’s broad muscularity, but the perfect tailoring of his suit
suggested his form was lean and toned. His pale face was constructed of
hardened angles outlined by the slightest shadow of stubble and framed by
inky waves that had an unruly tendency to fall to one side. There was a
resting harshness to his expression, a furrowed brow that hinted at perpetual
discontent. He had hardened eyes of captivating depth that held melded
hues of green and gold, like summer leaves tinged with the whisper of
autumn. Kara mentally catalogued each detail of his appearance as she
would an ancient text full of undiscovered secrets. The visage of her savior
would remain engrained in her thoughts for as long as she had breath to
sustain them.
Kara’s romanticizing of the new arrival came to a earth-shattering halt as
Declan followed down the stairs at the same time as Jace’s next words.
“I had it under control, Ashford. There was no need for you to involve
yourself.”
“Clearly,” Cade replied acidly with a pointed look at Kara’s battered face
and makeshift restraints.
Kara froze as the realization that the two men were acquainted crept into
consciousness. Ashford. The name of her savior turned assailant. She
fixated on the name with all the black hatred she could gather as the
alluring features she’d been fantasizing about turned dark and menacing
beneath her gaze—tinged by the haze of contempt.
Cade felt the heat of her fury as he turned reproachfully toward Jace.
“Declan contacted me with some concerns regarding your technique, and I
felt obligated to come down here and supervise your handling of the
situation. You know I don’t like exposing my identity while a job is in
progress unless absolutely necessary, but it appears young Declan’s
misgivings were warranted. May I ask what the hell were you thinking?”
“The bitch wasn’t cooperating, so I resorted to less orthodox means of
persuasion. I assumed my methods wouldn’t be subject to scrutiny provided
the book was obtained,” Jace rationalized, shooting Declan a deadly glare.
“I see. So you are in possession of the book?”
“Not yet,” Jace responded through gritted teeth.
 “So this small, insignificant girl has been threatened, disheveled,
assaulted, and held hostage, but you still don’t have anything to show for it?
It seems my top acquisitioner might be losing his touch,” Cade critiqued,
irritated that such a simple operation had yet to yield results, but also
annoyed that Jace hadn’t had the forethought to avoid a hostile, hostage
situation in the basement of a public establishment.
Jace’s face contorted with anger at the insinuation of his incompetence,
but he bit back the first choice words that came to mind. “The girl has been
stubborn. She just needs a bit of rough persuasion, and I’m more than
willing to oblige. Trust me, she’ll break easy enough.”
“She’s a librarian, not MI6 for Christ’s sake,” Cade said in exasperation.
He too was inclined toward a rougher approach, but, unlike Jace, he knew
when the situation warranted it. He looked at the girl who appeared so
fragile in her bound state and assumed delicacy would be the best form of
action for obtaining the text they required.
“Think you can do any better, boss? Be my guest,” Jace said curtly,
gesturing to Kara like she was a nicely wrapped gift.
Though that was certainly how he liked his presents wrapped, Cade
wasn’t sure that the librarian was the kind of gift he would enjoy. He ran a
hand through his unruly waves in frustration; it was one of his tells when he
was stressed. The movement caught the girl’s attention, and she turned
dark, disdainful eyes to his. The last remnants of Cade’s cool composure
vanished beneath the gaze of her wide eyes that held an all consuming fire
of defiance. He smothered the unnerving urge to protect her,
overcompensating with a glare that was a little crueler than intended; she
recoiled from the intensity.
 “Miss Caine,” Cade addressed her with a smug superiority that was
typically sincere, though at the moment felt constructed for the sake of
preserving authority.
“It’s Dr. Caine,” Kara corrected matter of factly.
“Pardon?” he questioned with a smirk of amusement. The girl was tied to
a chair and still preferred pride over the more logical choice of pliancy. It
seemed preservation was not on her list of priorities.
“Unless, by some negligence, you’ve entered into this situation less
informed than you appear, my appropriate title should be common
knowledge.” She hadn’t gone through years of hard study and work to be
demoted to miss in her last tragic hours. Being addressed by the patronizing
title merely added insult to injury. “I would afford you the same
professional courtesy were you to have the decency of introductions.”
Kara’s sharp stubbornness momentarily threw Cade off guard, but he
recovered quickly. “My apologies, Dr. Caine, you are absolutely right.
Caden Ashford, no title necessary, though technically Lord Ashford would
be appropriate if you’re a stickler for formalities. I would offer my hand,
but you seem to be tied up at the moment.” The last part might have been a
bit much, but Cade couldn’t resist.
Kara scoffed; there was no way in hell she would ever be referring to that
man as Lord Ashford. On a positive note, if he was telling the truth, the
authorities would likely have a much easier time locating some posh
member of British society than an average criminal. The thought of the
tables turning and getting to see that smug bastard restrained instead of
herself filled Kara with the fuel to outlast whatever madness the night might
entail.
 “Yes, speaking of being tied up, do you think we could do away with the
whole bondage bit? Can’t say it’s really my thing. Sorry to disappoint,
Jace,” Kara said in a flippant tone that contrasted her rather spiteful look at
the man responsible for the restraints digging into her wrists.
Cade tried to repress a smile at the cheeky retort. Perhaps if she knew
who she was dealing with, she wouldn’t be making those comments so
lightly. He understood that she was looking for leverage, some level of trust
from him, so she could feel less helpless in the situation. Since he knew
who truly held the power, Cade was willing to play along.
“Well, I am sorry Jace’s efforts failed to satisfy. Perhaps you require
someone with more experience,” Cade offered, his response eliciting an eye
roll from Jace.
“His technique was more than efficient, thanks. The setting, though, is a
bit lacking in ambiance. Maybe we can continue our negotiations
somewhere more comfortable?” Kara suggested, eager to get out of the
windowless box she shared with three hostile strangers.
“Oh, so this is a negotiation now?” Cade asked, intrigued.
“What word would you use?” Kara questioned almost sweetly.
“No, I think negotiation sounds promising. That would imply you are
willing to help us get what we need in exchange for something in return.
Name your price.” Cade assumed she was stalling. Declan had mentioned
that the illustrious Dr. Caine refused to cooperate for idealistic reasons; she
was willing to put her life at stake to ensure that the collection remained
pristine. Fucking academic romantics. As if anything composed of stale
paper and ink could be worth dying for.
“I’m afraid I haven’t the time to conjure demands while we wait down
here. Mike will be doing midnight security checks soon, and I assume you
won’t want to get anyone else involved in your criminal activities.” It was a
small bluff; since there was such limited access to the lower level, and Kara
always personally secured the area, Mike only did sweeps of the two upper
levels. If they stayed below, Kara and the men holding her hostage would
pass undetected. She had to hope they wouldn’t take that chance.
Cade looked shaken at this new information. “What is the time, Jace?”
“It’s a quarter till,” Jace answered, looking equally stressed.
“Can you confirm that there is security entering the area in mere
minutes?” Cade asked, clearly peeved that both members of his team had
failed to plan for such an occurrence.
“There is a guard that comes to check the grounds at midnight,” Jace said,
seeming apologetic about the oversight. “We didn’t think it would take this
long to retrieve the book.”
Cade released a huff of irritation as he tried to formulate his next move.
Thanks to Jace and Declan’s neglect of time management and failure to
mention extra security, there would be no opportunity to reason with the
librarian as delicately as he had intended. They needed to get in and out of
the archival vault as quickly as possible. The banter with the girl had been
amusing, but it was time to stop playing and start pressing the librarian for
answers.
“Key code. Now,” Cade commanded, all trace of good humor gone.
“What happened to negotiation?” Kara asked in a panicked tone. She was
quickly losing any leverage she thought she’d gained.
“You give us the code. We set you free and leave you to live your life.
There is your negotiation,” Cade replied, his expression hard and
unyielding.
 “No,” Kara said as forcefully as she could, meeting him with a relentless
defiance of her own.
“You really have no sense of self-preservation, do you?” Cade responded
angrily. He had behaved more than civilly, but the girl was testing his
patience. “If you don’t cooperate with us, there will be consequences
neither one of us will enjoy, you decidedly less so.” Kara flinched at the
threat housed in Cade’s words, but she made no move to acquiesce.
Cade ran his fingers through his hair again. He didn’t appreciate being
forced to resort to violence, especially with a girl who looked so fragile and
helpless. Though, if she could still stand her ground when met with the
most imperious glare Cade could summon, perhaps she was stronger than
she looked. Cade took a moment to survey Dr. Caine fully from her
disheveled, pale as cream curls to her bare feet that rested on point to shy
away from the cold floor. He tried not to linger on her open, overexposed
thighs or the heavy heaving of her chest as her heart thumped heavily with
coursing adrenaline. Cade was a master of reading people and using their
drives to his advantage, so all he needed to discover was what made Dr.
Caine tick. From the little he had ascertained of her character in their brief
acquaintance, Cade could make an educated guess.
“Jace, grab a book from one of the shelves. Something that looks old,”
Cade ordered with a pointed look at Kara.
Kara couldn’t decipher the meaning of the look or the purpose of Jace’s
task. Perhaps they meant to cut their losses by taking the most valuable
books housed within reach? While the rare archives were used to store
priceless texts, the library kept out a few shelves of academically significant
editions on the lower level. Kara felt a shiver of revulsion as Jace ran his
fingers along the spines of the books on the first row, searching for his
victim of choice. He picked a rather worn, gold-bound book and handed it
to his boss. Cade announced the title aloud.
“Candide. Fourth edition. Very nice. I suppose it’s valuable?”
“Academically? Very. Monetarily, it is of moderate value,” Kara
answered vaguely. She would hate to lose the Voltaire text, but it would be a
lesser devastation compared to losing the Chaucer.
“Perfect,” Cade said with a malicious grin as he opened the book, ripped
it in half, and tossed it on the floor. Kara’s eyes widened in horror as she
stared at the literary remains lying on the ground. “Care to give up the code
now?” Cade pressed.
“No,” Kara whispered quietly, aghast at the lengths he was willing to go
to get what he wanted. Though he’d committed no act of violence against
her personally, Kara felt as though she had been hit in the chest.
“As you wish. Jace, get another one,” Cade ordered coldly. “Declan, go
upstairs and see if you can stall our security guard.”
Declan moved quickly to obey, displaying none of the hesitancy he had
when asked to leave her alone with Jace earlier. Whether it was because he
trusted Cade’s instincts, or feared Cade’s anger, Kara wasn’t sure.
Jace searched a moment before he retrieved another text from the shelves
and placed it in Cade’s outreached hand. Cade’s face filled with spiteful
amusement when he discovered the author. “Is it worth revealing the code
to save poor Jane Austen from becoming a heap of rubbish?” he asked with
a sneer.
It was clear from Caden Ashford’s face that he thought victory was in
hand with his ransom of Sense and Sensibility. Unsurprisingly, he
overestimated his leverage in the situation. Kara had no intention of
yielding Chaucer for Austen. Unbeknownst to the criminal who was clearly
operating on the basis of stereotypes in the literary field, Kara preferred
Brontë to Austen in every respect. Additionally, Sense and Sensibility was
hardly the masterpiece of Austen’s career. Finally, though she hated to see
any book harmed, that particular copy was a later edition that was in poor
condition and needed to be rebound. Kara assumed the world would still
turn with one less print of Austen in it.
Sorry, Jane.
“No, thank you,” Kara answered with a hint of superiority. This savage
game of his would fail, and he was running out of time.
Cade fixed on her with a dark glare as he easily tore the unfortunate novel
in two and discarded it. He too felt the slipping of time from his favor and
decided on a more rash form of action. “Jace, did you happen to relieve
Miss Caine of her mobile?”
“I did,” Jace answered, unsure of the motive behind Ashford’s
questioning. He removed the phone from his inner pocket and handed it to
Cade. With Kara’s unwilling help, he disabled the facial recognition and
proceeded to search for something.
“I see you don’t have much contact outside of work,” Cade directed at
Kara as he searched through her call and messaging history. She didn’t like
the insinuation that her social life lacked vibrancy, but she said nothing.
“Do you have any family or friends that you keep in contact with on a
regular basis?” he asked casually.
Kara blanched. These questions hinted at a hidden inquiry: would anyone
miss you if you disappeared tonight? Kara wanted to lie, but she knew the
evidence on her own phone would condemn her. She opted for neutral
evasion. “Not particularly; my work keeps me busy. I’m at the library all
the time.”
 “I am going to need a more concise answer, Miss Caine. Do you have any
close friends or family?” he reiterated sternly.
Kara gritted her teeth as she forced a reply. “It’s doctor. And no, I have no
close family or friends.” And Kara had never regretted her tendency toward
solitude more than in that moment. Kara had spent most of her life trying to
avoid intimacy in any aspect because it wasn’t worth the risk of loss. After
her parents, she couldn’t handle that kind of devastation again.
Cade appraised the girl who seemed lost in regretful ruminations. He
knew he had a couple choices; both held high risks and neither ensured he
would attain the item he needed. With the clock ticking, Cade deliberated
quickly and made his decision. “Jace, untie Miss Caine, please.”
With shocked relief, Kara thought he might have decided to let her go,
but when she saw the sneer on Jace’s face as he advanced, she suspected
she was in for a worse fate than getting home a little late. Jace removed a
knife that he had concealed somewhere on his person, and Kara scoffed
slightly at the fulfilled stereotype of a suit-clad villain walking around with
an arsenal hidden secretly beneath his formal attire. The amusement of the
cliche lost its touch quickly as Jace drew closer and brandished the weapon
menacingly. He bent to release the restraints, nicking her skin on the last
cut. The look on his face told her it was intentional.
Dick.
“I’ll give you one last chance to cooperate, Miss Caine. I’d advise you to
take it. A simple code is hardly worth this much trouble. No one would
blame you for giving us access under duress. And, for what it is worth, I
can guarantee the collection will be delivered into capable hands,” Cade
said, attempting to persuade her to reason before things got very
complicated.
 Kara rolled her eyes, refraining from yet again correcting his abuse of her
name. At this point, he was clearly making an intentional effort to annoy
her. Considering he required her assistance, it was not the most educated
tactical move, and it made her refusal all the easier. “You are never going to
lay a single, unworthy finger on a first edition Canterbury Tales if I have
anything to say about it, so you might as well get on with it. With the efforts
you’ve taken to stall whatever comes next, the suspense will have killed me
before Jace gets a chance to do what he enjoys best. What’s the matter,
Ashford, don’t have the balls to give the order?”
“Oh, I believe I’m satisfactorily endowed in that regard, but I appreciate
your interest, Miss Caine.” Cade flashed a smile that was a bit too charming
to be sinister, but Kara saw a darkness in his eyes that reminded her he was
a man to be feared, not toyed with. “Fetch your shoes, love. We’re going for
a walk.”
Kara took a shaky breath before she gathered the courage to remove
herself from the chair and walk gingerly across the cold tile to where her
shoes lay abandoned in her office. She stepped into the nude heels as she
pondered how no one gets dressed in the morning with the inkling that it
would be the outfit they die in. Kara looked down at the ripped remains of
her favorite floral dress and supposed it wouldn’t make much difference in
the end if they had.
She emerged from her office feeling slightly more dignified; at least she
wouldn’t have to walk barefoot to her doom. Jace took a moment to leer
appreciatively at her exposed legs; she tried to cover what she could
without much success. Cade noticed her discomfort and removed his own
coat without hesitation and held it out to her.
“Here,” Cade said as he placed the coat on Kara’s shoulders.
 The gallant gesture confused her, given the situation, but she took the
jacket gratefully. The far too large coat covered her down to the knees as
she hugged it tightly around her body, thankful to feel slightly less naked in
Jace’s discomforting presence. In spite of herself, Kara took a moment to
inhale the scent of Cade that lingered on the collar of the coat. He smelled
masculine without the heaviness of musk, refreshingly spiced like mint
mingled with cedar, and a whisper of unexpected, vanilla sweetness. Kara
stifled a hint of arousal, reminding herself that it was merely her body’s
weak, instinctual response to male interaction that she so often neglected;
her body had no notion that the intoxicating scent belonged to a man of
very questionable character.
“Thanks,” Kara responded finally after an internal conflict regarding her
feelings toward the giver.
“My pleasure,” Cade answered, the picture of good English manners. The
sudden impulse to offer his coat to assuage her embarrassment caught him
by surprise as well, and he needed a moment to regain his impassive
exterior. As usual, he covered the slip into softness by being overly harsh.
“Up the stairs. Now,” he commanded, giving her an impatient push forward.
Kara obeyed, frightened by the change in his demeanor, and led the way
up the stairs toward an uncertain future. Cade allowed her to secure the
lower level after they all emerged; appearances needed to be kept for when
the security guard arrived. After Kara locked the door, Cade held out his
hand expectantly for the keys. She surrendered them without a struggle, and
Cade felt a measure of his control returning. Though he had dealt with
insubordination before, there was something about the girl’s incessant
defiance that left his sense of authority feeling shattered. Hell, he hadn’t
even been able to slightly sway her decision to withhold the text. If Jace
hadn’t been an utter failure in that department as well, Cade would’ve taken
the blow to his capabilities rather personally. All things considered, Miss
Caine clearly needed a lesson in compliance. And Cade was in an
instructive mood.
“Wait, my things,” Kara announced as they moved past the front desk.
“I don’t think you’ll be needing them,” Cade replied. It wasn’t a
suggestion.
“If we leave them, Mike will know something is wrong,” Kara argued.
She could have neglected that bit of information and left her personal
belongings as a sign for help, but she honestly didn’t think assistance would
reach her in time. At least she could go out in her own coat and relinquish
the one she wore to the bastard it belonged to. Also, she got a moderate
amount of satisfaction from disregarding the directions of the insufferable
man, whatever they may be. If he told her not to jump off a bridge, she had
a sneaking suspicion she would do so anyway, merely out of spite and
consequences be damned.
“Fair point, Miss Caine. You may gather your things quickly,” Cade
conceded. He was giving her permission, so technically she hadn’t achieved
any leverage.
Kara retrieved her purse, wishing she was in the habit of using it to store
mace or a weapon of some sort rather than a few spare books. The hardback
compilation of Poe stories and poems that she carried with her now might
be able to do some damage. Kara had to assume that Edgar Allan Poe
would more than approve of his works being used to bash someone in the
head, but her aim was unfortunately not her most adept skill. Kara quickly
abandoned the rather hopeless idea of assault and gathered her coat and
scarf, eagerly slipping into her own clothes and shedding the borrowed
jacket that smelled enticing and unfamiliar.
“Thanks again for the use of your coat,” she said sincerely as she handed
it back to him.
“You’re welcome,” Cade answered, sliding the still warm coat back over
his dress shirt. He was surprised to hear sincerity in his own voice as well.
Fully armored for the chill of a wintery night, Cade led the way to the
double doors that barred their exit. He opened them and gestured for Kara.
“Ladies first.”
She turned back for a final glance at her beloved sanctuary before leaving
the building, perhaps for the last time. Kara jumped as the sound of the
heavy doors closing behind her echoed with finality, disrupting the tranquil
silence that filled the night air.
“Which key?” Cade called back to her as he retrieved her ring of keys
from his pocket.
“The gold one,” Kara answered, not bothering to look back.
The three of them took a moment to peer into the haze of fog that loomed
ominously in the distance.
“So, where to Ashford?” Jace asked his boss expectantly, more than ready
to get Kara Caine somewhere private where no one would hear her screams.
Cade was met with two questioning pairs of eyes, one full of eager
impatience, the other full of resigned dread. With a sigh of futile
exasperation, he delivered the decision they both impatiently awaited.
“The Manor.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THREE

K ARA awoke with heavy eyes, stiff limbs, and a tenderness in face that
made her wince. She frowned when her fingers fell upon an
unfamiliar nightgown that caressed her body with the softest of silks. A
nightgown trimmed in delicate lace that barely covered the middle of her
breasts or the tops of her thighs. She didn’t own anything like that.
Suspicious fingers trailed along the bedding that suddenly felt too soft, and
her sense of unease grew. She wasn’t in her bed.
Jolting up with a start, Kara surveyed her surroundings as her heart
pounded frantically, steadily succumbing to an overwhelming sense of
panic. Last night hadn’t been some horrid melodrama concocted by her
overly creative subconscious as she slept. It was real. Caden Ashford was
real.
 And the bastard had fucking kidnapped her.
Kara tried not to think of whose hands had removed her clothes and
dressed her naked body in skimpy bits of silk and lace as she searched her
body for signs of damage or assault. Apart from the cut on her wrist and the
tenderness in her cheek, courtesy of Jace’s assholery, everything seemed to
be in good order. She rose from the bed slowly, her senses feeling
somewhat hazy and dulled and her mouth unbearably dry. Desperate for
escape, she tried to shake the heaviness from her limbs and the fogginess
from her mind as she worked to forge a way out of her potentially life-
threatening predicament.
Try as she might, Kara could remember nothing beyond walking out of
the library with two terrifying men, assuming she was being led to her
death. The current alternative seemed preferable, though barely. The only
logical explanation for her loss of time between that moment and waking up
in the morning was that the bastards had drugged her. She supposed being
drugged was a traditional component of the whole kidnapping experience,
but the idea of having her consciousness stolen from her infuriated her just
the same.
Warily, Kara finally took a moment to observe her surroundings—or
rather, her prison. It wasn’t exactly the sort of room you’d expect to be used
for housing captives. The bedroom was huge, bursting with bright daylight
streaming in from tall windows draped with velvet, dusky-pink curtains.
The walls were cream with Regency style decorative panels and crown
moldings inlaid with gold. A large gold and crystal chandelier dangled
obscenely from the gilded ceiling, granting the room an unmistakable air of
decadence and grandeur. It was a room fit for a princess, not a prisoner.
 Kara slipped out of the massive bed with its gold tufted headboard,
throwing off the heavy cream duvet and discarding a mountain of satin and
velvet pillows in various shades of pink. She opened a door at the far end of
the room, revealing a large, private bathroom with two freestanding vanities
overset with gold filigree mirrors, a claw foot bathtub with a miniature
chandelier dangling above, and a walk-in shower big enough to fit three or
four people. With a sudden, urgent need to use the toilet, Kara gratefully
relieved herself before continuing her explorations. Opening the door
beside the bathroom, she gasped in awe when she beheld the walk-in closet
as big as her own bedroom back home. Floor to ceiling, the room was
stocked with every imaginable item of clothing, accessories, and shoes, and
another damn chandelier dangled from the middle of the room over a plush,
pink settee.
Kara curiously sifted through drawers along the wall, finding a collection
of scarves, sunglasses, hair accessories, and jewelry. She couldn’t resist
spending a moment to admire the pretty pieces of jewelry; they were clearly
real and very expensive. She played with some of the rings, trying them on
for fun, though they were a bit large for her small fingers. Kara paused
abruptly when her gaze landed on a beautiful pendant necklace with an E
initial crafted entirely of diamonds. She jolted back as though struck, the
initial of a someone else’s name painfully dragging her back down to
reality. She was in someone else’s room, touching someone else’s things.
The woman’s perfume still lingered in the room like a Chanel scented
ghost. What terrible end had befallen the woman who came before her?
And would she be the next to disappear?
Swallowing her distaste for wearing a stranger’s clothes, Kara searched
the rows of beautiful, designer dresses for something practical and casual.
She settled upon a simple navy dress that came down to the knees and
seemed about her size. When she slipped it on, Kara discovered that the
dress was exactly her size, as though it had been tailored for her. Was Cade
some sort of serial kidnapper, and she just happened to be his preferred
flavor of victim? The thought was terrifying and spurred her to get out of
that room as quickly as possible. Kara found some flats that would allow
her to run if given the opportunity; they were a half size too big, but they
worked.
Contemplating escape, Kara tried the windows first; it would be the
easiest route without being seen. Though they were unlocked, the view
from the frosty, floor-length windows revealed vast grounds that offered
seclusion for quite possibly miles. Kara was being held on a higher level
which made escape from the window impossible unless she wanted to
plummet to her death. Kara searched her surroundings for another way out
or some object that would be useful in fleeing or, heaven forbid, fighting.
There was nothing, and the most formidable weapon she could find in the
whole room was a damn hairbrush.
Summoning her courage, Kara headed for the only viable option for
escaping her room: the door. She turned the antique brass knob hesitantly,
noticing with dismay that it was an old-fashioned sort of lock that could be
accessed from both inside and outside with the use of a skeleton key. To her
great astonishment, her door was unlocked, opening onto a long hall with a
balcony view of the floor below. Kara stepped out cautiously, seriously
confused as to why a prisoner was given free reign of the house. Perhaps it
was all just a misunderstanding? Then again, waking up in a stranger’s
house with marks of brutality and missing memories of the night before
wasn’t exactly the sort of situation that lent itself to misinterpretation.
Without a doubt, she had been kidnapped. Now she just had to figure out
what exactly her captor wanted from her.
Lost in an unfamiliar maze, Kara searched for the most logical route
toward freedom—preferably the front fucking door. She couldn’t help but
study the eclectic grandeur of her surroundings as she made her way toward
the elaborate double staircase. In contrast with her usual acquaintance with
the wealthy estates of donors and patrons of the university, there was
nothing minimal or bland or monochromatic about the mansion she was
currently being held in. Quite the opposite—there were colors, patterns, and
different eras and styles of artwork thrust together in a sort of chaotic
cohesiveness. Anything modern or contemporary was absent as though the
owner bemoaned the very existence of anything pertaining to the present
day. Vivid shades of green and blue colored the walls accented with
wainscoting and trimmed with gold-inlaid crown moldings. The selections
of art in the forms of paintings, sketches, framed tapestries, and a few
scattered sculptures wove together intricately, reverently—like a love letter
to pieces of the past. A little less delicate was the ostentatious, gold and
crystal chandelier dominating at least half of the airspace above the black
and white marble checkered floors of the formal foyer.
Kara’s steps halted when she heard the unmistakable sound of people
conversing down the hall. There was the all too familiar accent of her
captor, but it was mingled with others that she didn’t recognize. Kara’s
pulse quickened with tremblings of excitement. Perhaps Caden Ashford’s
guests had a less agreeable view of kidnapping than he so clearly held.
Maybe, they could help her escape. It was with that hope clutched firmly to
her chest that Kara rushed toward the voices that might be her salvation.
 She came upon a formal dining hall, the doors wide open revealing yet
another colossal chandelier composed of thousands of long, angular crystal
prisms forming multiple rows of concentric circles in descending sizes.
Commanding most of the space of the room was a vast, black marble table
with thin veins of white streaked throughout and plush, emerald green,
velvet chairs that provided space for at least twenty diners. The table was
laid with a bountiful, mouth watering spread of breakfast items—pastries,
fruits, eggs, sausages, bacon, coffee, and tea. Kara’s stomach rumbled with
the realization that she’d skipped lunch at the library yesterday, been
deprived of dinner courtesy of her captors, and breakfast was due a few
hours ago. With great effort, she pulled her attention away from the food
and sought out the intended source of her interest. Other people. Escape.
To her great reluctance, Kara’s eyes immediately settled upon Cade at the
head of the table; he held her gaze with an indescribable expression—
perhaps irritation and amusement mingled with something darker—before
his features morphed into the very picture of gentlemanly politeness.
“Miss Caine. I’m glad you could join us,” Cade greeted amicably, his
hand outstretched as he welcomed her to an open spot at the table.
Breaking his stare, Kara glanced about the table. There were six men in
total. Not a woman in sight, no one who could be the E whose dress she
currently wore. Her absence sent a chill down Kara’s spine. Was she
wearing the gown of a woman who had already met her fate at Cade’s
hands? She suddenly had the urge to rip the exquisite clothing from her
body and throw it as far away from her as she possibly could. Whatever
Cade’s sinister intentions may be, Kara would try her damnedest to make it
out of that house alive.
 Kara recognized three of the men from the previous night: the aggressive
brute who backhanded her and tore her favorite dress, the kid who couldn’t
be any older than one of her students, and, of course, Cade. One of the other
men looked mildly familiar, but she couldn’t place where she had seen him.
He was older, maybe late fifties, with gray hair, cold dark eyes, an
unnerving smile that seemed too contrived, and a perfectly tailored, navy
suit that emulated wealth and power as much as an article of clothing could.
The older man eyed Kara with polite distaste, as though she had interrupted
something far more deserving of his time. And perhaps she had.
One of the others—about her age with a slim build, unruly curly hair, and
soft grey eyes framed by dark rimmed glasses—looked notedly
uncomfortable, his gaze shifting between Cade and Kara, but he said
nothing. The sight of the last man caused Kara to shrink back
subconsciously, as though her body had assessed an undisclosed threat and
warned her to seek out safety. The man was huge, dwarfing every other
person at the table, the confines of his black jacket doing nothing to conceal
the sheer amount of muscle that covered what seemed to be every inch of
his body. The beauty of his tan skin and warm brown eyes did nothing to
soften his threatening appearance; he looked as though he could quite
literally snap her in two. Thankfully, of all the men at the table, he seemed
the least interested in her, paying her a brief glance before turning his
attention back to his coffee. Coffee that smelled deliciously enticing,
causing Kara to frown with envy.
After sizing up the occupants of the room, Kara turned her attention back
to Cade, who was patiently awaiting her response, his eyes still locked on
her. “I wasn’t aware I had a choice in the matter, Mr. Ashford, as you’ve
taken me hostage and kept me here against my will.” Kara looked around to
gauge the reaction to her words, which should have been truly startling
amongst normal company. The man in glasses squirmed uncomfortably in
his seat, refusing to meet her eyes. Everyone else at the table seemed
generally unbothered by her accusation. That bastard, Jace, even had the
nerve to chuckle lightly from his spot near the head of the table. Cade
watched gleefully as panic began to settle into Kara’s features, a cruel smile
upon his lips.
“Everyone at this table knows of your situation, Miss Caine. You’ll find
no help or escape here,” Cade addressed her unkindly, his tone seeming to
chastise the extent of Kara’s naivety. “Sit,” he commanded shortly,
gesturing toward the empty seat beside him.
Kara bit her lip as she considered her next course of action. Clearly, the
offer of a seat at the table had been an order rather than a suggestion, but
there was no way in hell she was sitting beside the man who kidnapped her.
Deciding upon partial obedience, Kara walked past the open chair beside
Cade, past all the other useless assholes who would make no move to help
her, down the row of empty chairs, until she came to the foot of the table.
Loudly scraping the legs of the chair against the floor—the room echoing
with the cacophony of her irritation—Kara sat down directly in front of
Cade, a mere twenty feet down the table. Cade scowled at her furiously, his
eyes alit with an anger that might have scared her if she wasn’t so fucking
over all of his shit. She was sitting, as he’d commanded, and that was the
most compliance he was getting out of her at the moment.
“Eat,” Cade barked at her, the single word sounding more like a threat
than a courteous invitation.
Practically starving, Kara was quick to obey, her annoyance at being
commanded like a dog soothed by the thought of food filling her empty
stomach. And everything smelled so delicious, Kara could almost forget the
presence of Cade and the five other accessories to kidnapping sitting around
staring at her. That was, until Cade opened his stupid fucking mouth and
ruined the delectable taste of a warm, buttery scone on her tongue.
“I suppose introductions are in order,” Cade announced, his mask of
gentility firmly in place once again.
Kara blanched as the piece of bacon she was holding fell to her plate, her
hands trembling in trepidation. Everything that she knew from films and
fiction told her that learning the identities of her captors was never a good
sign. The more incriminating information you knew, the less likely you
were to be set free. Had Cade already decided that this was where her life
would end? Amongst cold strangers in a house that was too garish and
grand to ever be welcoming? She had been prepared to die at the library last
night, her life a not too begrudging sacrifice for the sake of preserving
literary history. However, when directly faced with demise in the bright
light of day, Kara couldn’t suppress the quickening pulse of panic within
her chest. Cade paused, a flicker of what might have been remorse crossing
his face for a brief second before his mask was carefully in place once
again.
“This is a matter of business, Miss Caine, nothing more,” Cade offered as
a consolation. “Once our transaction is concluded and I take possession of
the book, you are free to go. You have my word.”
Kara arched her eyebrow dubiously at his words, wondering what,
exactly, the word of a criminal was worth. Once he had the book, she would
be free. Unfortunately for both their sakes, that would never happen. In
spite of her fear, in spite of being in a room full of terrifying men who
would do absolutely nothing to aid an innocent captive, Kara’s resolve held
firm. She would protect the Chaucer text at all costs. Even if the cost was
her life.
Deciding to at least get a final meal in before invoking her own
destruction, Kara allowed Cade his assumptions about her agreement on the
matter and began stuffing another scone into her mouth. And fuck, it was
delicious. Not such a terrible way to die, all things considered.
“You’ll remember Jace and Declan from last night,” Cade said with a
gesture in their direction. Jace winked in greeting and Declan offered a
small, apologetic wave. Kara granted the latter a tight smile of
acknowledgment and the former no acknowledgement at all other than an
innate shiver of revulsion. “This is Braxton, our tech guy.” Cade pointed to
the younger man. “Ortega, the head of security.” Cade waved to the
monolith of a man. “And perhaps you already know of Manfred Randall?”
Cade gestured to the last man with the cold eyes and too wide smile.
“Randall is our legal counsel. Business and private matters.”
Now that he mentioned it, Kara did know of Manfred Randall. He looked
familiar because she passed his obnoxiously large face pasted on a billboard
on her drive to the university every day. Certainly a man of the law
wouldn’t approve of a woman being kidnapped and held hostage?
“Before you get any grand ideas, he and I are very close, so you’ll
understand that attorney-client privilege is more important in this situation
than any pleas you might make in favor of your escape,” Cade stated
bluntly as soon as he noticed the spark of hope in Kara’s eyes; he enjoyed
watching that spark fizzle and die.
“As much as I sympathize with your unusual predicament, Dr. Caine,
Ashford is right,” Randall addressed Kara in between sips of coffee as
though commenting on something as trivial as the weather. “Legally
speaking, my hands are tied.”
“Unusual predicament?” Kara spoke for the first time since sitting down,
her face contorted with fury and disbelief. “Is that what you call being
kidnapped and imprisoned by a bunch of lowlife thugs?”
“Well, it isn’t exactly a usual occurrence, now is it Dr. Caine?” Randall
responded in a patronizing tone. “Unless you’re accustomed to kidnappings
in your daily life, which would be a surprising, not to mention troubling,
admission if you were,” he finished with a laugh as he continued with his
breakfast unperturbed.
Fucking hell, he’s as bad as Caden Ashford.
“What I find troubling is Chicago’s most glorified representative of the
law aiding and abetting criminals,” Kara admonished through gritted teeth,
but trying to draw remorse from a lawyer was a bit like trying to draw blood
from a stone. Impossible.
“What are lawyers for, my dear, if not to assist the common man in
understanding our nation’s laws and regulations—and how to circumvent
them,” Randall explained with a smug gleam in his eye.
Left speechless by the level of depravity and weakness exhibited by the
repulsive representatives of the male species surrounding the table, Kara
rolled her eyes dramatically and revisited her plate of breakfast.
“So, now that the formalities are out of the way, we can move on to
business. When would be a convenient time for you to accompany us to the
university today?”
“Why? Are you running low on good reading material?” Kara inquired
obtusely.
 “We would like to conclude the Chaucer transferral as quickly as
possible, Miss Caine,” Cade commented evenly, ignoring Kara’s quip
entirely.
“For the last fucking time, it’s Dr. Caine, and that’s a rather elegant way
to demand the theft of monumental text from a hostage librarian.”
“I would like to think I’m an elegant man, Miss Caine,” Cade offered
with a smile that would have been absolutely pussy-obliterating if Kara
didn’t consider him to be such a reprehensible human being.
“If charm is your only weapon, you’ve come to this negotiation horribly
underarmed, Mr. Ashford.”
“Trust me, Miss Caine, you don’t want to be acquainted with my other
methods of persuasion. You’ll find they are primitive, but effective.” Cade
fixed her with an intimidating stare, his fists flexing against the table, but
Kara didn’t flinch or cower, in spite of the danger laced with his words.
“Certainly an educated girl such as yourself would appreciate the chance to
reach a resolution with reason rather than violence.”
Kara fidgeted in her seat, the tension of the moment relieving her of the
last of her appetite, the food on her mostly full plate suddenly unappealing.
Though she put on a brave front, she really had no idea how to handle the
demands of a dangerous—and regrettably attractive—rogue and his band of
merry miscreants. It wasn’t a fair fight, and Caden Ashford seemed keenly
aware of that fact. The best Kara could do was even the playing field,
however insignificantly.
“I have questions,” Kara announced finally, trying her very best to keep
her voice firm and steady. She hoped she might gain some useful
information, or, at the very least, stall the inevitable.
 “I suppose that’s not unreasonable,” Cade responded thoughtfully,
stroking the slight stubble of his jaw. “You may ask three.”
“Where am I?” Kara asked almost immediately. Their location seemed
like the most important piece of information in understanding her position,
her vulnerability, and her chances of escape.
“Ashford Manor,” Cade answered evasively, though truthfully. They were
at his estate. He had no intention of elaborating on their exact location, but
they were secluded enough that it wouldn’t matter if he did.
Kara’s face fell in disappointment. His answer did very little to illuminate
the location of where she was being held. For all she knew, they could have
left the country, and her lack of specificity had essentially cost her a
question. She tried to make the most of his response, considering what
information it revealed. The expansive mansion was his, not his employer’s.
So he was wealthy, probably well-situated in society. He spoke like a man
of breeding, so why was he turning to crime to fund his endeavors? Was the
life of a thief really quite so lucrative?
“So what are you?” she asked condescendingly, gesturing to the
unavoidable opulence of the room. “Millionaire? Billionaire?” She’d
probably wasted another question, but her curiosity got the best of her.
“I don’t like labels,” Cade answered shortly.
“Yes, I can understand why. Labels can get pretty unflattering for a
criminal, can’t they?”
“And what makes you think I am a criminal?” Cade asked smugly as he
crossed his arms over his chest.
“You’re joking, right?” Kara answered with a scoff. “You and your
henchmen literally held me hostage, attempted to steal an incredibly
valuable object, kidnapped me, drugged me, and are now holding me
prisoner in some garish mansion in the middle of god knows where.”
Caden smiled broadly in response, and Kara was left thoroughly
regretting her impassioned tirade. Yes, he had been joking. And, rather than
having its desired effect, her anger had merely amused him.
“Yes, I believe that is the dictionary definition of criminality,” he
concurred with a laugh.
“Fuck you,” Kara spat back in exasperation. Her comment, perhaps a
little louder than intended, caused a hush to spread across the room as the
attention of everyone at the table turned to her. They seemed to be waiting
for their boss’s reaction, and Kara couldn’t help feeling she had spoken too
rashly.
“Someone should teach you some manners, Miss Caine,” Cade responded
dangerously, his eyes sparking with disapproval and something more lethal.
“Regretfully, my university never offered a course on proper female
etiquette, so I settled for PhD’s in Literary Theory, Archival Science, and
English Literature.”
“Congratulations, you spent eight years at university learning how to read
a bloody book,” Cade answered with a slow, condescending clap of his
hands.
Kara’s cheeks filled with color in a mixture of embarrassment and anger.
A few snickers echoed through the dining hall, the loudest of which came
from Jace’s section of the room. Kara shot him a dark look before deciding
it was best to ignore him completely. It had been six years in college, but
Kara was not about to dignify that provocation with a response.
“And where exactly are successful criminals such as yourself educated,
Mr. Ashford?” Kara asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
 “Oxford. History. In my line of work, it’s advantageous to know when
something is valuable. Does that impress you, Miss Caine?”
Yes.
“Not really,” she answered flippantly, but her eyes found his with a
mixture of admiration and envy.
Cade captured Kara’s stare for a moment longer than the bounds of
propriety, enjoying the way she shifted nervously in her chair as though his
gaze was a physical sensation that monstrously clawed its way across her
skin. In one sense, she was right. He was a predator, and his claws were
more than merely metaphor. When Cade decided that she had agonized
sufficiently in foreboding silence, he continued with his agenda. “Well, now
that we’ve gotten to know each other better, I think it is time to discuss the
swiftest route for your return home.”
“Lovely, if one of your minions would be so good as to show me the way
out, I’d be more than happy to relieve myself of your generous hospitality,”
Kara answered far too cheerily, hoping, against her own best interests, to
piss off the brooding bastard.
Cade laughed shortly; it was an ominous sound, devoid entirely of humor.
“You’re not going anywhere, Miss Caine,” he responded darkly, the threat
of imminent danger, destruction, quite possibly death wrapped within a few
simple words. Cade reveled in the flash of fear in Kara’s eyes, the
delectable way in which she anxiously bit her bottom lip. She was scared of
him.
Good. She should be. “We will be needing the book before you’re granted
safe passage home.”
“Well then, I’m afraid we are at an impasse because there is no way in
hell you’re getting near that book.”
 “Be reasonable, Miss Caine,” Cade coerced, his jaw tense with the strain
of having to reason with what had to be the most unreasonable woman in
the whole of Chicago. “Help us retrieve it, and you are free to go.
Unscathed.”
“Wow, that’s your offer? Deliver an invaluable academic artifact into
your unworthy hands, and you’ll do me the favor of not harming me any
more than you already have? Yeah, I think I’ll pass.”
“Would you prefer I offer you something more tangible? Money,
perhaps?”
“Now you’re just insulting me. Do you honestly think I’d be a librarian if
I was monetarily motivated in any respect? I don’t care about money. This
house, this wealth and grandeur,” Kara gestured around to the sheer
excessiveness of the room, “they mean absolutely nothing to me.”
Cade fumed at her from across the table, the small fragments of his self-
control disintegrating with each word out of Kara fucking Caine’s mouth.
“Perhaps I’m not being clear enough. You will help us retrieve the book. It
is entirely up to you how many pieces you are in when we do so.”
“Already heard the death threats from the handsy asshole over there,”
Kara replied, throwing a harsh glare at Jace that was met very quickly with
a self-satisfied grin. “Shockingly, it doesn’t sound any more appealing
coming from your mouth.”
Cade dug his fingers into his hair harshly, feeling uncharacteristically out
of control in the situation and desperate to reclaim his authority. “Clear the
fucking room,” Cade commanded with a curt jerk of his head, his gaze
fixed intently on Kara.
The dining hall filled with the sound of chairs scraping against marble
and mild dissent as the men at the table abandoned their half-finished plates
of breakfast and heeded their boss’s request. Breakfast aside, they were all
more than happy to escape the line of fire as Cade’s mood slipped from dim
to dangerous.
Kara leapt to join them, quite content to be free from the lingering stares
of strangers and the smoldering glare of the hateful man at the head of the
table. She had every intention of stowing away in her room until death by
starvation or whatever means Cade devised claimed her because she was
not about to suffer the company of any man in that room ever again.
“Not you, Miss Caine,” Cade reprimanded harshly. “We still have matters
that require discussion.”
Kara willed her body to disobey his order and escape the room with the
others, but his eyes kept her feet pinned to the floor as though with the
weight of a hundred stones. In complete panic, Kara watched as each man
followed Cade’s orders dutifully and exited the room. Jace, the obnoxious
fuck, had the nerve to throw her a provocative wink before leaving the
room and closing the double doors firmly behind him. She flinched at the
sound; it rang with the finality of doom.
All too quickly, Kara was alone. With Cade. And it scared the absolute
fuck out of her.
“Sit down,” Cade ordered harshly, pointing to her abandoned chair.
After a small beat of hesitation, Kara obeyed, sliding back into the chair
with huff of annoyance and a scowl of frustration. The insufferable man and
his goddamn orders could go to hell. She watched Cade warily, unsure of
his intentions. Beside a brute like Jace, Caden had come across as nearly
chivalrous during the events of the previous evening. In the light of day,
there was an obvious viciousness that lurked beneath the refined attire and
smooth British accent.
 “So, how long am I to remain a prisoner in this house?” Kara asked
sharply, exhausting her last shred of patience for whatever game he was
playing. She wanted answers, and, if he wanted a mildly cooperative
hostage, he would offer them.
“You have been taken care of and given many liberties, Miss Caine. You
are not restricted to the house; you may go anywhere on the grounds, and
they are quite vast, I assure you. You are my guest, and you have been
treated as nothing less,” Cade responded evenly.
“Are all of your guests kidnapped and held against their will?” Kara
asked indignantly.
“You are not locked in a dungeon. You are not bound with ropes and
chains,” he said patronizingly as he gestured to the obvious freedom of
movement she enjoyed in her seat beside him. “Though both could be
arranged if it would enhance your fantasy of being my captive,” he
answered with a salacious grin pulling at his lips.
What the actual fuck?
Kara surveyed the dark amusement in his eyes with open mouthed horror.
Her instincts told her to run, and, for once, she wasn’t one to disagree. She
jolted from her chair, eying the distance between herself and the door.
“Sit down, Miss Caine,” Cade ordered in exasperation. “I’m not going to
hurt you.”
Yet.
Shaken, Kara fell back into her seat, the strength of her traitorous limbs
having fully abandoned her at the sight of Cade’s chastising glare.
“Now, how can we resolve this situation as amicably as possible?” Cade
asked, fully intending to be reasonable. Within limits.
 “I think any hope of amiability was discarded when you chose to drag me
to your home against my will.”
“Perhaps you’re right. If it is any consolation, I don’t enjoy your presence
in my home any more than you do.”
“Then let me go.”
“You know I can’t do that. You have put me in a very difficult situation,
Miss Caine. You would find my easiest options rather disagreeable, and, in
consideration of this, I have delayed my decision on what is to be done with
you. But I warn you, the inevitable cannot be delayed forever. Your
cooperation would best benefit all parties involved, yourself most of all.”
“I think I have made my opinions on that subject very clear, Mr.
Ashford,” Kara answered firmly, rising from her chair and hastily heading
for the exit, eager to avoid spending another moment alone in a room with
such a man.
Cade prevented her escape easily, capturing her arm and jerking her
around to face him. His expression was fierce, imperious. Kara shrank back
from the unconcealed danger that lurked within his eyes, her sense of self-
preservation begging her to give in to his demands, whatever they may be.
As usual, her virtues of preservation and pride were at odds.
“Do not turn your back on me again, Miss Caine. You’ll find I’m not as
amenable on the second offense,” he admonished harshly. “You were not
excused, nor has our business been concluded.” His eyes bored into hers as
though he could coax her submission by mere force of will. “Now, you will
tell me the passcode and help me retrieve the book,” he commanded, his
eyes cold and hard as he tightened his grip on her arm to enforce her
surrender.
 “Fuck you,” Kara spat, turning away from him and whimpering when she
twisted her own arm in the process.
Cade jerked her back toward him, thrusting her body roughly against the
rigid contours of his chest. He grasped her jaw, his fingers digging painfully
into the side of her cheeks as he forced her eyes up to meet his. His eyes
were dark, nearly every fleck of gold extinguished by a black, all-
consuming haze of fury. In spite of all of her bravery and resolute defiance,
Kara trembled in his hold.
“Disrespect me again, and I will bend you over that table, take off my
belt, and spank you until you remember your fucking manners,” Cade
threatened coldly, his tone deadly serious as his hand moved to the buckle
of his belt for emphasis.
Kara stilled against him in abject horror. Fuck it, at that point, she would
rather they murder her. At least being shot or stabbed would be a relatively
quick and clean death versus slowly succumbing to a demise from
humiliation after being bent over and spanked by Caden fucking Ashford.
“Are you going to behave?” Cade asked sharply, digging his fingers a
little deeper into her cheeks.
Kara swallowed down the sickening taste of iron as the bruising pressure
of Cade’s grip forced her teeth to cut into the tender flesh of her inner
cheek. Still stunned speechless, she merely nodded in agreement. She
would have to decline Cade’s demands for the book as politely as possible
to prevent any of the evil bastard’s cruel and unusual punishments.
Fan-fucking-tastic.
“Good,” Cade replied, practically shoving her away as he removed his
hand from her face. “Now, you will come with me to the university and
retrieve the Chaucer text.” Cade assumed Kara’s nod of agreement had
implied her surrender. That she was finally willing to cooperate, submit to
his demands, and hand over the goddamn book. He was—apparently—
wrong.
“No, I will not,” Kara answered, keeping her tone respectful, but her
resolve unwavering.
Her blatant denial, for what felt like the hundredth time in a span of a
mere day—a day so long it seemed that perhaps weeks had passed instead
—was the final rift in Cade’s steady composure. His control fractured into
countless shards, fury seeping in to fill the cracks as an undeniable need to
destroy overwhelmed his senses. Wrapping his hands tightly, punishingly,
around her upper arms, Cade forced Kara backwards toward the wall. Her
body crashed painfully into the hard surface as he pressed himself against
her, leaving little room to breathe and no space to escape. Trapped, Kara
began to panic. Appreciating her first signs of fear and more than willing to
take advantage, Cade shook her roughly as he reiterated his demands.
“Tell me the passcode, Kara,” he ordered angrily, unaccustomed to having
his demands so flagrantly disregarded.
“Not a chance in hell,” she refused bravely, even as she shook inwardly
with fear and uncertainty.
As though he were trying to contain himself before things escalated too
quickly, Cade moved his hand slowly up Kara’s arm, over her shoulder,
along her neck, before resting his fingers tightly against her throat. The
pace of Cade’s breathing matched Kara’s—quick and heavy, both of their
bodies surging with adrenaline, hers driven by fear, his driven by rage.
Cade’s grip on her throat tightened slightly, simply so he could feel the
thump of her pulse against his fingertips.
 The ability to allow or deny the very oxygen that filled someone’s lungs
was an intoxicating experience; it was sheer, tangible power. Cade bent his
head toward hers, their foreheads nearly touching, a gesture that might have
appeared tender if it wasn’t infused with barely contained violence. His
proximity forced Kara to look him in the eyes. “I want you to consider your
next response as though your life depended on it. Because it fucking does.”
He moved infinitesimally closer, and Kara could feel the weight of him
against her chest. “Tell me the passcode,” he said in a voice that was
disturbingly impassive, while his eyes held all the threat that his tone did
not.
Kara couldn’t look away, she couldn’t move, she could barely breathe.
She was scared, and yet, she had known her answer since she walked into
the room. It was the same answer she had yesterday when a beautiful,
terrifying man demanded more than she could offer. No matter how many
times he asked in however many ways, her answer would remain the same.
“No,” she said softly, the strength of her voice breaking slightly. The
fierce determination, the unflinching resolve, the stubborn willfulness—
they were all gone. He had stripped them all away and left her with nothing
more than a bare adherence to principle. It wasn’t much, but it was enough.
Kara waited quietly without the inclination to plead, entirely at the mercy of
whatever Caden Ashford may intend.
Without reason, the falter in her voice shook him. In his life, he had
witnessed panic and terror, he had heard screams and begging, he had seen
tears, but they had never before given him pause. Her eyes were large and
frightened, glossy from tears that threatened to fall, darkened with a
resignation that was reminiscent of hope being shattered into a million
pieces. And he flinched, drawing back slightly as though met with pain, as
though he could feel her own. Cade had never had much of a capacity for
empathy, so his instinctive reaction to her suffering was startling. In an
attempt to suffocate his bout of weakness, Cade closed his fingers tighter
around Kara’s throat, squeezing as hard as he could. He watched,
mesmerized, as she gasped for breath, her skin turning pink then red from
lack of oxygen. Before he could finish the job, before her consciousness
faded into darkness, Cade released her sharply as if the touch of her skin
burned him like fire. He trembled slightly as he scrutinized his offending
appendage, flexing his fingers to confirm full functionality. Everything was
in working order, which meant that the problem lay elsewhere. He couldn’t
do it. He could not will himself to seriously hurt her, even if it was to his
advantage. Somehow, the girl had gotten to him.
“Fuck,” Cade muttered in exasperation, raking his fingers through his
hair. Without another glance at Kara, Cade stormed out of the room.
The door slammed shut behind him with such force that the room seemed
to tremor. Kara was left alone, her body still pressed against the wall as
though the ability to function had been startled from her. Slowly, her senses
reemerged with overwhelming strength. Her legs gave way beneath the
crushing weight of shock mixed with relief, and she slid to the floor in a
crumpled heap. In the welcome solitude of the room, her tears fell freely.
She made no move to wipe them away, allowing herself a proper display of
hysterics that seemed all too warranted given what had just transpired. She
breathed deeply, her starved lungs working with excess enthusiasm after
Cade’s deprivation. Her hand traveled shakily to her throat; it felt tender
and sore, as if Cade’s brutal fingers still lingered, draining her of life.
And yet, he had stopped. Why had he stopped? He had threatened her
with destruction if she didn’t comply, and he seemed like the sort of man
who fulfilled his threats in their entirety. But when she refused, he released
her, even though it seemed against his very will to loosen his grip on her
throat. Kara was grateful for the temporary safety, but she dreaded the next,
unavoidable encounter with Caden Ashford.

Kara jolted at the sound of a door opening at the side of the dining hall. She
braced herself, fearful that Cade had come to finish the job. Instead, an
older woman with a small stature, full physique, faded copper hair, kind
eyes, and a round, cheerful face bustled into the room. She stopped sharply
at the sight of Kara in a teary mess on the floor.
“Goodness, lassy, are ye alright?” she asked in a voice full of concern as
she bounded over to offer her assistance.
Kara took her hand and awkwardly stood to her feet, rather embarrassed
to be seen in such a state. The woman assessed Kara appraisingly, her eyes
narrowing when she noticed the marks on Kara’s neck. Not one to pry, the
woman made no comment as she helped Kara into a chair and offered her a
napkin to dry her tears. The woman allowed Kara a moment to regain her
composure before attempting conversation.
“Now, what seems to be the problem? Something that can be mended
with a cup of tea? Or something stronger, perhaps?” the woman asked
kindly.
“I don’t think my troubles can be quite so easily mended, but a cup of tea
sounds lovely,” Kara answered, appreciating the kind woman’s
attentiveness and her rather surprising suggestion of alcohol before noon.
“Right, be back in a moment, dear,” she said, scuttling back toward where
the kitchen was presumably located.
 In a few minutes, the kindly woman reappeared, carrying two steaming
cups of tea in the most delicate china teacups Kara had ever seen in actual
use. She accepted the tea gratefully, taking a long, soothing sip before
endeavoring to discover who exactly the mystery woman was. Perhaps Kara
had found an ally and a means of escape after all.
“You’re the first woman I’ve seen in this house,” Kara began
conversationally.
“Aye, well, Mr. Ashford prefers the company of his own kind, I should
think. I’m just his cook, so I stay out of their way rightly enough. The men
are more than glad to see a woman at meal times, but other than that I keep
to myself,” the woman explained, her accent somewhat similar to Cade’s
with bursts of the heartiness of a Scotswoman mixed in.
“Have there been other…women. Like me, I mean,” Kara asked
cautiously. Maybe the woman knew about E.
“I’m not quite sure what you’re asking, dear,” the older woman answered
cryptically, though her brow furrowed in a nervousness she couldn’t mask
as well as her her tone.
Kara stared at the woman, trying not to grow frustrated with what was
either ignorance or a blatant condoning of Cade’s actions. Clearly, Cade
was into some shady shit and wasn’t too far above drugging and dragging
women to his house when it suited him. So was E a prisoner like her, or had
she willingly fallen into Cade’s brutal clutches?
“The room that I’m staying in clearly belonged to a woman,” Kara began
slowly, trying to tread carefully as she wasn’t entirely sure how far the
woman’s blind loyalty to her employer went. “Do you know what happened
to her?”
 The woman looked about the room anxiously before she turned to Kara.
“We don’t talk about her,” she whispered. “Her name hasn’t been spoken in
this house since it happened.”
“Since what happened?” Kara asked in horror, an unusual iciness
sneaking up her spine.
The woman’s eyes worriedly searched the vicinity again. “It’s not my
place to say. If you want to know about her, you’ll have to ask him. Though
I would advise against ever brining her up in his presence. Mr. Ashford has
changed since the incident. He’s…colder.”
Kara pondered her words of warning, growing more uneasy by the
second. Apparently, she wouldn’t be getting any more out of the older
woman on the mystery girl. Kara would have to change her tactics if she
hoped to get any useful information. “Mr. Ashford seems to be quite—”
Mr. Ashford seems to be quite a twat.
“Imperious,” Kara finished mildly after searching for a word appropriate
for the older woman’s company. “Have you worked for him long?”
The woman settled comfortably into a chair and claimed the second cup
of tea, enjoying a gulp as she prepared to relay the details of her
acquaintance with Mr. Ashford. “Aye, since he was a wee bairn, or his
mother more like. I worked at the family’s estate back in Yorkshire. After
he’d grown and spent a few years establishing business in America, he
came back and stole me right out of his mother’s house. Told me he
couldn’t live without my plum pudding and made me an offer I couldn’t
refuse. I’ve always had a soft spot for the lad. Him and his brother both.”
Two Mr. Ashford's? How terrifying.
“Oh, I’m Mrs. Hughes, by the way. Sorry love, should have begun with
that. My mind’s a bit scattered some days,” she added apologetically.
 “Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Hughes,” Kara extended her hand in greeting,
“I’m Kara.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FOUR

A S a new day dawned, the too cheerful morning sun greeting Kara with
the welcome knowledge that she had made it through another night in
captivity moderately unscathed. Surprisingly, she had survived one day with
Ashford Manor as her prison, but she dreaded what the second might bring.
The lingering soreness of bruises splattered against the pale skin of her neck
and the tenderness in her throat when she swallowed reminded Kara that
her captor was a morally depraved, relentless, fucking bastard. He simply
could not be reasoned with, and, consequently, she resolved to avoid Caden
Ashford at all costs.
After rapidly losing her appetite at breakfast the previous morning and
skipping all subsequent meals, Kara’s stomach was most at odds with her
decision to confine herself to her room for fear of encountering Cade. The
nauseating sound of Cade’s imperious voice traveling across the dining
room to her quarters could only dissuade her for so long before her starving
body rebelled, consequences of leaving the safety of her room be damned.
Finally, the raucous of male voices dissipated, leaving a blessed silence in
its wake. Slowly, Kara cracked open her door and tiptoed out of her room.
She wasn’t stupid enough to linger anywhere in Cade’s house apart from
her allocated bedroom, but perhaps she could find solace in the kitchens
with Mrs. Hughes. She’d seemed friendly enough, even if she was
complicit in her employer’s kidnapping of young women. At that point,
Kara would accept any hint of kindness she could get.

Thankfully, she made it to the the kitchens without being accosted, the large
house seeming to be empty. Mrs. Hughes greeted her warmly, dusting the
flour from her hands on her apron as she turned from the dough she was
kneading on the marble counter. “Morning, dear. I’m afraid you’ve missed
breakfast,” she informed Kara apologetically.
“Yes, I suppose I overslept,” Kara lied. In actuality, she had no intention
of ever making another appearance in the dining hall to eat with Cade and
his reprehensible, criminal delinquents.
“Nae bother, there’s plenty for you to eat,” Mrs. Hughes reassured her,
bustling around the kitchen to grab bits and bobs. She fetched a fresh loaf of
bread, still warm from the oven, and sliced four, thick slices, wrapping them
in a cloth. A quick pop to the refrigerator produced a selection of berries
and some cold cuts of ham. “The strawberries were picked from the
hothouse this morning. You can venture over there if you like. Mr. Ashford
has some lovely flowers in bloom, and there are a variety of fruits and
vegetables as well. It’s a nice sight to see when the dreariness of winter
really starts to set in.” Mrs. Hughes grabbed a large block of cheddar cheese
from the counter and started to slice it as well. “Why don’t I get you a
basket for all of this, and you can have a walk around the grounds? Some
fresh air would do ye good.”
“That sounds lovely, thank you,” Kara answered, genuinely grateful for
the suggestion of escaping the imposing walls of Cade’s home. Perhaps she
could even find a means of actual escape. “Is the estate very large?” Kara
inquired, trying to get an idea of how far she would have to walk for help.
“Goodness, aye. Over twenty kilometers. Ye coudnae walk it in a day if
you tried.” Mrs. Hughes went to the cupboard to get a basket. “There’s river
that runs about a kilometer north of here that can be a rather pretty spot. It’s
about cold enough that it’ll be frozen over. Oh, and the stables are just
beyond. The horses always fancy a visitor.” She began filling the basket
with all the fresh foods she’d gathered, adding some apples and a thermos
of tea at the top.
“I think you’ve packed enough for an small army,” Kara laughed as she
watched the older woman stuff the basket full.
“Ye need a bit more meat on your bones,” Mrs. Hughes tutted back, her
accent thicker and less English that morning.
Kara didn’t respond to the critique because it was true. A glance in the
mirror that morning had revealed a haggard ghost of a woman she had
barely recognized. Clearly living in a cage did not agree with her and
neither did skipping meals for the sake of avoiding the men of the house.
Thanks to her wisp of a mother’s genetics, Kara had always straddled the
border of too skinny, and clearly the stress of her current situation wasn’t
doing her any favors in that department.
 “Thank you so much, Mrs. Hughes,” Kara said as the cook handed her a
very full picnic basket.
“Dinnae mention it, dear. It’s no trouble at all. I’m just grateful to have
another woman to talk to. It’s been nothing but these rowdy boys for ages.”
“Does Mr. Ashford not entertain?” Kara asked, surprised at Mrs. Hughes
words and trying to think of the most tasteful way to ask if Cade dated.
“Not in that way, no. Goodness, you’re the first woman he’s brought
home in a year at least,” Mrs. Hughes explained, seeming pleased by the
idea of Cade bringing Kara to the manor.
Kara wondered if the woman could truly be so naive as to assume she
was there of her own free will. Did she think that Cade and her were in
some sort of relationship? Mrs. Hughes had found her crying in the dinning
hall with the marks of Cade’s anger around her throat. Is that how Cade
typically treated the women he dated? Kara repressed a shiver of fear at the
thought of what Cade would do to someone he didn’t care for at all. How
far would he go if she didn’t give him what he wanted? She had a feeling
that, as bad as a brute like Jace seemed on the outside, Cade had a far more
deadly monster lurking beneath the surface.
“Ye can’t go out like that, you’ll catch your death of cold,” Mrs. Hughes
admonished, dragging Kara from her darker thoughts. “Here, put these on,”
she ordered, handing Kara an oversized coat, scarf, hat, and gloves.
Kara didn’t have to ask who they belonged to. She could smell the
intoxicating scent of Cade on every item in her hands. She was met with a
conflicting desire to bring the scarf to her nose and deeply inhale the fresh,
wintery scent of mint and cedar and to throw the whole pile in an open fire.
“I can’t wear these,” Kara argued, trying to hand the clothes back to Mrs.
Hughes.
 “Och, Mr. Ashford won’t mind. It’s a dreich day. He’d rather you were
warm than freezing to death outside,” Mrs. Hughes brushed off, grabbing
Kara a pair of tall wellies too as her heels would never hold up with wet and
rocky grounds.
Kara seriously doubted Cade would mind her succumbing to the perils of
the winter weather, but she listened to Mrs. Hughes and put on everything
she’d offered. If Cade spotted her wearing his things, she have to worry
more of dying from embarrassment than anything the cold elements had to
offer.

Begrudgingly, Kara had to admit that the greenhouse was breathtaking.

She’d always had a love for flowers and plants, but had never had a knack
for keeping them living for long. The longest something had ever survived
in her care was a cute little cactus she’d named George. George had lasted
for about three months until he met his end as a result of a little overzealous
watering. Clearly, plant murdering was a crime she had a one up on Cade
because the greenhouse was immaculate.
Every plant was beautiful and vibrant and clearly meticulously attended.
The crown jewel of the collection was a vast assortment of English garden
roses spanning many different shades of color from the deepest burgundy to
the palest blush. Unable to resist the lush blooms that had always been one
of her favorites, Kara plucked a deep, blood-red rose from the shrub,
inhaling the delicate sweetness of its petals. Careful of the thorns, Kara
picked several more roses and added them to her basket, getting an
irrational sense of satisfaction from plundering Cade’s personal floral
collection.
 Having eaten her packed lunch in the warmth of the greenhouse, Kara set
off in search of the stables. She hadn’t been around horses in years, and she
welcomed the chance to find something pleasant about her captivity. Kara
quickly spotted the stables due to the sheer size of the black painted
building. It was probably big enough to house twenty or more horses. She
hated the thought of all those living creatures being compiled as what was
probably just a status symbol of Cade’s wealth. There was no way a man
like Cade had the capacity for empathizing with an animal.
Kara walked into the stables with the intention of giving every single
horse the love and attention they were no doubt starving for. She’d saved
the apples Mrs. Hughes packed her in the hopes of finding a friend to share
them with. The horses began to rustle and neigh as she approached, a little
restless with a stranger in their midst. “Shh shh shh,” Kara calmed them as
she treaded in slowly. “It’s okay. You don’t need to be afraid. I’m trapped
here too, just like you.” Kara walked along the stalls, stopping when a
particularly friendly mare stuck her head out and neighed at her in greeting.
“Hey, girl,” Kara said softly, reaching out her hand to stroke the midnight
black mare along the nose. “You’re a pretty girl, aren’t you?” The horse
seemed to preen at her words. “Are you hungry? Would you like a treat,
sweetheart?” Kara asked the horse as she reached into the basket on her arm
and pulled out a red and yellow dappled apple. The horse moved in
excitement, snatching the apple from Kara’s open hand and crunching down
loudly. “That’s it.” Kara stroked her mane, loving the feel of the coarse
tresses beneath her fingers. “Someone likes treats, don’t they? What’s your
name, pretty girl?”
A loud clatter of something heavy dropping to the floor startled Kara
from her one-sided conversation with the horse. Frantically glancing toward
to stables entrance, Kara found herself staring into the brooding, green-gold
eyes of the last person on earth that she wanted to see. “Fucking hell, don’t
scare me like that!” Kara shouted, having recovered her composure enough
to put thought to word. Why the hell was he there? She assumed he was out
working—robbing museums or thieving estates or whatever the fuck he did.
“I scared you? I would rather think I’m more surprised to find you lurking
about my stables,” Cade responded shortly, working to recover his
equilibrium after having his chance at tranquility ripped away with the
presence of an intruder in his favorite hideaway. Well, second favorite.
“You’re petting my horse,” he informed with a dark, pointed look at where
her hand continued to stroke the soft, dark mane of the sweet mare in the
stall.
Kara jerked her hand away as though bitten, terrified to have touched
anything Caden Ashford claimed as his without permission. The mare
sought her out greedily, nudging her with her nose as if to beg for more
coddling. Guiltily, Kara moved out of reach. Nothing was worth inciting
Cade’s anger, no matter how damn cute his horse was.
“You said I was allowed anywhere on the grounds,” Kara defended, her
eyes flickering with fear at the thought of having unintentionally offended
or angered him. Her hand subconsciously drifted to her throat where the
marks of his last bout of fury still lay upon her skin, strokes of deep blue
starkly contrasting the paleness of her neck.
“I did,” Cade conceded, his tone softening as he realized her tension—
and the cause of it. “I’m just not used to happening upon visitors in the
stables. This is where I go to be alone. I prefer the company of creatures
who keep their thoughts to themselves and allow me to keep my own in
turn.”
 In spite of herself, Kara could empathize. That was exactly why she
preferred books to people. Uncomfortable with finding a common ground
with her nemesis, she attempted to shatter the stirrings of kinship as quickly
as possible. “Yes, I could tell from your manners that you’re out of practice
when it comes to human relations. Your social graces are rather rusty. Most
men take a woman out to eat before holding her hostage in their excessive
mansions.”
“I believe we ate breakfast together yesterday, Miss Caine,” Cade
answered with a smile that might have been considered charming.
“Yes, but that was after the kidnapping, so it doesn’t count,” Kara
answered teasingly. She was horrified with how playful her voice sounded
to her own ears. Fuck, what if he thought she was flirting? Fuck, what if she
was flirting? Stockholm syndrome was setting in so quickly that it felt
normal to joke about being fucking kidnapped. She needed a distraction
before she did something really stupid. Like forget she was supposed to be
escaping from the dark, brooding, undeniably attractive bastard before her.
“So, what’s her name?” Kara asked as a subject change, feeling safe
enough to continue stroking the mare who neighed happily with the
returned attention.
“Sugar Cubes,” Cade answered, a hesitant smile on his lips as he watched
Kara whisper sweet nothings in the horse’s ear.
“Sugar Cubes?” Kara questioned with a laugh. “Who named her? A five
year old with a penchant for sweets?”
“In a way,” Cade responded with a soft laugh of his own. “When I was a
boy, I had a favorite black mare. Her true name was Midnight Fury, but she
had a real obsession with the sugar cubes I would steal for her from Mrs.
Hughes kitchen, hence the nickname. When I was home, I rode her nearly
everyday. She passed while I was at boarding school, a couple years before
I headed to Oxford. In her memory, this girl is Sugar Cubes II.”
Cade moved beside Kara to stroke the horse’s neck lovingly. He noticed
Kara flinch at his closeness, but she didn’t move away. Cade used the
proximity to study Kara as she was fully preoccupied with Sugar Cubes.
For all her infuriating attributes, she could appreciate an animal’s company,
and he had to admit that warranted at least a small measure of his respect.
His gaze traveled her body, and the talons of self-hatred dug in deep when
he saw the shadowy imprint of his fingers on her throat. How could she
stand to be near him when he had been so brutish the last time they’d
spoken?
Unbidden, Cade’s fingers reached out to brush the marks marring her
skin. His marks. Seeing his anger and violence written upon her body left
him feeling uncontrollably sickened. He wished he could wipe the bruises
from her throat as much as he wished he could wipe the moment he gave
them from her memory.
“I’m sorry for these,” Cade said roughly, his voice heavy with remorse
and other emotions he couldn’t even begin to ascribe with a label. He
continued to tenderly stroke the back of his knuckles along her neck as she
stood frozen beneath him.
“W-what?” Kara asked as though confused by his words, the warmth of
his touch depriving her of rational thought as her heart struggled to
maintain a steady rhythm and her lungs labored over-strenuously to supply
her body with oxygen.
“I’m sorry for hurting you,” he continued softly. “It was never my
intention to cause you harm. I needed the book. I still do. But that isn’t an
excuse for resorting to that kind of violence.” Cade’s lingering fingers
found her chin and gently forced her head up to look at him. “It will not
happen again, you have my word.” Cade’s green-gold eyes deepened with
the solemn sincerity of a promise that would not be broken.
And, whether it was wisdom or folly, Kara believed him.
Overcome by the stirring mix of forgiveness and trust he saw pooling in
her bright eyes, Cade allowed himself to drift closer.
Closer.
Closer still.
Until his lips hovered so close to hers that he could almost taste her
essence on his tongue. He could feel the radiating heat from her body
penetrating his skin as though nothing, not even clothes, lay between them.
Her scent pervaded his senses with the crispness of florals and the
sweetness of summer berries. He could hear the rapid beating of her heart
and feel the heaving of her chest against him. If he were to take an educated
guess, and it would be very educated at that, he would guess that all the
signs of her body pointed to arousal. Surprisingly, he could say the same of
his own.
“Miss Caine, are you wearing my clothes?” Cade asked, his voice falsely
stern, after recognizing the familiar items. And there was something about
seeing her dressed in something of his that sent an unexpected thrill of
excitement through his body. The cheeky girl was wearing his things,
caressing his horse, and a quick glance at her basket revealed that she had
been pilfering the best of his prized roses—ones he had taken the risk of
smuggling to the states from his grandmother’s garden back in Yorkshire. In
fact, Kara fucking Caine was starting to waltz around his home as though
she owned the bloody place. The thought made him bristle as much as it
made him feel an inexplicable sense of satisfaction. It was a curious
dichotomy that he hoped never to delve into any further.
“Mrs. Hughes practically forced them on me,” Kara explained at his
accusation, a note of tension in her tone. She couldn’t tell if Cade was
actually mad or not. “I’m sorry. I can take them off if you want?”
Cade chuckled. “We barely know each other, and you’re already trying to
take your clothes off for me?”
Kara’s face turned red in mortification. “That’s not what I meant—I-I just
didn’t want you to think I’d taken them. Without your permission, I mean.”
Kara shifted nervously, wishing that she’d never left her damn room, as
Cade’s fingers still lingered on her neck, freezing her in place.
Cade pressed himself into her, pushing her up against the stall door,
unable to suppress the need to feel her beneath him. His fingers trailed up
her neck and over her cheek, brushing away the stray hair in an almost
tender gesture. “Kara, you know my line of work. Do you really think I’d
begrudge you the theft of a scarf for a wintery day?”
“I-I don’t know. Would you?” Kara asked, her lips trembling—from cold
or fear or need, she couldn’t say.
“No, love, I wouldn’t,” Cade answered softly, the term of endearment
unintentionally slipping past his lips as he continued to stroke her cheek.
“You may have anything you wish, if it is in my power to give it.”
“My freedom?” Kara requested hesitantly, knowing she was treading into
dangerous territory. As much as she liked this softer version of Cade, she
knew gaining her freedom was worth risking his anger at the request, the
jolting reminder of what exactly they were to each other—a captor and his
increasingly complicit prisoner.
 “No, Kara,” Cade responded sharply, his expression darkening. “Not
that.”
“But why?” Kara pleaded. “Why keep me here? I’m of no use to you
without the book, and I refuse to help you retrieve it. So why keep me
captive in your fucking prison mansion if it serves no purpose for either of
us?”
“I’m afraid it’s complicated,” he answered vaguely.
“Well, why don’t you explain it for me?” Kara responded, starting to
grow frustrated. “I’m pretty sure I have the comprehension skills to grasp
the complexities of the situation.”
Cade released a loud huff of exasperation, raking his hands roughly
through his hair. The compulsive gesture didn’t escape Kara’s notice, and
she studied him thoughtfully. “Fine, if you truly want to know the aspects of
your current predicament that constitute an extended stay as a guest in my
home—you are a liability, in more than one respect. Additionally, your life
could be in danger from people far less civilized than I am.”
Kara stifled a gasp of disbelief. “Who the hell would want to kill me? I’m
no one. I’m a librarian, for fuck’s sake.”
“Yes, well I’m afraid the little rebellion you pulled at the university—the
whole putting sodding academic integrity before your own life and safety—
made you very much a person of interest for the very wrong sort of people.
Does the name Avery Reed ring any bells?”
Kara’s face contorted with confusion. “Yes, he’s a donor and patron of the
university. The Canterbury Tales was his most recent donation, an
exceedingly generous one at that.”
“As it so happens, that generous donation was more of a short term lease.
Reed is the one who commissioned my expertise.”
 She scoffed at the insanity of Cade’s suggestion. “I don’t believe you.
Why on earth would Mr. Reed do such a thing? I’ve met him on several
occasions, and he’s completely harmless. There’s no chance he would
associate with a criminal like you.” Kara’s last words were said scathingly,
an attempt to injure Cade’s pride, if not his feelings, of which she suspected
he had none.
“You’ll find good looks and charm do not equate a gentleman, Miss
Caine.” His words were intentionally ironic, and he was rewarded with an
eye roll from Kara. “Reed needed money. You’ll find even the most
virtuous of men is tempted to the most desperate of things when money is
involved. And let me assure you, Reed is hardly amongst the virtuous.”
“Regardless, that still doesn’t explain why my life is supposedly in
danger.”
“Reed needs the book, by any means necessary. If I prove unwilling to
deliver the Chaucer text to that extent, Reed can easily find others who
will.” Cade’s hand drifted to Kara’s hair, his fingers possessively tangling
themselves within the strands as he pulled lightly, just enough to get her
attention. “I’d rather not let someone harm a hair on this pretty little head,
so for your safety, you will remain a guest at Ashford Manor until I have
decided how to resolve the situation. You will not leave the grounds. You
will not contact the university or anyone on the outside. It’s for your own
good. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Kara answered listlessly, not entirely sure what she was agreeing
to as the tingling sensation of his fingers wrapped firmly around her hair
obliterated any sense of reason she might possess.
“Good.” Cade loosened his hold on her hair, his touch turning gentle as
he stroked the soft strands as pale and radiant as moonlight. The fairness of
her hair beautifully complimented the creamy alabaster of her complexion,
both strikingly offset by dark brows and lashes and eyes the rich, warm
color of espresso. Cade’s fingers trailed along Kara’s hairline, shamelessly
exploring her features as she shivered beneath his brazen touch. He brushed
aside the blonde waves of hair along her temple, pausing to study her with a
slight frown creased between his brows.
Kara stiffened, knowing what caught his attention—a thin, silver scar
about an inch long running along her forehead and into her hairline. She
styled her hair to help conceal the blemish, and most people never even
noticed. Clearly, Cade was more observant than most people.
“How did you get this?” Cade asked, his voice rough as he stroked the
small, raised scar gently with his fingertip. The thought of a violent lover or
abusive parent marking Kara in anger had his fists clenched tightly in fury.
“A car accident,” Kara answered quietly, her lips trembling. “I have
others, that one is just the most noticeable. I was lucky, though. My parents,
they—” Kara took a shuddering breath. “They didn’t make it.”
“I’m sorry,” Cade responded sincerely, and it was the second time he’d
said those unfamiliar words to her in a matter of minutes. What was she
doing to him?
“It’s okay. It was nearly a decade ago, so I’m used to the solitude by
now,” Kara answered mechanically. She didn’t like talking about the
accident. In fact, she never talked about the accident. The knowledge that
Cade was pulling those excruciating personal details from her lips had her
feeling uncharacteristically unnerved.
Cade felt the slightest twinge guilt at her confession. Admittedly, he’d
been a right bastard to exploit a girl alone in the world. He had literally
capitalized on the fact that no one would come looking for her. He didn’t
typically feel remorse—and he’d done an enormous amount of shitty things
with a clear conscience to prove it—but he felt the painful stabbing of
something resembling regret as he considered his treatment of Kara. The
girl deserved better than being a prisoner, a pawn for the sake of monetary
gain.
Well, unfortunately for her, life wasn’t fair. And he had no intention of
taking it upon himself to change that fact. Cade hardened himself, quelling
the inconveniences of a burgeoning conscience, and brusquely asked the
first question he’d thought of when she mentioned her loss. It was
something he always considered when contemplating untimely death. “Do
you ever feel guilty?”
“That they died?” Kara asked, a bit thrown by the question.
“That you lived,” Cade clarified, his expression stoic and cold.
No one had ever asked Kara if she felt guilty for surviving. Probably
because that would have been a pretty cruel thing to ask someone who had
just lost both their parents. But something told her Cade didn’t mind being
cruel. In fact, he probably enjoyed it.
“I suppose I did at the beginning,” Kara answered after a long pause. She
swallowed hard, trying to overcome the emotions that swelled in her throat
and threatened to choke her words. “It’s hard not to when we were all in the
same situation, all in the same car, but only one of us made it out alive.”
Kara took a deep breath, agonizing as she revisited moments in the past that
she would rather bury so far down that they never saw the light of day, but
also feeling an unusual sense of peace as she considered, perhaps for the
first time, how her parents would feel about the life that she continued to
lead without them in it. “But now I realize that they would have wanted me
to live. To enjoy life. So I spend my time making sure I don’t waste the
opportunity I was given. That I make them proud. And most days, I feel like
I do.”
“You are very fortunate to be so self-assured of the purposefulness of
your existence.” Cade’s response might have sounded cruel if his tone
weren’t so earnest. And he meant it. She was lucky to feel as though she
survived for a reason. Cade had known loss as well, and there wasn’t a
single moment in which he thought he deserved to continue breathing while
others around him perished. Cade didn’t bemoan the fact that his existence
was entirely self-centered and served no greater purpose. He merely
recognized it.
The previous flames Cade had felt sparking between them had gradually
been reduced to mere embers beneath a deluge of emotional turmoil—
personal traumas that he had forced her to share and his own traumas that
he’d chosen not to. As the passion between them gave way to an emotional
communion that was verging on a depth that was out of Cade’s comfort, he
pulled away. He dropped his hand from Kara’s hair, looking down and
flexing his fingers as though he wasn’t quite sure how they had made it into
her blonde locks in the first place. Without another word, Cade turned
around and headed for the exit, his riding gear still discarded on the floor
where he left it when he’d walked in and spotted Kara with Sugar Cubes.
“Where are you going?” Kara asked, confused by his sudden retreat. He’d
touched her. It felt as though he’d almost kissed her, though she might have
merely imagined the closeness of his lips to hers. She’d shared some very
personal details about her life, things that it physically pained her to revisit.
And now he was just running away. Why the hell did that hurt so much?
“Aren’t you going riding?” she added, trying to sound casual and not as
fucking desperate as she felt.
 “I think the little traitor would prefer your company to mine right now,”
Cade answered, turning back to look at her with his standard, self-satisfied
smirk firmly in place once more. “I’ll see you at dinner, Miss Caine,” Cade
bid farewell with a small bow of his head.
Kara was left reeling, alone in Cade’s stables, his horse nuzzling her
shoulder to remind her that she’d held her attention before Cade came
barging in. Kara stroked the horse’s neck once more as she contemplated
what had just transpired between her and Cade. They’d had some sort of
strange, unfathomable connection. They’d bantered. He’d apologized for
hurting her. He’d stared at her lips as though he wanted to fucking devour
them. He’d caressed her neck and hair as though he wanted to do more.
He’d asked her about her scars and her parents. Oh, and he’d mentioned
that someone might want to fucking kill her and claimed she was at his
house for her own protection. Could she trust him? Or was it all some new
ploy to gain her cooperation? Kara had no fucking idea.
“Caden Ashford is a baffling bastard, isn’t he Sugar?” Kara inquired of
the dark beauty of a horse, who seemed to neigh in agreement.
And then Cade’s last words finally resonated. He was expecting her at
dinner. With him. And the rest of his criminal company. The exact place
she’d been trying to avoid at all costs. The exact situation she’d had every
intention of evading even if it meant starvation. Unfortunately, she had a
very strong intuition that if she wasn’t present in the dining hall for the
evening meal, Cade would come up to her room and drag her down by her
hair. So, dinner with Cade it was.
Fucking perfect.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIVE

S HOCKINGLY, dinner had been reasonably uneventful. Cade and his

all-male company had discussed business, loudly, allowing Kara to fade
gratefully into the background. It was intriguing to observe Cade in his
element when his glaring focus wasn’t on her. He was a natural leader,
everyone in the room deferring to him as if he was their reigning regent.
And she supposed, in a way, he was. Declan was quiet; Ortega was too, but
his silence seemed to be borne of an assertive confidence rather than the
nerves of inexperience. Jace argued rather aggressively with Braxton over
the best approach for infiltrating a government-owned establishment. After
careful consideration, Cade agreed with Braxton, eliciting a near meltdown
from Jace, who seemed to be the only one moderately interested in taking a
stand against Cade. A stern, nearly deadly look from his boss had Jace
firmly back in his place. Kara had laughed quietly to herself at how fucking
whipped everyone was in Cade’s presence. She could guarantee Cade
would never get that kind of blind obedience from her. She would fight him
every fucking step of the way.

Forming a routine of evasion, Kara waited until the din from downstairs had
dissipated before making her way down the stairs and toward the kitchens.
The remnants of that morning’s breakfast smelled delicious, and she was
sure Mrs. Hughes would have saved her some leftovers.
“Kara,” the kind woman greeted her warmly as she drew a piping hot tray
of scones out of the oven. “I was expecting ye. Those boys dinnae leave a
crumb left on that table, ravenous bastards, so I made a fresh batch just for
you.”
“They smell divine.”
“I have fresh pots of coffee and tea as well. Which would ye prefer?”
“Coffee would be lovely, thank you,” Kara replied as she added jam and
cream to two scones. She was so hungry that she might actually finish the
whole tray before the morning was over. Mrs. Hughes handed her a
steaming cup of coffee, which Kara accepted gratefully. Her time spent with
the kindly cook was definitely her favorite aspect of captivity. In her daily
life, Kara didn’t have many people outside of work to share her time with,
so finding a friend at Ashford Manor had been a welcome surprise. And she
had to admit, Mrs. Hughes’s gossip and whit were stellar.
“So, where are the boys off to this morning?” Kara asked
conversationally as she sipped at her coffee.
“Lord if I know. They’re always up to some mischief,” Mrs. Hughes
answered, tossing her arms up in the air as if to wash her hands clean of
their shenanigans. “They’ll all be back by supper time though. Mr. Ashford
has already made a specific request. Spaghetti bolognese. An unusual
suggestion for him, but I’ve given up trying to keep up with his culinary
interests. He tells me what he wants, and it gets made.”
It might have been an atypical request for Cade, but spaghetti bolognese
was Kara’s favorite meal. One of the few consistencies in her life growing
up had been Spaghetti Sundays, and it was always a family affair. Even
after her parents’ passing, Kara honored their memory by continuing the
tradition, slow-cooking spaghetti bolognese every Sunday according to her
grandmother’s authentic Italian recipe. The Mancini’s, her mother’s family,
did not fuck around with their pasta sauce. But how could Cade possibly
know that? Certainly it was just a coincidence?
“What day is it, Mrs. Hughes?” Kara asked hesitantly, an eerie sense of
apprehension washing over her.
“It’s Sunday, love. Why do you ask?”
“No reason,” Kara replied quietly, trying to mask the tremble in her voice
as she swallowed down her uneasiness. Sunday. Spaghetti Sunday. Perhaps
it wasn’t a harmless coincidence after all.
Disturbing Kara from her minor episode of panic, the doors of the kitchen
swung open unexpectedly. Kara jolted, just barely managing to keep ahold
of her coffee cup, as a villainous, devastatingly dashing, all too familiar
figure strutted purposefully into the suddenly too small space she shared
with Mrs. Hughes. Cade looked at Kara expectantly, a smug smile on his
face.
“Miss Caine,” Cade greeted in a tone that was so uncharacteristically
pleasant, Kara immediately felt a strange sense of unease. “I’d rather
thought I might find you hiding out here, no doubt engaging in the daily
gossip with our good cook, Mrs. Hughes.” Cade’s tone was playfully
chiding.
“Let her alone, ye devil,” Mrs. Hughes admonished with a swat of the
cloth she was using to dry her hands. “She’s got no need to be wasting
away her day with the likes of you lot carrying on with your business and
ramblings. She’s more than welcome in my kitchen, and I’ll not have ye
scaring her off, pushing her about like ye do everyone else in this damn
house.” She eyed Cade sternly as though he were still that little boy running
around her kitchen with mud on his trousers and mischief in his smile. He
might have grown, and he might not dabble in dirt anymore—at least of the
earthen variety—but that mischief in his smile never left.
“My, you’re cheeky this morning, Mrs. Hughes,” Cade remarked with a
laugh, his gaze warm as he looked down on the small statured Scotswoman.
“I’m always cheeky, boy. You just haven’t made your way to the kitchens
in a while to be reminded of it.”
The subtle reprimand of her tone left Cade feeling a twinge of guilt. She
was accurate, of course; he had been rather busy as of late, and the difficult
situation with Kara made things even more complicated. “You’re quite
right, Mrs. H. Consider me well reminded. Would some of your favorite
port from my next trip to Lisbon make it up to you?”
“Ye dinnae need to be getting me anything. Just show your face down
here every once in a while so I can remember why I left your mother,
crossed an ocean, and took up residence in this bloody country,” Mrs.
Hughes responded gruffly, a layer of fondness hidden beneath her brusque
words. “But ye ken I’d never say no to port,” she added with a wink.
“Of course,” Cade answered with a chuckle. “Now, I’m afraid I’ll have to
steal away Miss Caine.”
 Having been so caught up with the unusual interaction between Cade and
his cook, Kara startled at being thrown back into the conversation. There
was something so easy, so endearing in his manner as he talked with the
older woman. Cade exhibited a warmth, a tenderness almost, that she’d
never witnessed before. In all honesty, she hadn’t thought a sociopath like
Cade would have been capable of such genuine humanity. It perplexed her
as much as it gave her hope for a possible escape.
“Me?” Kara questioned with squeak, wary of the darkness of his
intentions. After a couple days of peace, Kara had begun to grow
comfortable, forgetting the purpose of her temporary residence at Ashford
Manor. Would he demand the book? Threaten her? Torture her? Kill her?
“Yes, you,” Cade responded menacingly, earning a dark look from Mrs.
Hughes before she turned her protective gaze to Kara. “Don’t worry, I
promise I’ll be on my best behavior.” Mrs. Hughes and Kara both looked at
him dubiously as though they fully expected him to have crossed his fingers
behind his back.
“Do I have a choice?” Kara asked hesitantly, reluctant to leave the peace
and warmth of the kitchen and follow Cade into the unknown.
“No,” Cade answered simply—arrogance rather than malice filling his
tone. “But, I can promise you, you’ll be pleased you came.” Cade offered
Kara his hand, expecting her to take it if she didn’t want to be dragged out
of the kitchen over his shoulder. Resorting to the measures of a caveman
when the situation required didn’t bother him in the slightest.
Kara narrowed her eyes, fully aware that Cade’s statement could be taken
in more than one way. Was there an innuendo woven into his words, or was
Kara merely imagining things? Or, to her absolute horror, longing for a
sexual suggestiveness from her captor? No, that definitely wasn’t it. If Cade
—with his lush, curly locks, and captivating eyes the color of sun-dappled
leaves, and stupid fucking lips that seemed perpetually pulled into a self-
satisfied smirk—attempted to proposition her, she would answer with a
resounding fuck you. Meant as a rejection, of course, not a suggestion. And
she would only marginally regret turning him down. Well, perhaps a smidge
more than marginally, but she would survive the fucking loss.
With a sigh of resignation, Kara took Cade’s hand, allowing his fingers to
wrap tightly around her own. He squeezed her hand briefly, not very hard,
but enough to force her to acknowledge that she was within his grasp. Kara
inhaled sharply at the contact, overcome with feelings she couldn’t even
begin to process. Nor did she want to.
“Good girl,” Cade praised with a smug grin as he pulled her toward the
doors exiting the kitchen.
Those two words obliterated the small flutterings of butterflies in Kara’s
stomach, burnt them to a crisp with an all-consuming inferno of need. The
sudden weakness of her knees would have caused her to stumble if it wasn’t
for Cade’s firm grasp keeping her upright. She obediently followed as he
led her from the kitchen, too distracted to even bid Mrs. Hughes farewell.
Cade pulled her through the dining room and, rather than heading for the
stairs, led her down the right hall on the first floor. She hadn’t ventured in
that part of the house, and she could only contrive guesses at what lay
beyond the many closed doors in the outstretched passageway. Shortly,
Cade pulled her to a stop in front of a set of doors that stood out from the
other plain ones that lined the hall. These two were special—tall, arched,
and decorated with a tapestry of art carved into wood.
Cade reached into his pocket and pulled out an ornate, golden, skeleton
key. “Here,” he said as he presented her with the key, the act appearing
almost ceremonious.
“What’s behind those doors?” Kara asked distrustfully as she eyed the
key in his open palm with suspicion. Was that where he housed the torture
chamber? Would she merely be unlocking another cage that she would be
forced into? Perhaps something worse than the luxurious bedroom upstairs?
Maybe this was where she paid for defying his orders and safeguarding the
Chaucer text.
“I promise you, nothing behind those doors will harm you,” Cade
reassured her, his eyes full of the utmost sincerity as they locked on to hers.
“Now take the bloody key and open it.”
Kara let out a breath that she hadn’t even been aware she was holding as
she snatched the key from Cade’s outstretched fingers. Resigning herself to
whatever fate lay beyond, Kara fitted the key into the keyhole and turned it
counterclockwise, hearing a loud click as the lock disengaged. Not allowing
herself the time for cowardice, Kara confidently pushed open both doors, a
gasp slipping from her lips as she beheld the welcome sight that greeted her.
The room was windowless. Twin, vintage, Victorian chandeliers hung
from a wooden ceiling inlaid with octagonal shapes that lent the impression
of honeycomb in a beehive. The only other light source, other than the
dramatic chandeliers, was the dim glow of sconces along the walls, lending
an ancient, atmospheric feel to the room. Gothic sculptures perched atop the
corners, a mixture of angels and gargoyles as though the decorator wasn’t
sure whether they meant to emanate darkness or light and settled for a
marriage of both. Intricately carved, gold-inlaid shelves formed eight arches
around the room, some encased in glass, some open. And on those beautiful
shelves—books. There were books everywhere. Thousands of them. Filling
every shelf. Lining every wall.
 He had a complete library right in the middle of his fucking house.
“It’s my personal collection,” Cade explained, interrupting Kara’s sheer,
function crippling awe. “Not nearly as expansive as the university library,
of course, but I thought it might help you feel more at home while you’re
here.”
“It’s beautiful,” Kara responded in reverence, the word sounding dull and
hollow to her ears compared to the sheer majesty before her.
“Half of the books are far older than you. A quarter are either first
editions or special publications. There’s one annotated by Dickens himself
if you can find it.” A rare smile of genuine happiness crossed his face as he
watched Kara eagerly devour the sight of the books as though it were the
first sustenance she’d ever been offered.
“The library is kept locked, both for privacy and security. I have a key,
Mrs. Hughes has another, and you, Miss Caine, hold the third and final key.
You may use the library whenever you wish. Let it be your sanctuary or
escape; you’ll not be bothered while you’re behind these doors.”
“Thank you, Cade!” Kara exclaimed with unabashed happiness. Before
she could even think to restrain her exuberance, Kara wrapped her arms
around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and placed a kiss softly on his cheek.
Cade turned rigid beneath her touch, wholly shocked by the display of
affection. She had kissed him. The gesture was more gratitude than
anything else—chaste rather than sensual—but he couldn’t deny that her
lips on his skin left him wanting more. Intrigued by the thought of how
those lips would feel in other places. How she’d look on her knees with her
mouth wrapped around his cock. How her skin would taste beneath his
tongue. Kara’s arms were still circled around his neck as she stood frozen,
clearly dealing with a shock of her own. Against his better judgment, Cade
reached out his hand and stroked the tip of his thumb along the curve of
Kara’s jaw, not missing the slight shiver of her body as she leaned into his
touch as if begging for more.
She’d called him Cade, he realized after the shock of her outburst
dispersed. The name in itself sent a wave of emotion flooding through his
body. No one called him Cade. She certainly never had. It was always Mr.
Ashford or fucking bastard if she was feeling particularly cheerful. His
business associates called him Ashford. His parents called him Caden in a
way that made him grind his teeth in irritation. His companions, when he
had them, called him whatever he ordered them to. Only one other person
had called him Cade, and he hadn’t heard the name in years. Cade’s eyes
warmed as he drew his thumb up to Kara’s lips, tracing the shape of them
almost reverently.
“You’re welcome,” Cade finally responded, his voice husky and rough
with desire. His words startled Kara from her trance, and she pulled away
from him sharply, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Or perhaps
something more carnal.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, avoiding his gaze as the mortification of what
she had just done began to settle in. She’d practically accosted him, all
because he’d shown her a few books. Okay, probably more like thousands
of books in his own personal library. For which she now had a key. A
sanctuary to escape her prison. A prison that he kept her locked in, she
reminded herself in reprimand. She felt foolish. And ashamed. And…horny
as fuck, but her arousal only made her feel worse.
“Kara.” Cade grabbed her chin, stirring her from her self-doubt. “Do not
apologize to me,” he ordered, his tone stern.
 Kara swallowed hard as Cade kept her chin in his grasp, his fingers
digging in slightly as he seemed to contemplate something. Something that
set his eyes ablaze with a heat that looked like anger but felt entirely
different. It felt like a searing, insatiable hunger. Like he wanted to eat her
alive—violently devour her, but make her feel good while he did it. Kara
willed him to do it, silently pleading with him to close the space between
them and kiss her. Touch her. Fucking destroy her, if he wanted.
A flicker of fear crossed Cade’s face, and then the fire was gone, buried
as his usual cold indifference took its place. He released Kara’s chin,
stepping back until an appropriate amount of space lay between them and
straightening his suit as a means of occupying his hands and keeping them
off her. Kara felt his sudden distance as though it were a chill in the air,
wrapping her arms around herself as if to ward off Cade’s obvious coolness
toward her.
“Enjoy the library, Miss Caine. It is at your disposal,” he said, the formal
titles firmly back in place. “I will see you at dinner.” Without so much as a
goodbye, Cade strode out of the room, his footsteps heavy and angry
against the marble floor.
Kara flinched at the sound of the library doors slamming closed,
sequestering her in solitude. What the fuck had just happened? Cade had
nearly kissed her, she was almost sure of it. But then his features had turned
harsh, and he rushed out of her newly gifted library as though he couldn’t
bear the sight of her. Had she done something wrong? Guilt was certainly
one of the more prominent emotions surging through her body as she felt
the dampness between her thighs and her chest heaved gustily in tune with
her erratic pulse. What the hell was wrong with her? She was allowing
herself to feel things no one in their right mind would feel for the man who
had drugged her, stolen her from her home, and kept her captive in his
house. Perhaps that was the problem; the sanity of her mind was slowly
eroding beneath Cade’s arrogant charms, infuriating smiles, and
oppressively well-distributed physical genetics.

KARA anxiously fidgeted with the hem of her dress as she descended the
stairs for dinner. It was an unusually bold choice for her: a silky red dress
that accentuated her breasts with a very low cut in the front, a back that
dipped nearly to the curve of her ass, and a skirt that flared at her hips and
fell in luscious ripples down to her ankles with a subtle slit on the side that
went up to her thigh. She had made her dress selection as though choosing
armor and slipping into that red dress felt like sheathing herself in pure
power. She’d paired the dress with subdued makeup apart from a bright,
cherry-red lip that made her mouth the center of attention. Her style might
have been misconstrued as seductive, but for Kara it was less about inciting
sex and more about inciting confidence. The look made her feel strong,
brave, and she would need both when encountering the fearsome man who
waited for her in the dining hall.
The overwhelming scent of Mrs. Hughes’s cooking wafting down the hall
as Kara made her way to the dining room smelled delicious and familiar; it
was a nostalgic reminder of Sundays spent with family, and, as much as her
current situation differed from those happy, carefree memories, she still
appreciated the sentimental reminder. Kara wasn’t sure whether she should
be relieved or disappointed when she entered the room to discover a full
table. Declan, Jace, Ortega, Braxton, and Cade all turned to look at her,
their expressions varied. Declan and Ortega met her with friendly smiles,
while Braxton offered a brief nod of greeting. There was an unnerving
hunger in Jace’s lingering stare that made Kara’s skin crawl, and she
subconsciously put more distance between them. Cade looked at her with a
heady mixture of fury and desire, his typical iciness melted away to reveal a
mere human comprised of the same primal needs as everyone else.
Cade stood from his chair, and Kara had to resist the instinctive urge to
turn and run for safety. “Miss Caine,” Cade greeted smoothly, the words
sounding far too seductive on his lips. He pulled out the empty chair beside
him and gestured for Kara to sit.
Finding little cause for objection, Kara obeyed, crossing the room
hesitantly until she stood beside the man she’d inadvertently kissed a few
hours before. Timidly, she lowered herself into the offered chair, trying not
to indulge her senses in the intoxication of the musky scent of cedar and
mint that pervaded the air at his nearness. She may have inhaled a little too
deeply, despite her attempted restraint.
“You look ravishing,” Cade whispered by her ear as he pushed her chair
in toward the table.
His words, softly breathed against her sensitive flesh, made Kara’s cheeks
flush and her skin prickle in arousal, but there was an dangerousness in his
tone that sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn’t be sure if his words
were a compliment on her appearance or a commentary on his intent to
assault her at the nearest opportunity. Her previous knowledge of the
ruthless man implied the latter. And Kara tried, to the very best of her
abilities, not to long for his ravishment with every fiber of her being.
 The stifling tension of the room was broken with the grateful entrance of
Mrs. Hughes carrying the first dishes of dinner, her arms full with a heaping
platter of delectably buttery garlic rolls. Immediately, Kara rose to help her,
unaccustomed to sitting around uselessly while being served by someone
else. Her offer of assistance was sharply halted with a strong clamp of a
hand on her thigh. Cade’s hand was resting on her lower thigh, his fingers
splayed across the skin laid bare by the slit of the dress.
“Stay,” Cade commanded quietly, his tone firm. “Mrs. Hughes is very
accustomed to handling the dinner proceedings on her own. As much as it is
in your nature to help, she’d be slighted if you attempted to interfere with
her job.”
“Oh,” Kara answered sheepishly, settling awkwardly back into her seat as
Mrs. Hughes left to fetch another dish. “I’m sorry,” she whispered,
mortified to have almost inadvertently offended the kind cook. The incident
was a reminder that Kara didn’t belong, and she felt suddenly very out of
place in the indulgent lifestyle that was merely a part of Cade’s daily
routine.
“Don’t apologize,” Cade said with a vexed crease between his brows. It
was the second time that day he’d needed to scold her for a tendency
toward self-deprecation. “You did nothing wrong.”
“Sorry, it’s a habit,” Kara replied automatically. She realized her
additional infraction when she received a stern glare from Cade in response.
Left with little option other than to apologize again, Kara tried to smooth
away his irritation with an apologetic smile. Cade didn’t appear placated in
the slightest.
“Don’t make me put you over my knee, Kara,” Cade threatened, his eyes
glittering with eagerness at the idea as he squeezed her thigh to emphasize
the full seriousness of his warning.
Kara gasped slightly at the reminder that Cade’s hand was still on her
bare leg, the pressure of his fingers sending a flood of heat straight to her
core. She shifted slightly beneath him, rubbing her thighs together
shamelessly in search of friction. If Cade noticed her arousal, he didn’t let
on, his hand still unmoving on her thigh as though he had forgotten it was
there. Shyly, she stole a glance at Cade, but his attention was on Ortega as
they discussed something about strengthening security on the perimeter.
Biting her lip nervously, Kara gathered her courage, took an unsteady
breath, and parted her legs, spreading her knees until they reached the
armrests on either side of the chair.
That drew Cade’s attention. He startled mid-conversation, his eyes wide
with shock and something more primal as he turned toward Kara. He
searched her countenance for any sign that her wide open legs were
anything other than a goddamn invitation. Finding her dark eyes full of a
desire and hunger that matched his own, Cade took the fucking hint and
allowed his fingers to roam along the bare expanse of Kara’s thigh. He
didn’t know what she was playing at when she came down in that bloody
red dress with her tits out and her fuck-me lipstick after he’d used every
ounce of his restraint to not overstep any boundaries in the library. Perhaps
he had misjudged the game she was playing after all, if her spread thighs
had anything to say about it. Maybe his prim little librarian was a little more
naughty than she seemed. But if she expected him to be courteous enough
not to throw her on the table and fuck her while the rest of the guys
watched, she clearly didn’t know who she was dealing with.
A whimper slipped from Kara’s lips as Cade’s fingers finally reached the
apex of her thighs. She tried to focus on the bolognese, which was
absolutely divine, as his knuckles brushed against her pussy, separated from
his touch only by the thin lace of her panties. Cade caught her eye as his
index finger trailed along the edge of her underwear; he raised a single
brow, as though asking for consent to go further. Kara sucked her bottom lip
between her teeth and nodded incrementally. Causally continuing his
conversation with Ortega and Brax, Cade’s fingers slipped beneath Kara’s
panties and cupped her hot, dripping pussy.
Kara moaned, a little too loudly, drawing the attention of everyone at the
table. Her face burned with embarrassment as she tried to cover for the
outburst even as Cade’s fingers continued their assault on her pussy. “The
pasta is delicious,” Kara said with a nervous laugh, hoping the tastiness of
the food was a passable reason to have moaned aloud at the table. A
murmur of agreement from the others helped to assuage her mortification as
she tried to refrain from any more audible reactions to Cade’s under the
table attentions.
“Fuck,” she breathed as Cade slipped two fingers inside her and began
thrusting them in and out at a steady pace. At that point, the others could
think what they liked, there was no way she could keep her composure with
Cade finger fucking her under the table like a madman. Her back arched
with need as Cade spread the wetness of her arousal over her clit and began
to rub in soft, circular patterns. All too quickly, she felt the tension building,
the warmth in her center growing as Cade expertly strummed at her
sensitive bundle of nerves. Too overcome with sensation, Kara’s eyes
closed as Cade plunged two fingers into her pussy and continued to rub her
clit with his thumb. Regardless of the inconvenient setting, she couldn’t
contain her body’s natural response to the perfect assault of Cade’s fingers.
Kara came silently, biting her lip and holding her breath to keep from
screaming in ecstasy as Cade drove her over the edge of pleasure. Her
thighs clamped against his hand, keeping him inside her as she spasmed
around his fingers over and over until she slumped back in the chair—
exhausted, sweaty, and sated.
Hesitantly, Kara opened her eyes to find every man at the table staring
back at her.
Fucking fuck.
She had just come in front of five other men who were practically
strangers. In the middle of fucking dinner. And she was too blissfully post-
orgasmic to give too much of a damn about it.
“Hope everyone’s got room for dessert,” Mrs. Hughes announced,
bursting into the room with a tiered chocolate cake.
Thank fucking god.
Eternally grateful for the distraction from her dinner exhibitionism, Kara
was the first to request dessert as the conversations around the table started
up again. Slowly, Cade removed his hand from Kara’s cunt, her wetness
visibly covering his fingers. Rather than wiping them on his napkin, like a
normal fucking human being, Cade trailed his index finger through the
frosting on the cake and brought it to his lips, sucking the mingling taste of
chocolate and her cum as though it were his favorite combination of flavors.
“Delicious,” Cade said with a mischievous smirk, his eyes not leaving
Kara’s.
Kara ate her dessert in silence, her thighs still quivering in the aftermath
of her very public orgasm. Thankfully, everyone seemed to have moved
passed the incident, apart from Cade, who occasionally flashed her a self-
satisfied grin as he talked business with Jace. The insufferable man seemed
to think he’d won at something, achieved some sort of victory by
dominating her body and dragging an orgasm out of her while his friends
watched. Well, she had no intention of bending to his will simply because
he was skilled with his fingers. Incredibly fucking skilled with his fingers.
Finally, finally the awkward dinner came to an end as Mrs. Hughes came
by to collect the cleared plates and carry them to the kitchen. Kara resisted
the urge help as the Scotswoman came by to take her plate, having only her
gratitude to offer for the delicious meal. Mrs. Hughes accepted her thanks
warmly, her eyes glittering with an amusement that implied that she knew
Kara enjoyed more than her food at the dinner table. Kara’s cheeks flooded
with renewed embarrassment as she waited for the room to clear so she
could make her escape with some remnant of dignity.
Looking entirely disinterested as the others took their leave, Cade
remained in his seat, his smoldering gaze never leaving Kara as she
squirmed beneath the raw, all-consuming fire she saw in his eyes. Slowly,
Cade traced his fingers over his full lips, the same fingers that had been
inside her pussy a few minutes before. The subtle, sex-infused gesture had
liquid need pooling between Kara’s thighs all over again. She needed to
escape that room before she had the poor judgment to allow him to fuck her
right on the goddamn table.
Painfully prying herself from Cade’s molten stare, Kara stood on shaky
legs with the express intention of running for the exit. She’d relinquished
quite enough of her propriety to him that evening. Before she could remove
herself from the table, Kara felt the firm grasp of familiar fingers latch onto
her wrist. She looked at Cade with the wide-eyed trance of a doe rendered
frozen beneath headlights, a mere helpless creature caught in the orbit of
something far more powerful and dangerous than she could possibly
fathom. He smiled at her darkly, the grin of a predator viciously
contemplating his next conquest.
“Going somewhere, Miss Caine?” Cade asked menacingly, his eyes alight
with a raptorial gleam as his hand tightened around her wrist.
This version of Cade terrified her; the man who seemed accustomed to
taking whatever he desired, regardless of her own willingness. She’d
invited his touch during dinner, enjoyed his advances no matter how
questionable they were in terms of proper etiquette. But Cade’s eyes
currently pinned her with a ravenousness that she didn’t feel prepared to
satiate. What would he do when there was no invitation?
“I’d like to go to my room, please,” Kara responded, her tone pleading.
“May I come with you?” Cade asked, the weightiness of his suggestion
hanging heavy in the air. His grip loosened as he rubbed his thumb softly
over the bones in her wrist, feeling her shiver in response.
“Do I have a choice?” Kara asked with a quivering voice.
“Do you want one?” Cade responded sharply, a challenge in his
expression.
Kara paused to ponder the audacity of his question. Did she want a
choice? The most obvious answer, the most logical answer was yes, but she
couldn’t deny the inciting appeal of not being held accountable for enjoying
whatever pleasure Cade might force upon her. It was a sick notion, which
she dismissed immediately. Well, almost immediately. “Yes,” Kara
answered softly, not sounding entirely convinced of her own response.
“Then, yes you have a choice.” Cade pulled Kara against his body, feeling
the warmth of her skin and frantic beat of her heart as she trembled against
him. She felt so small against his broad form, so fragile, like he had to
contain his own strength to keep from shattering her into a thousand pieces.
He didn’t want her broken. Not yet, anyway.
“I’d like to go alone. Please,” Kara answered, feeling a twinge of regret
even as she said the words. In the darkest recesses of her heart, she knew
that she wanted Cade, but she couldn’t trust herself not to fall for him
completely if she gave him such an intimate piece of herself. She needed
the distance to protect her heart.
Cade glared at her, disappointment and anger marring his features. “As
you wish,” he acquiesced darkly, throwing away her hand as though it
burned to touch her. “Run along,” Cade said with a dismissive wave of his
hand. His eyes glittered with the threat: before I try to catch you.
Heading his warning, Kara scurried toward the exit with every intention
of locking her bedroom door until morning. Just to be safe. Suddenly, a
nettling thought crossed her mind, causing her to turn back to the imperious
man still lingering at the end of the table basking in a hazy shroud of
animosity. “Cade?” she asked hesitantly. “Spaghetti Sundays—how did you
know?” Because she knew he did. Cade was too calculating for
coincidences to occur in his vicinity.
“I know everything about you, Kara,” Cade answered simply, shrugging
his shoulders as though it were the most obvious fact in the world.
Kara wasn’t quite sure if she should find his confession endearing or
unsettling as she ran toward her bedroom with the express intention
banishing his last words from memory.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIX

S HE had successfully avoided Cade the entire day after their dreadfully
awkward incident at dinner. The incident in which she’d allowed him to
get her off at the table and then subsequently turned him down for any
further action in the sex department. He’d been pissed, and, honestly, she
couldn’t blame him; she was a bit mad at herself for passing up her first
enticing proposition for getting laid in months. Sometimes her damned
good sense and rationality was a fucking cock block.
Hence, sexual frustration was entirely to blame for her current choice of
reading material as she sat alone in the library with her neglected pussy. In
spite of the general stereotype regarding librarians as being purely
intellectual, the book wasn’t a great literary work at all. It was, to her great
personal embarrassment, smut.
 A firm rap on the library doors startled Kara from her complete
disappearance into the imaginary constructs of a world forged entirely from
words on a page. She frowned as she begrudgingly lowered the book in her
hands, finding the uncomfortable experience of being coldly thrust into
reality about as disruptive as being woken from a good dream. She could
hazard a guess as to the identity of the ill-timed intruder. And the last thing
she needed was to give Cade the ammunition for insults after catching her
reading book porn.
Frantically, Kara scrambled to hide her guilty pleasure, a habit she’d
developed while being an avid indulger in sexually illicit literature as a
teenager. When was she worried of her parents discovering her
embarrassing reading tastes, Kara would use a large, hardback bible to
cover any raunchy books beneath. She supposed she was lucky to have not
been struck down by some higher power for the sheer audacity. Having
matured considerably since her teenage years, Kara tucked her smut
beneath her chosen decoy of Moby Dick, composed a reasonably believable
expression of innocence, and answered the intruder.
“Come in.”
The doors burst open, and Cade strode purposefully into the room, his
expression determined and a bit colder than usual. He looked stunning in a
deep burgundy suit that she’d never seen him wear before, his usual
uniform of a tie and waistcoat abandoned in favor of just a white collared
shirt beneath the jacket. In a true contradiction with Cade’s usual fastidious
style, the top two buttons of his dress shirt were undone, allowing the shirt
to billow. The man was the definition of masculine perfection in a suit and
tie, but he was the fucking epitome of sex appeal when he was intentionally
disheveled.
 “Are you alright, Miss Caine? You appear to be on the verge of an
aneurism.”
Kara jolted from mentally undressing and devouring Cade to find him
staring at her with an amused smirk. She shook her head as though that
would clear the illicit images of Cade naked from her thoughts. Self-
consciously, Kara wiped at her mouth, hoping she hadn’t managed to
actually salivate at the fantasy of Cade filling her mouth with his cock. The
damn smut must be driving her mad. As she pressed her thighs together for
relief, Kara found herself keenly aware that she had gone without sex for
far too long. Sneaking another glance at Cade, she also realized that she
might have found a solution for that particular issue.
“Cade,” Kara greeted finally, hoping she was merely imaging how
breathy and desperate the word sounded on her lips. “Did you need
something?”
Please say yes.
“Actually, no. I’m sorry to disturb your reading of,” Cade glanced at the
downturned book in her lap, “Moby Dick.” His smile widened as though he
had impossibly guessed her secret. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m
going out tonight.”
Kara’s brow furrowed as she pondered what aspect of his fucking illicit
occupation would be requiring his attention two hours before midnight.
“What could you possibly be working on this late?”
“I didn’t say I was working,” Cade responded with intentional ambiguity,
a suggestive smirk playing across his lips. To be honesty, he felt a mixture
of guilt and satisfaction regarding the implication of his words. Guilt
because he had every intention of spending the night drowning out all
thoughts of Kara in the body of another woman—or two. Satisfaction
because of the marked jealousy filling Kara’s face at that exact moment.
Whether it was sexually or in some other capacity, she cared for him. He
had grown to suspect as much, and there was the proof written plainly on
her troubled little face. He had to admit, seeing her worry that full bottom
lip with her teeth had his cock straining in his pants.
Fuck.
He needed to get out of the bloody house.
“Oh,” Kara responded finally with a slight frown, a multitudinous
mixture of emotions wrapped into that one little word.
“Is there a problem, Kara?” Cade challenged with an arched brow. Daring
her to claim him. Daring her to admit she cared.
“Of course not,” Kara responded in a tone of false nonchalance. Because
yes, there fucking was a problem. Cade was going out for the night, most
likely to fuck around with some floozy. And she couldn’t explain why the
thought of Cade with someone else felt like a knife twisting in her heart, but
it fucking did. “You’re free to do as you like,” Kara continued, her voice
sounding unflatteringly bitchy to her own ears. “Unlike me.”
“Don’t be a brat,” Cade chided, his expression darkening with annoyance
that verged on anger. “You know the rules, and you know why they are in
place. You have as much freedom as your safety allows.”
“Oh yes, whatever would I do without your generous imprisonment.
Oops, I mean protection,” Kara responded with an eye roll before picking
up Moby Dick and pretending to be greatly interested in an abnormally large
whale.
“Kara, look at me,” Cade commanded curtly, his control worn thin after
just a few minutes in Kara’s presence. The girl was driving him utterly mad.
 With a loud sigh of exasperation, Kara lowered the book, laying it face
down across her thighs, and looked at Cade expectantly. “Yes?” she
answered, her voice full of syrupy sweetness and completely fake.
Resisting the urge to continue fighting her—because that could take all
fucking night without either of them emerging victorious—Cade ran his
fingers deftly through his dark hair and desperately attempted to tame his
reaction to her relentless attitude. If she was his girl, she’d probably never
be able to sit down comfortably again with how much trouble she gave him.
But she wasn’t his. Nor would she be. The previous night had made that
particular fact abundantly clear. Whatever her feelings for him, Kara was
too prim and proper to act on them and endanger her precious reputation.
And she was too fucking vanilla to give him what he really needed. So, he
needed to wrap things up with Kara and go find someone he could really
play with.
“Come here,” Cade commanded brusquely, pointing to the empty space
beside him. He didn’t have time for her attitude. He needed to get Kara
reasonably contented and get the fuck out of there.
Surprisingly, Kara walked obediently, albeit sullenly, toward him. She
stopped when she reached the exact spot he pointed to, staring up at him
with a mixture of insolence and something more fragile. It was that
fragment of vulnerability that gave Cade pause. He reached for her chin,
gently pulling her toward him.
“What’s wrong?” Cade asked softly, genuinely interested in what was
actually bothering her. Was she starting to care for him in the same way he
was desperately trying to avoid caring for her? So desperate, in fact, that he
was willing to mindlessly throw himself at the first eager victim to escape
thoughts of her. Was she hurting for the same reasons he was running?
 “Nothing,” Kara lied unconvincingly, pulling her chin from his grasp.
The deception, the evasion, the sheer fucking brattiness had Cade’s fists
curling in anger and frustration. Why couldn’t she be reasonable? Why
couldn’t she just fucking talk to him? If she simply asked him not to go, he
would bow to her request. And he hated himself for the weakness she
exposed.
“Do you want me to stay?” Cade asked, his tone turning from concerned
to acrid. “Is that it? Want to pay me back for services rendered during
dinner last night? Seeing you on your knees might be enough incentive for
me to stay.” The cruelty of his words surprised him. He had never had a
tendency toward meanness, at least where women were concerned. He had
never needed it. Speaking with honesty, rather than modesty, the women he
associated with groveled at his feet. Literally. He was proving to be ill
equipped in dealing with someone like Kara who required a little more
coaxing. The thought vexed him greatly.
“You’re a fucking bastard, Caden,” Kara admonished, the anger in her
tone getting lost amid the anguished embarrassment causing her voice to
tremble.
“Well, if you’ve got nothing better to offer, I’ll be going now,” Cade said
coldly.
“Try not to fall off a cliff and die,” Kara muttered to herself as she turned
away from him with the intention of returning to her romantic novel and
drowning out any lingering, poisonous thoughts of him. And what he would
be doing on his night out not working.
“What was that, Kara?” Cade sneered as grasped her arm and pulled her
back toward him. “I couldn’t quite hear you. And I believe you’ve been
warned not to turn your back on me. Shall I remind you what happens when
you do?” Cade gripped her arm tighter as if in threat of something worse.
“I apologize,” Kara answered scathingly, aware her tone might get her
into trouble, but not quite caring at the moment.
“Do I need to punish you, baby?” Cade asked, his tone softening in spite
of his words.
“I don’t think that will be necessary. You have plans tonight, remember?”
Kara answered, jerking her arm from his grasp. “Enjoy your night out,
baby.”
Cade stood still for a moment, glaring at Kara as indecision flickering
across his face. Finally deciding to fuck it, Cade closed the space between
them, fisted his fingers in Kara’s hair, and forced her mouth up to meet his.
He kissed her viciously—more an attack than a caress—his lips claiming
her, his tongue invading her mouth and sparring against her own, his teeth
demanding destruction as he sucked her bottom lip between them and bit
down hard. Hard enough to taste blood mingled with the intoxicating
essence of her.
Kara pulled away for an infinitesimal fraction of a second, the bare
minimum that her dignity required, before she was moaning into Cade’s
mouth, eager to devour everything he had to give her. She threw herself
against him, her hands clawing at his jacket, delirious with the need to get it
off of him, to touch him. Obliging her, Cade whipped off the jacket in one
swift movement and threw it to the floor. His lips slipped to her neck,
kissing her and tasting her as his hands flew to her thighs and hiked up the
hem of her dress. Kara tilted her head back, giving Cade full access to her
throat as she grabbed ahold of his hair, relishing the softness of the silken
strands. She whimpered as Cade’s fingers trailed up to her thighs and dug
harshly into the bare skin of her hips.
“Does that hurt, Kara?” Cade asked, his mouth against her ear.
“Yes,” Kara answered breathlessly. “More.”
Cade grinned at the need in her voice, the responsiveness of her body.
Happy to acquiesce, he bared his teeth and sunk into the tender flesh of her
neck, reveling in the moans he pulled from her as he bit deeply. Blindly,
Kara reached for the buttons of his shirt, practically ripping them from the
seams in her desperation to find bare skin. Having managed to undo the
bottom half, Kara slid her hands over Cade’s naked abdomen, memorizing
the ripples of muscle and the sharp edges of his hip bones. Cade hissed as
Kara raked her nails down his abs when he bit down particularly hard on
her shoulder.
“Fuck me, Cade,” Kara pleaded breathlessly, digging her hands into his
hair and pulling roughly as he continued to devour the exposed skin of her
neck.
“What?” Cade asked in shock, fairly certain he misheard her.
“Fuck me, please.”
Cade stilled, his expression clouded with a mixture of anger and
uncertainty. “No,” he answered finally, leaving little room for
misconception in his single worded rejection.
The sexually charged spell between them suddenly broken with her
desperate plea, Cade pulled away harshly, nearly dropping Kara on her arse.
He turned away from her, swearing to himself for letting things get so out
of hand as he re-adjusted his shirt and tucked it back into his pants. He ran
trembling fingers through his hair, his body still coursing with the
adrenaline of what he almost did. With her. Under no circumstances was
she available to him in that regard, and he needed to get the fuck away
before thinking with his cock instead of his head really got him into fucking
trouble. After picking up his jacket from the floor and sliding it back on
smoothly, Cade finally turned around to face her. Kara’s chest heaved
erratically as she stared back at him, her features marred with shock and
hurt. Her soft brown eyes were pooled with tears on the verge of spilling
down her cheeks, her lips quivered until she bit down with her teeth to keep
them from exposing her vulnerability, her pain. She’d never looked so
devastated. And she’d never looked more intoxicatingly beautiful.
Cade gently grasped Kara’s throat and pulled her toward him; she
followed as though she had no will of her own. He softly touched her mouth
with his thumb and pulled her bottom lip free from the sharp imprisonment
of her teeth. He continued to stroke her bottom lip, loving how it had turned
red and swollen from the violence of his kisses. Slowly, he pressed his
thumb further into her mouth; instinctively, Kara opened for him. She
allowed his finger to slip past her teeth, welcoming it with a swirling caress
of her tongue. Looking up at Cade with the tears from his rejection
streaming down her flushed cheeks, Kara wrapped her lips around his
thumb and sucked hard.
“Kara,” Cade scolded, his voice rough with pent up need. “Behave,” he
ordered with a slight squeeze of his hand on her throat. With one last flick
of her tongue, Kara obeyed and released his finger. Cade stepped away
from her even as every instinct in his body begged him to get closer. “I’ll be
back in the morning.” Cade flashed a smile that was just as charming as it
was cruel “Probably.” And he turned toward the library doors to leave.
“Enjoy your whore,” Kara responded breezily before reaching for her
book on the chair. God, she needed a fucking distraction from him.
 Cade turned backed toward her in surprise. “Trust me, love, I’ve never
had to pay for sex,” he answered tauntingly.
“I’ll add that to your list of stunning accomplishments,” Kara quipped
sarcastically, her eyes rolling to the heavens.
“You’re keeping a list?” Cade asked brightly as though he found the idea
positively adorable.
“It’s incredibly short,” Kara deadpanned.
“Love, I think we both know nothing about me is short.”
“Goodnight, Cade,” Kara said dismissively before returning to her book
without a second glance in his direction. She had no intention of engaging
in playful banter with a man who wouldn’t deign to grant her the fuck she
so desperately needed. As far as she was concerned, he could go fuck
himself.
“Goodnight, Kara,” he answered softly.

AN hour or two passed in melancholic silence while Kara tried to focus on

literary characters fucking and not think of Cade being out for the evening
fucking someone who wasn’t her. It was proving to be an impossible task.
The words on the page were a blur, and, when she’d accidentally re-read the
same sentence for perhaps the fifth time in a row, Kara surrendered to the
inevitability of not forgetting Cade. She bolted from her seat with a huff of
exasperation and threw the damn book at the damn chair pretending that she
was assaulting the damn British bastard instead of a helpless piece of
furniture.
 Kara’s cathartic, albeit unbecoming, tantrum was cut short with an
unusually melodic knock on the door, as though someone were playing out
a tune on the hardwood. The rhythm of Kara’s heart quickened at the
thought of Cade returning to finish what he started. Why hadn’t he left yet?
Had he decided to stay? Kara’s frantic heart had the sudden urge to bolt
from her chest at the thought that Cade might have stayed for her.
With trembling hands, Kara unlocked the doors that she had angrily
bolted after Cade walked out the first time and opened them. She flinched
in surprise when she discovered who was on the other side. Jace stood
before her, his wrinkled, white dress shirt unbuttoned a little too low at the
top and his sleeves rolled halfway up his arms to expose the dark, inky
ripples of tattoos snaking up his forearms. Absentmindedly, Kara wondered
how far the ink went. This was the most she’d seen of Jace’s skin, his
partially unbuttoned shirt also revealing what looked like a sequence of
numbers tattooed along his neck. His hand was still raised as though she’d
caught him in the middle of beating down the door—which she had—and
his other hand held a half-full bottle of dark liquor. Jace’s eyes were darker
than usual, more like the deep blue depths of the ocean rather than the pale
shallow pools that usually stared back at her. Kara’s skin warmed and her
cheeks flushed as she watched his eyes roam her body with a lascivious
gleam. He was so close she could smell the faint hint of whisky on his
breath mingled with notes of spearmint. Instinctively, Kara took a step
backward. Jace sober made her skin crawl with unease; Jace mixed with
alcohol was a danger that had her body subconsciously begging her to run.
“I brought the party,” Jace announced cheerfully, shaking the bottle of
bourbon in the air.
 “I’m not in the partying mood,” Kara responded sullenly, breathing a sigh
of relief that he didn’t sound drunk. At least not yet.
“Why so serious, Dr. Caine? Mad Ashford left you to go play with his
club whores?” Jace asked as he drew closer, leaning his arm across the top
of the door frame. “You know, we could play too. Might be fun.” Jace ran
the tip of his index finger down Kara’s neck, so lightly she couldn’t be sure
if he actually made contact with her skin or not.
“Cade is at a nightclub?” Kara guessed, too distracted by getting
information about Cade to move away from Jace’s touch.
In response, Jace flashed her a cruel smile that had her blood curdling in
her veins. “No baby, not a nightclub. A sex club. And not just your run of
the mill, everyone gets naked and fucks each other type of sex club. This
shit is elite. Catering explicitly to kinky motherfuckers with no limits—on
their bank accounts or their deep, dark desires.”
Kara stood in open-mouthed silence, too shocked to come up with any
clever retort. Jace’s fingers trailed a little farther down; she allowed it
because her body seemed to have momentarily lost control of its functions.
Cade was at a sex club? A kinky sex club? That was so far out of her limited
sexual experience that she didn’t even know what to think. Absentmindedly,
she wondered if that should make her feel better about Cade’s refusal to
have sex with her. Somehow, though, it made his rejection worse. Now she
knew why he didn’t want her. She couldn’t even begin to understand how to
be what he wanted.
“Forget about him, baby,” Jace crooned as his body pressed against her,
pushing her into the library. “Have a drink with me.”
“Okay,” Kara agreed numbly, temporarily relieved of her senses. She
allowed Jace to take her hand and pull her toward the leather couch in the
middle of the room. He tried to pull her onto his lap, but she had enough
propriety to sit beside him instead. Jace handed her the bottle of bourbon,
and she took it, lifting it to her lips and nearly choking on the burn of liquid
fire spilling down her throat. “Holy fuck, how do you drink this?” she asked
as she coughed on the lingering remnants of alcohol in her mouth.
Jace laughed, taking the bottle from her and drinking large gulps without
so much as a flinch.
“Show off,” Kara sulked, crossing her arms over her chest. She couldn’t
even get drunk properly.
“You can’t drink it like it’s water or some shit. You have to throw it back,
swallow it without trying to taste it or let it linger in your mouth.”
“If you don’t want to taste it, why do you even drink it?” Kara asked as
she accepted the bourbon and choked on another small sip. Straight liquor
was revolting and needed to be doused in sugar to make it even remotely
appealing.
“Because the point isn’t to taste it, it’s to fucking feel it. To forget about
everything else. Hell, the world could crash and burn around you, and you
wouldn’t give a fuck,” Jace explained after another long drink.
Kara studied Jace in surprise. His explanation was unexpected, not
exactly deep, but more contemplative than she’d given him credit for. She
suspected this was probably the closest anyone got to having a real
conversation with Jace, and he had to be drunk to do it. Something about
his words resonated with her. “What do you want to forget, Jace?” Kara
asked softly, her eyes peering into his.
Jace looked away, suddenly uncomfortable with the attention that he had
been begging for just a few minutes before. “You know what, guess it
already worked because I can’t remember shit,” Jace replied after several
moments, his playboy persona firmly back in place as he gave her a wink.
Kara ignored him and choked down another swallow of bourbon.
“You’re doing it all wrong,” he said with a laugh as he watched her
struggle in a losing battle against the liquor. “Here, let me help you. Tip
your head back.”
“I don’t know, Jace—”
“Just do what I tell you, Kara.”
Kara got a little thrill of excitement from his command, but it was an
empty feeling compared to how Cade made her feel—his demands set fire
to the blood in her veins and made her want to crawl through fire just to
please him. But she was trying to forget about him, so she agreed to let Jace
help, tipping her head back like he asked.
“Good, baby. Now, open your mouth.”
Internally cringing at being called baby yet again, Kara did as he asked,
hesitantly opening her mouth with her head tilted up.
“Wider,” Jace ordered.
Feeling positively asinine, Kara opened her mouth as wide as she could,
feeling her jaw ache with the stretch.
“There you go. Stay like that. Now, open your throat, like you’re about to
take a cock really deep.”
“Jace!” Kara screamed in indignation, moving from her position as she
second guessed her decision to be alone in a room with Jace.
“I told you to stay,” Jace admonished, gripping her hair and pulling her
head back. “Now open your mouth unless you want me to pour this
somewhere else.
 Annoyed but tired of fighting, Kara opened her mouth for him. She
watched him raise the bottle above her mouth without actually touching her
lips. Then he poured slowly as Kara opened her throat and let the liquor
slide down. That time, she didn’t choke on it, and it was easier to get down.
“There, isn’t that better?”
Kara nodded in agreement, her hair still held in Jace’s fist.
“Do you want more, baby?” Jace asked, his voice low and sultry.
Again, Kara nodded. This time, the baby didn’t bother her as much.
Maybe the alcohol was working after all. Jace raised the bottle to her lips
and poured, but before she could swallow, his mouth was on hers, drinking
in the taste of liquor and the taste of her as they shared a burning kiss. For a
moment, Kara allowed herself to forget who she was kissing. She allowed
herself to forget about Cade. She allowed herself to enjoy the experience of
being wanted and desired, and she opened her mouth for Jace to explore.
For one moment, she allowed herself to feel sated by the feel of his tongue
on hers, his hands roaming her body looking for exposed skin, his hands
roaming lower still.
And then that moment shattered.
Suddenly, the kiss felt wrong. The feel of Jace’s mouth against hers was
wrong. The taste of him on her lips was wrong. The caress of his hand
trailing along her inner thighs was very, very wrong. Because Jace wasn’t
Cade. And as much as she wanted to forget about Cade and what he was
doing at that very moment, she couldn’t let go enough to drown herself in
the attentions of another man. Against reason and her better judgment, she
cared about Cade. She cared about what he would feel about her kissing
Jace, even when she knew he was out with someone else and giving her no
such loyalty. And that nagging, unrelenting infatuation with her captor
terrified her as much as it pissed her the fuck off.
“Jace, stop.” Kara tried to force him away, desperate for enough space to
breath without Jace’s fully erect cock protruding far too closely into the
vicinity of her open legs. But pushing against the firmness of Jace’s chest
was like pushing against a brick wall and expecting it to give way beneath
the effort. It was, unsurprisingly, pointless. Trying not to panic at the
precariousness of the situation she’d willingly walked into, Kara tried a
different approach. “Please give me a bit of room,” Kara begged sweetly as
she stoked his arm—a calming gesture rather than a seductive one. “You’re
crushing me.”
“Am I?” Jace asked innocently as he pressed his hard-on between her
thighs, grinding against her body roughly. “I think you like it.”
“I can assure you, I don’t.” Kara tried to leverage the strength of her legs
against him, but the movement merely caused more friction between them
as he straddled her hips. “Get the fuck off of me!” Kara shouted in
frustration, her helplessness infuriating.
“Shut your goddamn mouth,” Jace growled as he lowered to attack her
mouth with his, kissing her with a passion that felt more like hatred than
desire. He could feel the vibrations of her screams against his tongue as he
muffled her protests with the seal of his mouth. His hand twisted in her hair
as he held her still beneath him, taking by force everything she no longer
wanted to give him. Jace scoffed at Kara’s continued attempts to push him
away. If she knew him better, she would know that he couldn’t be denied so
easily.
Trembling with the realization that Jace could truly do whatever he
wanted with her and nothing and no one could stop him, Kara used the last
weapon at her disposal and bit down as hard as she possibly could against
Jace’s invasive tongue. She continued to bite until the taste of blood filled
her mouth, biting harder still until she felt Jace pull away so suddenly that
she didn’t register his raised hand until she felt the sting of an open palm
against her cheek.
Kara gasped in reaction, though the brutal slap shouldn’t have surprised
her. Jace had hit her before. In fact, she’d always known exactly the kind of
man he was—a brute who played upon the weakness of others. And she’d
let him twist at the hurt and insecurity she had regarding Cade until she was
so desperate to feel something good that she’d allowed him inside her head,
inside her mouth, nearly inside her body before she had a welcome shock of
common sense. It was a mistake that she would never make again.
“Did that feel good, Jace?” Kara taunted as she rubbed at her sore cheek.
“Is smacking around someone who is helpless beneath you the trick to
getting your dick hard?”
“You want to know what gets my dick hard, baby?” Jace asked, his words
deceptively playful while his tone was sharp with danger. Reaching down,
he grabbed ahold of Kara’s dress with both hands and tore it all the way
down the middle, exposing the softness of her flesh with only a thin lace bra
and panties for cover. He would get to those soon too. Relishing the sight of
her smooth, creamy skin, Jace skimmed his fingertips over the tops of her
full breasts spilling out of her bra as her chest heaved. When she tried to
stop him, he merely snatched up both of her thin wrists with one hand and
forced them over her head.
“Are you scared, Kara?” Jace asked as he watched her tremble beneath
his touch, his fingers trailing down over her stomach until they met the lacy
edge of her panties.
 “Jace, please stop,” Kara pleaded, the strength in her voice nearly gone as
she started to stop fighting the inevitable. People like Jace always got what
they wanted. She was merely another causality in man’s selfish pursuit of
pleasure.
“I like it when you beg me, baby. Do it again.” Jace’s fingers slipped
lower, stroking at her center over her panties.
Kara flinched at the intrusive contact, trying one last desperate time to
wriggle out from under him. Her struggle was useless. “Please,” Kara
begged, her voice nearly as sob. She braced herself for the invasion she
knew would come, pleading with her consciousness to escape the horrible
reality of Jace’s assault by way of pleasant memories or fantasies of the
man she actually cared for. She pretended it was Cade lying on top of her,
pressing against her entrance, preparing to fill her to the brim.
But the horrible violation never came.
Instead, the library doors flung open so hard that they ricocheted off the
walls behind them with an ear-splitting bang. The surprise of the intrusion
caused Jace to slacken his hold enough for Kara to lift herself slightly from
her prostrate position on the leather couch and make eye contact with the
dark, looming figure in the entrance. Her heart faltered briefly from sheer
relief when she caught sight of Cade standing guard of the doorway like an
ominous angel of vengeance, his face contorted with pure, unadulterated
fury, his jacket discarded as though he had entered the room prepared for a
fight. He took in the sight of Jace’s body pressed forcefully against Kara
and the obviously frantic pleading of her eyes. A call for help that he was
pretty fucking grateful he had made it in time to answer.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Cade asked, his words softly
dangerous as though the overwhelming magnitude of his anger had taken
away his ability to shout. The quiet deadliness of his tone was even more
threatening than bellows of rage.
With a mixture of arrogance and audacity that seemed to be his signature
attitude, Jace only half moved himself off Kara and stared back at Cade
with an expression that could only be described as nonchalant indifference.
“Ashford,” Jace greeted casually. “I know you were raised in a castle, but
didn’t they teach you to knock where you come from?”
“In case you have forgotten, this is my goddamn house. I’m under no
obligation to announce myself before entering any of my rooms.”
“Just trying to save you from seeing something that might offend your
delicate sensibilities,” Jace responded with false politeness, his hands raised
as though in surrender.
“Get the fuck off of her,” Cade ordered sharply, his jaw tense with anger.
“Now why would I do that?” Jace asked with a smug smile as he splayed
his fingers across the bare flesh of Kara’s stomach, enjoying the way she
shivered beneath his touch. “She practically begged for me after you left her
here alone.” Jace trailed his hand up to Kara’s lips. “Did you know she
tastes like honey, or has she not let you sample her mouth yet?”
Cade stalked toward Jace furiously. “Wipe that goddamn smirk off your
face before I do it for you.” He reached for Kara’s hand, pulling her roughly
from beneath Jace and setting her on her feet. His careful eyes appraised the
state of her, searching for damage or injury. His expression darkened when
he caught sight of her reddened cheek and blood on her lips. “Are you
alright?” Cade asked softly.
Not trusting the strength of her voice, Kara merely nodded. Not that she
was in the best state of mind to answer that question. Was she okay? She
wasn’t entirely sure. All she knew was that she was better off than she
would have been if Cade had arrived a few minutes later.
“You’re shivering,” Cade commented in concern, his voice deep and full
as he touched her trembling lips.
“Am I?” Kara responded numbly, not quite sure that she was fully present
in her body, her mind seeming to have drifted somewhere else entirely.
“You are,” Cade confirmed, his voice growing even deeper, almost
hoarse. “And it’s no fucking wonder.” Without a moment’s hesitation,
Cade’s hands fell to his shirt, hastily ripping open the buttons and sliding
the white material gracefully off his well-formed shoulders. As if in
embrace, Cade wrapped his arms around Kara, draping his shirt over her
half-naked body and helping her arms into the far too long sleeves. The
unexpected sight of Kara in his clothes filled Cade with a possessive sort of
tenderness, as though covering her in his scent—in things that belonged to
him—somehow claimed her as his as well.
Instinctively, Kara wrapped Cade’s shirt tighter around her body,
gratefully absorbing the lingering warmth and inhaling his intoxicatingly
masculine scent. With her nakedness covered and her chilled shivers abated,
Kara finally began to relax. In spite of what had nearly just happened,
Cade’s presence lulled her into a sense of security. Though her
circumstances hadn’t much changed—she still shared a room with the man
who held her captive and the man who tried to assault her—Kara felt
inexplicably safe.
Satisfied that Kara was, for the moment, in a stable frame of mind and
body, Cade once again focused his fury on the prick who had tried to force
himself on his girl. In all honesty, Cade would have been pissed as fuck
even if it was consensual. But the fact that the arsehole had been violent,
torn her clothes, and held her down made Cade see fucking red. The bastard
would be lucky if he made it out of that room alive, let alone in one fucking
piece. Not wanting Kara to get caught in the crosshairs, Cade protectively
tucked her behind him, pressing her to his bare back and using his own
body as a shield. Reflexively, Kara wrapped her arms around his lower
waist, resting her head against his shoulder.
“Now, I’ll ask you one more goddamn time—what the fuck do you think
you’re doing with my girl?” Cade asked Jace, his voice shaking with
violence. He was keeping the lurking monster of rage restrained, but barely.
“What the fuck do you mean, your girl?” Jace questioned, genuinely
surprised by Cade’s words. “You left, remember? To fuck someone other
than your girl, if I’m not mistaken.” Jace laughed, but it was cold and
humorless. “You’ve got some fucking nerve getting pissed at me for just
taking advantage of an opportunity. Sorry mate, if you leave your toys lying
around, they’re gonna get played.” Jace flashed Cade a smug smile that
practically begged for a punch to the face.
And that’s exactly what he got. Knocked on his fucking ass.
Cade reared back for another hit while Jace was still on the ground, but
Kara tugged at his arm with a silent plea not to invoke more violence.
“Jesus, Ashford, what the fuck?” Jace exclaimed in shock as he spat the
blood from his mouth onto the pristine white rug in the middle of the room.
“She is mine, do you understand me? You do not fucking touch her. You
don’t fucking talk to her. You don’t even fucking look at her. You’re lucky
I’m allowing you to continue breathing the same air as her. And if you fuck
up a single one of those rules regarding her, you’ll forfeit that privilege as
well. I’ll bury you on the grounds, six feet under, and you’ll be alive when I
do it. At least, for as long as it takes for you to suffocate as your lungs fill
with earth and you spend your last few miserable minutes of life
contemplating why you should never fuck with me. Do I make myself
abundantly clear?”
“Fuck, yes, I get it. I don’t have a fucking death wish.” Jace got to his
feet, noticeably less cocky than he was a few minutes before. “No pussy is
worth that much trouble, no matter how good it is.”
“Shut your goddamn mouth and get out of my sight. I’ll deal with you
later,” Cade ordered, his last words ominous and laced with the threat of
violence.
“Sure thing, boss,” Jace answered obediently, suddenly very focused on
self-preservation. Pissed as hell, Jace stormed toward his wing of the
manor. Being hyped up, fucked up, and having nothing to stick his cock
into left him feeling itching for a fight. What the fuck was wrong with
Ashford? He’d never been territorial about women. Ever. Bitches meant just
as little to Ashford as they did to him; it was one of the reasons they got
along so well. And then that fucking prude showed up and had Ashford
salivating for a taste of something he couldn’t have. Ashford might enjoy
working for his fuck, but Jace only enjoyed playing the game of hard to get
for so long. Eventually the girl would give it up, whether she wanted to or
not.
A large obstacle blocked Jace’s path as he turned down the hall on the
lower level toward his room. Jace looked up to see the hulking mass of
Ashford’s security guard glaring at him angrily. What the fuck was Ortega’s
problem? Did Jace accidentally lay the moves on his girl too?
“Bro, what the fuck are you doing? I’m not in the mood for this shit.”
“You hit her,” Ortega answered angrily as he aggressively threw his hands
into Jace’s chest, shoving him backward.
 “What the hell?” Jace asked, shocked that the man was picking a fight
with him over a girl. He and Ortega had never butted heads before. “I don’t
know what—”
“Don’t fuck with me, pendejo. I saw you hit her.” Ortega appreciated the
look of concern that crossed Jace’s face when he remembered that there
were security cameras in the library. And he had all the proof he needed to
put Jace in an early grave. “And if he ever watches that security footage,
you better get on your goddamn knees and pray because Ashford will
fucking kill you.” Ortega grabbed ahold of Jace’s collar and jerked him
closer, his size and muscle utterly dwarfing Jace. “And I promise you, I will
help him destroy you with joy in my heart.”
“Fuck you, Ortega,” Jace spat angrily, ripping himself from the other
man’s grasp.
“Watch your back, cabrón,” the massive man warned before stalking
away.
Jace swayed as he continued toward his room, the alcohol reeking havoc
on his nervous system. That and being threatened by a scary fucking bastard
who was very believably rumored to be part of the Mexican drug cartel
before Ashford got him in his pocket. Ortega had lost his shit. Ashford too.
The damn bitch was making everyone in the house go fucking crazy.
Someone needed to take her down a peg or two, and he knew just the
bastard for the job.

CADE led Kara up the stairs and down the hall in silence. Kara noticed as
they passed her room and continued down toward where she knew Cade
slept, but she said nothing. She also noticed the smooth contours of Cade’s
bare back, the way his muscles rippled as he walked in front of her, the way
his pants hung low on his hips, the delectable divots at the base of his spine
—she definitely didn’t comment on any of that either. Cade stopped in front
of his room, opened the door, and entered. Subconsciously, Kara stopped at
the threshold, fearful that she was allowing herself to walk into yet another
precarious situation with a man, having just escaped another. In spite of her
misgivings, a gentle tug of Cade’s hand had her standing in his bedroom,
the door shut and unmistakably locked behind them.
“Cade, I really hope you’re not about to try the same moves Jace just did.
Because it’s not going to happen,” Kara admonished in a tone that she
hoped was assertive, but she was fairly certain she just sounded desperate as
hell. Because she was. Having downed a fair amount of alcohol, had her
clothes ripped from her body, been possessively claimed by her equally
sexy and scary criminal captor, and been subjected to Cade’s half-naked
body for far too long, she was undeniably down to fuck.
“Well that is good to know, as I wasn’t really planning on putting out
tonight,” Cade responded, lightly scoffing at her presumptuousness. “Just
let me put a shirt on so my substantial pectorals don’t tempt your mind
further into the gutter,” he added cheekily. “In your defense, I understand
how having both of us half naked in my bedroom might have given the
wrong impression.”
Drowning in humiliation at that point, Kara averted her eyes so he could
have privacy to dress. “So I was given the servant’s quarters I see,” she
commented sardonically as she took advantage of his momentary departure
to his closet to take stock of Cade’s private living quarters. It would be a
misidentification to call the space a bedroom as it was nearly the size of her
entire apartment, complete with a sitting room, lounge area, office space,
two monstrous chandeliers, and a bed so imposing it defied description.
His clothing fully restored, Cade walked back over to where Kara stood
in abashed silence. “There, at least one of us can concentrate now,” he said
in a voice full of emotion. He caught her chin tenderly and drew her face up
to meet his. “You’re bleeding,” Cade said in a tone as black as death as he
ran his thumb over the smudge of blood at the corner of her mouth.
“It’s not mine,” Kara explained hurriedly before Cade rushed out of the
room and killed someone, which he was very much on the verge of doing
from the murderous look in his eyes. “I bit him when he tried to force his
tongue down my throat.”
“That’s my vicious girl,” Cade praised warmly as his features softened
into an expression of admiration as he continued to look over her body for
signs of injury.
“Really, I’m fine,” she said, trying to brush aside his concern.
Cade gave her a stern look of warning before she resigned herself to his
intense inspection. He traced the faint purpled streaks that marked her jaw
where Jace’s grip had been too tight. He pulled away his shirt from her
chest, revealing the torn remains of her dress, as he continued his search for
injuries, and she shivered in response. Cade resisted the urge to try to kiss
away the imprints of violence left behind on her body.
“You arrived just in time.”
Kara’s comment startled Cade from his private anguish. “I cannot begin
to describe how sorry I am that you were treated in such a manner in my
home, where I promised you safety.”
 “It’s not your fault,” she replied in a voice devoid of emotion. Kara didn’t
want to think about how close she had come to being raped. She felt a
baseless sense of shame at having allowed herself to be put in such a
vulnerable situation. She knew one thing for sure, if Cade hadn’t burst
through the door when he did, she would have far more regrets to agonize
over.
“Well, let’s get some clothes on you before I turn from rescuing to
ravaging,” Cade announced with the hope of distracting Kara from
whatever thoughts were clouding her expression. He appreciated the lovely
flush of her cheeks when she realized she was in his bedroom practically
naked. “Any preferences?” he asked in regard to clothes.
“Um, just something comfortable, I guess?” Kara responded, not really in
the mood to contemplate fashion options.
“Well in that case, here,” he said, tossing her a matching pair of sweats
that he pulled from his closet.
Kara eyed the clothes warily; there was something inherently intimate in
wearing a man’s clothes, and Kara wasn’t sure she wanted to venture into
that territory, even if the act was technically meaningless. “Couldn’t I just
wear something from my room?” she asked, almost certain of his refusal.
“Tonight I am not leaving your side, and you aren’t leaving this room. So
you are left with what my wardrobe can offer, I’m afraid,” Cade responded,
watching as aspects of his answer incited her shock. He could take a
education guess at which part.
“Cade, I’m not going to sleep with you in this room,” she replied, wary of
misconstruing his intent again.
“Well you won’t be sleeping with me. You may have the bed, of course.
I’ll take the floor.”
 Kara cringed at the thought of Cade resigning himself to a night of little
sleep on the hard floor on her account. “Please, I can’t let you sleep on the
floor. I’m sure I will be fine in my own room,” she pleaded guiltily.
“We can always share the bed if you insist,” he retorted to see the color
rise in her cheeks. “And do you really want to risk Jace making a late night
renewal of his advances?”
“Okay, so it might not be a bad idea to have some company tonight to be
safe. But we can’t just stay holed up in your room for the rest of the night.
What if I…get hungry?” Kara asked stupidly, desperate for literally any
excuse that would allow her to escape an entire night in confined quarters
with the man who had saved her by essentially declaring she was his
property. It was an archaic notion, the thought of owning another person,
and it should have had her thoroughly repulsed. Unfortunately, her
rebellious pussy had a different response to hearing Cade say mine. And it
was the needy desires of her irrational sex that had her anxious to leave
Cade’s bedroom before things got unnecessarily complicated.
“Are you hungry?”
“Not at the moment,” Kara responded evasively.
“Well, if we manage to work up an appetite, I will happily have anything
you desire delivered right to the door,” Cade responded, his tone
intentionally suggestive.
“But—” Kara began before being cut off.
“Kara, continue to argue with me any longer, and I’m going to assume
you enjoy spending time with me in nothing but your knickers.”
Kara’s face filled with embarrassment for the umpteenth time, and she
snatched the proffered apparel out of Cade’s hands. “So are you sticking
around for the show, or what?” she asked pointedly in irritation.
 “Don’t tempt me, love. The door on the left is the bathroom. The door on
the right is my sex dungeon. Take your pick,” he offered good-humoredly.
Kara paled in horror. “I’m kidding. The dungeon is downstairs,” he added
with a sly smile.
Kara raced to the door on the left, hoping beyond reason that the manor
housed no dungeon, though with a man of Cade’s tastes she couldn’t be
sure. She opened the door somewhat hesitantly and was met with the
welcoming site of a large, luxurious bathroom. A gorgeous clawfoot
bathtub stood amid the white marbled floors and walls like a glittering
jewel, quite literally sparkling from the downcast gleams of the crystal
chandelier above. How many damn gaudy chandeliers did the man own? If
suspended crystal was a fetish, Cade most certainly had it. Kara looked at
the tub longingly, feeling quite sure a hot soak would wash away all of the
grime of a terrible day. Well, most of it anyway.
After locking the bathroom door, Kara turned on the water and let the
steam begin to fill the room. She desperately avoided the mirror as she
waited for the tub to fill before slipping into the blissful warmth. With
fervent need, she endeavored to wash the invisible remnants of Jace’s touch
from her body, rubbing a cloth against her skin with an aggression that
bordered on violence. Silent tears of grief and frustration fell and melded
with the warm water below. Kara wiped away the tears angrily and sank
into the welcoming abyss of the watery depths.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.
She counted as she held her breath, feeling a sense of calm wash over her
resulting from the oxygen deprivation induced euphoria.
Ninety-seven. Ninety-eight. Ninety-nine. One hundred.
 She broke through the water with a gasping breath. The events of the day
had been banished to the farthest recesses of memory, and she felt centered
once again. The bath having fulfilled its purpose, Kara stepped out and
wrapped herself in the plushest towel she had ever had the pleasure of
experiencing. Relaxed and dry, she slipped into Cade’s sweatpants and
sweatshirt feeling properly cozy. Kara emerged from the bathroom in a haze
of steam and found Cade casually sprawled across the bed.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
“Yes, thank you. I made use of your bath.”
“And I’m sure it was never better used. This is a great look for you,” he
remarked, gesturing to the all too long sweatpants and baggy shirt.
“Yeah, I’d heard frumpy chic was trending,” she answered with equal
sarcasm.
“I think you’d look lovely in anything you wore,” Cade complimented
with sincerity, his voice tinged with emotion. “So which side of the bed do
you prefer?” he asked, patting the space beside him.
Kara looked at him in shock, hoping that he had no expectation of her
sharing his bed. “I think the floor will be fine, thanks. If I could just borrow
a pillow, maybe?” she responded, the anxious wariness creeping back into
her voice.
Cade mentally smacked himself in the head. Kara had just been assaulted,
and he was bastard enough to be suggestive about their sleeping
arrangements. “I apologize. I was trying to lighten the mood and ended up
coming off as a complete prick.” Cade nearly jolted out of the bed in
contrition and gestured for her to make use of it without him. “I have more
than earned a night of sleeping on the floor. And I’ll even forsake a pillow
as an act of repentance.”
 “It’s all right, you don’t have to tread so cautiously because of what
happened with Jace. And I’m happy to sleep on the floor. You did save the
day after all, and I don’t want to displace you from your own bed.”
“You get my bed; I get the floor. That’s the end of it, Kara,” Cade stated
somewhat sternly.
Kara didn’t have the mental capacity to argue with him at that moment,
so she obediently crawled into bed as he began to get situated on the floor.
“Pillow?” she called as she threw a grey silk cushion as hard as she could
toward where he was standing. It hit him straight in the face, causing him to
stumble backward slightly from the surprise impact, an astonishing feat
considering her inability to aim. Kara grinned sheepishly as he glared at her.
“Attacking an unarmed man, Miss Caine? You should be ashamed,” Cade
chastised, his face the perfect picture of disappointment. “I have half a mind
to take you to task for insolence,” he added seriously, holding the pillow
poised as a threat. A man so practiced with intimidation looked fearsome
even when weaponizing a pillow. “I suppose, given the lateness of the hour,
I will let you off easy tonight. For future notice, I would advise you not to
initiate a pillow fight unless you’re prepared for battle. I like to play rough,
and I like to win,” Cade teased, a smile cracking through his intense
exterior.
Kara couldn’t help but laugh at his unexpected silliness. The man was
gorgeous when he smoldered, but he was stunning when he actually relaxed
and let a smile replace his usual scowl. She begged her overactive heart to
slow its pace before she passed out from the depth of emotions she refused
to name.
“Well, the hard floor awaits,” Cade said as he went to turn out the lights
and head for the floor with a light blanket taken from a chair in the corner
and the pillow Kara had so graciously bestowed.
Kara glanced guiltily at Cade in his makeshift bed on the floor. “Are you
sure you don’t want me to take the floor?”
“Go to sleep, Kara,” he answered without looking up.
“You don’t look very comfortable.”
“Well, I am used to sleeping naked, but I can muddle through for the sake
of propriety.”
That comment silenced Kara easily enough. To be honest, Cade found
sleeping fully clothed to be damned irritating. He preferred nudity. For both
parties. After some deliberation, Cade found the boldness to request a small
compromise. “Would you find it terribly uncomfortable if I removed my
shirt? I’m a rather hot sleeper. The bottoms remain, I promise.”
“I suppose, as my eyes will be closed, it doesn’t much matter what you’re
wearing,” Kara responded, trying not to sound flustered at the idea of Cade
removing clothing. “But keep your pants on,” she added hastily, afraid he
would take her attempt at sounding casual as an invitation to undress
entirely.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered teasingly as he reached for the neck of his
shirt and pulled it smoothly over his head, tossing it on the bed. It was his
wicked intent to walk over to her, naked chest in full view, and retrieve his
shirt in the morning. Her expression of abashed arousal would be his
entertainment for the day. With smug satisfaction, Cade attempted to settle
into his bed for the night. The hard floor was truly unbearable, but the
ultimate sacrifice was that such a beautiful girl was lying in his bed alone
and un-fucked. Cade closed his eyes tightly and tried to concentrate on
something other than the plethora of ways he could be occupying his bed’s
companion.
 Kara stirred restlessly in the unfamiliar bed. The pillows felt too soft and
the smell of Cade lingered on the sheets, arousing feelings far removed
from drowsiness. She stared at the ceiling, replaying the events of the day.
The violent images that came to mind didn’t merit revisiting ever again, but
she couldn’t erase them, hard as she might try. Jace had earned a lifetime
role in the cinema of Kara’s memory. And, much to her chagrin, she was
still forced to share a house with the asshole, eating meals with him,
running into him in the hall, falling asleep a mere floor away from where
his own room stood. The fact that Cade didn't have the full trust in his
associate to allow her to sleep alone made Kara uneasy. She stretched out
fully to feel the cold emptiness beside her. Having a bed to herself had
never bothered Kara before, but suddenly she didn’t want to share a bed
alone with her fears.
“Cade?” she timidly probed the silence.
“Yes, Kara?” Cade answered, sounding entirely awake.
Kara took a deep breath. “Come to bed, please? Just to sleep. I’d rather
not be alone at the moment, and there really is too much room in this
ridiculous bed for you to be sleeping on the floor.”
Cade took a moment to savor the essence of her request. She didn’t ask
for the one thing Cade wanted to do with a woman in bed, but somehow her
plea made him feel more satisfied than sex had in quite some time. Kara’s
vulnerability evoked a tenderness that Cade hadn’t known he possessed; he
attempted to stifle those stirrings of weakness as he rose from the floor and
slipped into the empty side of the bed. Kara remained turned away on her
side, and Cade watched the rise and fall of Kara’s chest as her breathing
regulated to a more relaxed pace. The outline of her body was masked by
the bulk of his damned sweat set, but she still made a beautiful addition to
his bed. He longed to touch her, not sensually, but to alleviate any tensions
that remained after her ordeal. Cade reached a tentative hand to her back.
“May I?” he asked softly.
“Okay,” Kara whispered in permission, a small tremble to her voice.
Cade placed both of his hands on her back and began to gently knead the
tension away. In spite of herself, Kara moaned as his fingers pressed against
her sore muscles, her body unfamiliar with such luxurious care. It seemed
Cade was skilled with his fingers in every respect.
“Where’d you pick up this skill?” she asked after several minutes of
relaxed bliss, surprised that such a rough man could be so delicate with his
hands.
Cade moved his hands up and down her back, taking a moment before
answering. “On the rare chance my mother was feeling maternal, this was
how she would chase away the occasional nightmare. I suppose I still
remember it as the most soothing of remedies. I thought it might help.”
Cade continued with his attentions in uneasy silence.
And what the fuck was that?
Cade didn’t know what had possessed him to bring up his mother. The
subject of his family was off limits even when he was in committed
relationships, and yet, there he was sharing unsolicited, intimate details
about his family like an imbecile. Something about the girl disarmed him,
and he didn’t like entering any situation unarmed.
“It does help. Thank you,” Kara answered, her voice full. Cautiously, she
turned over on her other side so she could see Cade. His eyes were honed in
on her, his expression guarded and not quite discernible. He was so close
that she could feel his warmth, so close that she had only to reach out to
touch the bare skin of his chest. And she wanted to. Desperately.
 “Don’t look at me like that,” Cade admonished almost angrily.
“Like what?” Kara asked anxiously, feeling her cheeks warm with
embarrassment. Could he see her staring at his lips, aching to kiss him?
Could he feel the heat of her skin as she burned for his touch? Did he know
that, in her darkest desires, she wanted him to do exactly what Jace had
been planning? Because if it had been his hands on her body, ripping off her
clothes and forcing her, she would have wanted it. She wanted it so badly
she had to press her legs together tightly to keep the proof of her arousal
from dripping down her legs. Fuck, she was absolutely ruined for him.
“Like I’m some sort of savior or knight in shining armor,” Cade
elaborated, his tone scathing and abrasive. “Because I’m not. I may not
approve of what Jace was about to do to you tonight, but I can assure you
I’m not much better. I may sound like Prince Charming to girls like you, but
I don’t have a noble bone in my body. And trust me, princess, I don’t save. I
destroy. And I revel in the chaos.”
“What if I don’t want someone noble?” Kara asked softly, so softly she
could barely be sure she’d spoken it aloud. “What if I don’t want to be
saved?”
What if I want you.
“Don’t tempt me, love. I’m not in the mood to be gentle. And after the
situation I just pulled you from, you’re not in a state to handle what I want
to do to you.”
“You know what your problem is, Caden Ashford? You consistently
underestimate me. I’m tougher than you think. Or hadn’t you noticed in the
week you’ve spent trying to get me to give in to your demands? How did
that work out for you?”
 “You know what your problem is, Kara Caine? You never know when to
shut the fuck up.” Suddenly, Cade closed the space between them, his
fingers digging into her hair as he pulled her beneath him. He hovered over
her, pressing himself against her and using the weight of his body to keep
her pinned. Cade’s fingers roamed her body until he found her throat,
wrapping his hand around her neck possessively, but not applying pressure.
Not yet. “Is this what you want, love?” Cade whispered harshly against her
ear. “You want me to hurt you?”
“Yes,” she answered breathlessly, her pupils dilated with desire and a
small dose of fear.
“You want me to take you and make you mine?” he asked dangerously,
his other hand traveling between her thighs and grabbing her cunt roughly.
“Once I possess someone, they’re mine. Always.”
His words were a warning. An ominous one. But all they did was stoke
the fire of passion burning in Kara’s chest. For Cade, she wanted to burn,
wanted the flames to consume every inch of her body. “I’m yours, Cade.
I’m already yours,” Kara confessed, her voice shuddering with emotion and
need. The admission startled her as much as it did Cade. He stilled, as
though in shock, before removing his hand from between her legs and
ripping his fingers from her throat. Kara felt empty without them.
“You don’t mean that. You’re just a naive girl caught in a trap and
looking for the best means of escape,” Cade responded cruelly. “Sorry love,
you won’t be able to fuck your way out of this prison. I still need the book.
And you’re still going to retrieve it for me.” Cade’s words were far harsher
than his actual thoughts, an overcompensation for feelings of weakness
regarding Kara that he didn’t want to admit or deal with.
 Kara’s face filled with hurt at Cade’s hateful words, tears glistening in her
eyes and threatening to spill. But she didn’t move. Didn’t say a word. She
didn’t trust herself to be able to acknowledge him without breaking down.
“But,” Cade continued, resolved to twist the knife he’d plunged into her
heart just a bit more. “If you want to fuck around to pass the time, I am
happy to oblige you,” he taunted, grinding his body up against her once
more.
“Get off of me,” Kara demanded, her voice breaking. She stared off into
the distance, unable to look at the cruel, beautiful man hovering half-naked
above her.
“Suit yourself,” Cade answered nonchalantly, as though he really couldn’t
care less if he fucked her or not. As if he really couldn’t care less whether
she took her next breath or not. His aloofness was a facade, but a necessary
one. Cade turned away from Kara and pretended to fall into undisturbed
sleep beside her.
Kara remained on her back, where he’d thrown her a just few minutes
before, unable to move, physically overcome with pain as though Cade’s
words had evoked bodily harm rather than merely emotional injury. How
could he be so fucking cruel, after everything they’d shared between them?
She eventually found the strength to roll over to her side, hugging her knees
to her chest for comfort. She fixated on the deep, steady rhythm of Cade’s
breaths, finding a sort of calmness in the repetition. His words replayed in
her head, cutting deeper each time she heard them. In a way, Cade’s assault
seemed almost more destructive than Jace’s.
That night—the first time in ages—Kara cried herself to sleep.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVEN

C ADE awoke in the morning feeling like absolute shite. That was, if he
had gotten any sleep at all. Guilt had gnawed at his insides as he
listened to Kara cry into her pillow until she finally fell into a fitful sleep.
He was a fucking bastard; he could admit as much. He hadn’t wanted to
hurt Kara, but, in his own fucked up way, he was pretty sure he’d hurt her
far worse than any damage casual sex would have inflicted.
He would have liked nothing more than to fuck her into absolute
oblivion, to fuck every thought and memory of Jace out of her pretty little
head. He would have obliterated her with his cock, split her the fuck open,
and made her scream out his name and beg for mercy that would never be
given. But that was the fucking problem. She wasn’t like his usual fucks.
She hadn’t been vetted and hand picked to withstand his voracious
appetites. Their relationship hadn’t been planned, there’d been no
agreements or discussions of limits. Hell, she didn’t even know about the
Hideaway. She couldn’t handle him; no matter how brave or strong or
invincible she thought she was, she could not fucking handle the things he
wanted to do to her. He would wreck her. And as much as he would enjoy
destroying her mind, body, and soul, he was astonished to discover that he
preferred Kara in one piece more.
Cade didn’t have a single fragment of selflessness or tenderness in his
goddamn body, so why was he putting Kara’s feelings over the needs of his
cock? He needed a distraction, a way to burn out all the pent up frustration
and energy that didn’t involve him slipping his dick into the girl sleeping
peacefully beside him. And he knew just the fix.
“Wake up, sleepy head,” Cade called softly as he tried to rouse her, his
darkness from the previous night vanished.
Kara stirred begrudgingly, desperately clinging to the last fragments of
slumber before they flitted away along with the startling nightmares that
had plagued her subconscious while she slept. She was exhausted, her head
throbbed, her eyes felt swollen and puffy, and her heart ached with the fresh
sting of rejection. Kara opened her eyes hesitantly and found the source of
her heart’s demise staring down at her with an inexplicable look in his
deceptively lovely hazel eyes. Was it guilt? Or regret? Both seemed logical,
but neither suited the character she had come to associate with Cade. Caden
Ashford was ruthless and had no use for remorse.
“How did you sleep?” Cade asked, his tone conversational. Friendly. It
almost masked the inner turmoil he was actively trying to avoid. Almost.
“Fine,” Kara spat out, still pissed about the night before. “The bed was
rather crowded,” she added with a scathing look in his direction.
 “Well, I did offer to take the floor, but someone insisted on sleeping with
me,” Cade retorted with a roguish smile on his beautiful face. The comment
earned him a glare from Kara, but she refused to fall prey to his arrogant
jabs. “Now get out of my bed,” he commanded with a sharp clap of his
hands. “We have things to do.”
“What things?” Kara asked suspiciously. After the disaster of the night
before, she was practically resolved to hide out in Cade’s bedroom until he
grew so tired of her that he set her free. Although, something told her that
Cade offering her freedom was about as likely as Jane Austen coming back
to walk the earth in zombie form. So moderately unrealistic.
A spark that seemed almost reminiscent of actual happiness filled Cade’s
eyes as his full lips stretched into a wide grin. “I’m taking you riding.”

IN what was becoming an inconvenient habit, Kara once again found

herself outfitted in Cade’s clothes. Casual horse riding attire was one of the
few things not to be found in her well-stock closet. It was a surprisingly
warm and sunny winter day, so she wore one of Cade’s thick, woolen
sweaters with the sleeves rolled up to her wrists, a pair of black yoga pants
that she had managed to find in the back of her closet, and a pair of the
most sensible boots she could find. The black leather boots still sported a
short heel, but the only other option had been a rather risqué pair of thigh-
high, stiletto boots. Whoever her predecessor had been, she clearly wasn’t
the outdoorsy type.
 Forgoing her usual routine, Kara had decided to forget the makeup that
morning and pulled her hair into a simple ponytail. Being comfortable and
relaxed while walking silently with Cade in the open air felt surprisingly
nice. Lovely, even. Cade seemed altered when he stepped into nature.
Calmer, as though he shed his usual cloak of dominance and assholery and
just allowed himself to enjoy his surroundings. Kara couldn’t help but
admire the rare view of Cade without his usual three piece suit and tie. He
wore brown jodhpurs, a simple white sweater, and beige riding pants. His
pants were tight, clinging to his body and revealing every muscular curve of
his ass and thighs. She tried not to ogle his sinfully attractive body, but—
since he was walking ahead of her—why not take advantage of an
opportunity to study the way his perfectly taut ass swayed with every
stride?
“Would you like to take a picture, Miss Caine? It would last longer,”
Cade playfully chided without so much as looking behind him.
Turning bright red all the way to her ears, Kara squeaked in mortification
before hurrying her steps to match Cade’s. Did he have eyes embedded in
the back of his freaking skull or something? Thankfully, they were close to
the stables entrance, and she would have something to distract her from the
shame of being caught checking out her captor. Kara immediately went to
say hello to Sugar Cubes while Cade made himself busy getting the gear
ready. The dark horse recognized her immediately, sniffing her hands as
though she expected treats like last time.
“Sorry, girl. That tyrant dragged me down here before I could snatch you
some apples from the kitchen. Next time, I promise,” Kara crooned as she
stroked the horse’s mane.
 “Who is a tyrant?” Cade asked, sneaking up behind Kara and placing his
hand on the back of her neck. His touch was gentle, but barely, as though he
was holding himself back. He wondered if she could feel the contained
threat of destruction in his hold.
Kara jumped at the surprise attack, steadying herself by grabbing ahold of
the stall door. “None of your business,” Kara answered spitefully, though a
little breathlessly. “I was talking to Sugar. No boys allowed.” She waved
him away as though he would listen to her demands.
Of course, he didn’t. “Watch yourself, Miss Caine,” Cade cautioned, his
eyes glittering with malice. “I came armed.” He twirled a black riding crop
between his fingers threateningly.
Kara gulped nervously at the sight and resolved to be on her best
behavior. At least until Cade put down the fucking horse whip. “So, which
one is mine?” Kara asked to change the subject, gesturing to the other
horses stomping in their stalls.
“Oh, I think I have the perfect one for you,” Cade answered
mischievously, heading toward the back of the stable. He stopped in front of
the last stall, nodding toward a large, white stallion. “You two hellions
should get along nicely.”
Kara gawked at the sight; the stallion was huge, one of the largest she had
ever seen in person. There was no way she’d be able to mount him
unassisted. “What’s his name?” Kara asked, making it clear that she wasn’t
backing down from Cade’s challenge. It was a fucking low blow to pair
someone as small as her with the largest horse in the stable, but she would
show the bastard. There was nothing quite so thrilling as proving Cade
wrong. In fact, it was becoming the very thing she lived for.
“Avalanche,” Cade answered with a smirk.
 Named after a deadly barrage of snow and ice. Fantastic.
“Cute,” Kara replied sarcastically, attempting to mask her trepidation at
being forced to ride the white, snow-death stallion. Cautiously, Kara
stepped toward the horse with her hand outstretched. The stallion snorted at
the approach, but slowly let down his guard enough to nudge her hand.
Softly, Kara trailed her fingers through his coarse mane as the horse
adjusted to her scent. “There you go,” she encouraged. “You might look
scary, but you’re a sweet boy aren’t you?” Avalanche reflexively nodded,
making Kara laugh. “Yes, you’re so good,” she continued to sweet talk
while rubbing his back.
“Huh,” Cade muttered, the sound surprised and annoyed.
“Yes, Lord Ashford?” Kara asked in a snarky tone, pausing her attentions
with Avalanche to study the brooding man beside her.
“He likes you,” Cade explained with a note of astonishment.
“And this is surprising because? I’ll have you know I’m very well liked
outside of your general vicinity, people and animals included,” Kara
answered with a pout, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I’m sure you are,” Cade retorted in a tone of thinly veiled sarcasm.
“Avalanche doesn’t like anyone.”
“Not even you?” Kara asked incredulously. She assumed the man
possessed the ability to glare anything into submission.
“No, not even me,” Cade answered with a laugh.
“So you paired me with a stallion who hates everyone, why?” Kara asked
in annoyance, though she knew she really shouldn’t be surprised. Clearly
the man made it his mission to torment her.
“I was testing a theory,” Cade replied vaguely as he continued to study
her, a dissecting expression marring his too lovely face.
 “And what was your conclusion?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Possibly.” She was actually unendurably curious to know what he
thought he had discovered about her. But she tried not to seem too keen as
she waited for his response. She was met merely with silence and a
mischievous grin. “Wait, you’re really not going to tell me?” Kara asked in
exasperation.
“You know, I don’t think I will,” he retorted smugly.
“Whatever, I don’t even care,” Kara answered as she brushed him aside
and devoted her attention to the white horse in the stall. Avalanche neighed
happily as she stroked him again. Even though Cade said the stallion wasn’t
very social, the horse warmed to her touch immediately and wasn’t nearly
as threatening as his namesake. She supposed she had a knack for melting
icy creatures.

Adopting the strictness of an instructor, Cade meticulously showed Kara the

intricacies of horseback riding. Of course, if the presumptuous bastard had
even thought to ask, he would have discovered that Kara had been riding
since she was ten. She was a little out of practice since her years at
university, but getting back into the saddle was rather like riding a bike—
muscle memory did all the work. Strictly for her personal amusement, Kara
played dumb and let Cade teach her how to ride. If she was being honest, a
small part of her also enjoyed having a legitimate excuse to get close to
him, to feel his body against her as he showed her how to mount and sit and
lead. It didn’t escape her notice how his hands lingered on her hips longer
than necessary as he helped lift her onto Avalanche, how his fingers grasped
hers a little too tightly—like he didn’t want to let her go—as he showed her
how to hold the reins. She was fairly certain that he was enjoying their
lesson as much as she was.

They’d been riding for nearly an hour, basking in the rare winter sun and
enjoying the tranquil silence of each other’s company, undisturbed other
than the ambient sounds of nature bustling about them. For someone who
often spent the majority of their time indoors amid dusty manuscripts and
aged books, Kara appreciated having the opportunity to reacquaint herself
with the outdoors. And she supposed the current view was fairly enticing in
all his dark, brooding glory. After fully relaxing into her company—away
from his men and obligations and illicit undertakings, Kara noticed that
Cade’s face lost its usual harshness and rough edges. His smile was almost
soft, his entrancing, hazel eyes almost warm as he looked over at her with
something far removed from his usual malice or mischief in his expression.
The inexplicable look in Cade’s eyes caused Kara’s hands to tremble on the
reins as heat flooded her face—and damned arousal flooded between her
thighs.
Against all reason and sense, Caden Ashford had the power to obliterate
her traitorous heart with a single glance. So, naturally, she had to formulate
some counter-attack against the bastard. Feeling daring, Kara nudged
Avalanche, urging him to go faster. The horse obediently picked up speed.
Glancing over at Cade, Kara’s eyes glimmered with a spark of challenge.
She’d always felt a surge of rivalry regarding Cade, an ever-lingering desire
to put the pompous British bastard in his place. One of the many detriments
of spending her days as a prisoner in his house was that the playing field
was never quite even. But in that moment—enjoying a rare instant of
freedom with the wind in her hair, a powerhouse of a beast beneath her
thighs, and nothing before them but the vast expanse of nature—Kara felt as
though victory was finally within her grasp.
“Kara, no,” Cade said sternly, his voice a warning as his brow furrowed
in disapproval at her initiation of a race between them.
Clearly, her challenge hadn’t been accepted. Well, perhaps he needed a
little push. Kara dug her heels into Avalanche’s sides, spurring him on and
feeling her adrenaline mount as the white horse transitioned into a gallop.
“Good boy,” Kara whispered sweetly against the horse’s ear as she stroked
his side. Avalanche was fast, gliding across the open plains as though he
longed to fly. At that speed, he practically was. Kara closed her eyes,
enjoying the rhythmic sound of hooves thundering against the earth and the
wind lashing at her hair. It was somehow peaceful and exhilarating at the
same time.
“Kara, stop!” Cade called harshly from behind her.
If he was behind her, that meant she was winning. As she spied the
outline of the stables in the distance, Kara held on tightly to the reins and
coaxed Avalanche to go just a little faster. The raucous of muttered curses
and beating hooves signaled that Cade was gaining on them. But he
wouldn’t beat her. Not that time.
“Kara Caine! Slow down this instant before you get yourself thrown and
killed,” Cade thundered at her, his tone a combination of panic and fury.
Ignoring his warnings, Kara maintained her speed and raced to be the first
one to the entrance. With a slight squeal of satisfaction, Kara came upon the
sables, reining in Avalanche to a brisk trot as they made it through the open
doors. Her chest heaving with the exertion and excitement, Kara
dismounted the horse and loosened the cinch, rubbing her hand down the
stallion’s back and whispering words of affirmation. Kara rolled her eyes as
she heard Cade storm in behind them huffing in irritation. She looked over
her shoulder to give Cade a smug smirk before taking hold of Avalanche’s
reins and leading him toward his stall at the far end of the stable. The horse
deserved a treat for being such a good boy and out-running the big, bad,
man with a habit of underestimating her.
“What the bloody hell was that errant display of stupidity?” Cade yelled
at Kara from the other end of the stable.
“I believe it’s called winning,” Kara called back, not bothering to turn
around.
Ignoring Cade and his obvious sour mood, Kara tended to her horse. She
removed the saddle and bridle and ran her hands over Avalanche’s legs to
ensure he was in good shape after the ride. Kara brushed her fingers
through the horse’s mane, loving the coarse texture of his hair against her
skin. “Are you thirsty, boy?” Kara asked, stroking the horse’s forehead and
looking at him patiently as though she expected a response. Avalanche
merely snorted, which Kara took as a yes.
While Kara filled a pail of water, Cade came up behind her, his own horse
promptly stalled and tended. In his hand, Cade furiously clutched a plaited
leather riding crop. His face darkened with anger, Cade drew back his arm
and swung the crop with his full strength at Kara’s unsuspecting backside.
The leather made contact with her arse with a loud, satisfying thwap, but
the sound dulled in comparison to the surprised, pain-filled shriek the lash
dragged from Kara’s lips. Startled, Kara lost her hold on the bucket, water
splattering everywhere and drenching her boots and pants. She turned
toward Cade, her expression aghast as she rubbed at her smarting backside.
“What the fuck was that?” Kara shouted angrily, still in disbelief that he’d
struck her.
 “What the fuck was that?” Cade thundered back, gesturing toward where
she’d been racing him. “You could have been injured or worse.”
“I was having a bit of fun! Something that’s been sorely lacking since I
arrived at this godforsaken manor!”
“Fun? Does your idea of fun always involve the potential for fatality?”
“I knew what I was doing, Caden,” Kara retorted sharply.
“Yes, you are clearly more experienced with riding than you implied,
Kara,” Cade answered as he grimaced with disapproval at her duplicity on
that subject. “But that doesn’t make your actions any less reckless. I ordered
you to stop, and you ignored me.”
“I don’t take orders from you,” Kara scoffed. “I’m not your employee.
I’m not your girlfriend. So you can shove your orders up your ass and fuck
off.”
Charging toward her, Cade closed the space between them so rapidly that
Kara flinched. He pressed his body against her, his hand wrapping tightly
around her throat—the strength of his hold threatening and enticing all at
once. Cade still held the riding crop in his other hand, and Kara eyed it
warily.
“You are under my protection and under my roof; therefore, you do
fucking take orders from me. And when I tell you to stop behaving
dangerously and carelessly, you fucking listen.” With his hand still firmly
wrapped around Kara’s throat, Cade trailed the tip of the crop along Kara’s
body, dragging it down her breasts, along her hips, over her arse, across her
thighs, and back up until it rested under her chin. With the flat end of the
crop, Cade forced Kara’s chin up, tilting her head back until she was staring
up at him.
 “The next time you disobey me and put your safety at risk, I will whip
you fucking senseless. Do you understand me?” Cade threatened coldly, his
fingers digging tightly into her neck to emphasize his seriousness.
Kara stared at him in open-mouthed horror, the shock of his threats, his
hand enclosing her throat, and the lingering sting on her ass stunning her
into silence. Clearly expecting a response, Cade reprimanded her silence
with a sharp tap of the crop to the underside of her chin. Kara flinched, but
she couldn’t escape his hold on her throat as his fingers squeezed tighter.
“I said: do you fucking understand me, Kara?” Cade repeated sternly.
“Yes,” she choked out. “I understand, Caden.”
“Good. Now, get your arse inside, go to your room, and stay there until I
feel you’ve properly learnt your lesson.”
“You’re fucking grounding me?”
“Behave like a willful child, and you’ll be treated as such.”
“Fuck you,” Kara spat before turning on her heel and storming out of the
stables. Kara realized her mistake as soon as she felt the sharp, punishing
sting of Cade’s riding crop against her ass. Again. “Ow! That fucking
hurts!” Kara screamed at him in unmitigated fury as she rubbed the abused
flesh of her backside.
“Good. It’s meant to,” Cade responded without an ounce of remorse.
“Now go before you earn another.” He jerked his head toward the stable
exit, dismissing her coldly.
With an unbecoming stomp of her foot and a huff of irritation, Kara
rushed out of the stable, eager to escape the presence of the insufferable,
overbearing, abusive, arrogant, unjustly attractive bastard. She struggled
with irreconcilable urges to murder Cade violently and fuck him in the
exact same manner. She wasn’t sure which urge was the strongest, the most
logical, or the most probable. But she sure as fuck needed to do something
to him. And preferably, it needed to hurt.

A figure loomed in the doorway as Kara approached the front steps of the
manor. Jace lounged casually against the banister, a lit cigarette in his hand,
his eyes unnervingly locked on hers. Kara was more than aware that her
appearance was less than presentable—her hair was wind-ravaged, her skin
was flushed with exertion and lingering anger, her boots were muddy, and
her pants were soaked from the knees down. She was cold, wet, her ass was
sore, and she was pissed as hell. The last thing she needed at that moment
was to be dealing with Jace’s passive aggressive shit.
“What the fuck are you looking at, Jacen?”
“Looks like someone had a hard ride,” Jace drawled in a sultry voice, his
eyes raking over her body and taking in the disheveled state of her hair and
clothes. “Or perhaps you weren’t the one doing the riding?” he questioned
suggestively with a raised brow.
“Fuck off, Jace,” Kara answered, the sexual innuendo riling her up more.
Because she hadn’t slept with Cade, and she would be lying if she said she
hadn’t been pleasantly entertaining the idea most of the afternoon, right up
to the moment Cade hit her with a fucking horse whip. “There isn’t a single
man in this house that tempts me to anything other than murder and torture
of the most gruesome variety.”
“Careful, baby. Some of us would consider that foreplay,” Jace answered
seductively, a full smile playing upon his lips.
“You’re deranged,” Kara scoffed with a roll of her eyes. Of course he
would enjoy the threat of bodily harm.
Sick prick.
 “Quite possibly. Does that turn you on?”
Was he fucking flirting with her? After the shit he’d pulled yesterday?
“Not in the least. I prefer people in full possession of their mental faculties,
thanks.”
“Don’t knock it till you try it.”
“Yeah, thanks for the unsolicited advice, but I need to get to my room.”
Fuck, why did she tell him that she was going to her room alone? “Boss’s
orders,” Kara explained, hoping to cover her misstep and remind Jace that
Cade knew exactly where to find her.
Jace took a long drag of his cigarette as his eyes burned into hers with a
heat that somehow made her shudder. Finally he stepped aside, making
room for Kara to pass. “Run along like a good little girl,” he taunted as she
scurried past him and through the front doors without another glance.

DARKNESS had fallen before Kara finally heard a knock on the door.
Cade had punished her with confinement in her room for nearly eight
fucking hours. During those hours, she’d not even been allowed the
courtesy of tea and a biscuit from Mrs. Hughes. Kara was bored, hungry,
and fucking pissed.
Without waiting for a response—which she wouldn’t deign to give the
bastard anyway—Cade barged in through the door. Not giving him a
moment’s notice, Kara remained in her perfectly posed position in the bed,
pretending to be greatly enthralled with a novel she’d actually already read.
The man would have to forcefully pry the book from her fucking fingers if
he wanted her attention because she certainly had no intention of willingly
looking upon his hateful face.
“Kara,” Cade said slowly, his tone holding a blatant warning that she
better watch her attitude.
Well, fuck him.
Kara continued reading. Or rather, staring at the jumble of words on the
page. Because in spite of her best efforts, every traitorous atom in her body
seemed fixated on Cade’s presence whenever he entered the room.
“Kara,” Cade chastised, his voice firmer this time. “Put the book down
and look at me.”
In spite of her resolve, Kara found her cowardly limbs lowering the book
slightly in response to the command in Cade’s tone. She peeked up at him
from the top of the pages, raising a single brow as though challenging his
goddamn nerve in demanding anything from her, before returning her
attention back to the pages.
With an angry grunt of irritation at her pettiness, Cade quickly stormed
toward Kara, snatched the book from her hands, and tossed it across the
room. Kara’s gasp of disbelief sounded at the same time the book clattered
loudly to the hard floor.
“What the hell is your problem?” Kara raged at his audacity.
Clearly unbothered by her outrage, Cade painfully grasped Kara’s jaw
and forced her eyes to meet his. “When I tell you to look at me, you fucking
look at me. Is that understood?” Cade gripped her jaw tighter as Kara
remained silent. Testing him for what felt like the hundredth time that day.
And at that moment, he really wasn’t in the mood to be dealing with her
shit. “Answer me,” Cade ordered through gritted teeth.
“Fuck. You.”
 Before Kara had a moment to think or react, Cade grabbed her arm,
pulled her over his lap, and delivered a loud, hard slap to her backside.
Kara shrieked in protest as she frantically squirmed to get out of his hold.
Cade expertly threw his leg over hers, caging her between his strong thighs,
and wrapped his hand tightly around her wrists, stretching her arms out on
the bed in front of her. With her properly subdued beneath him, Cade raised
his hand and spanked her again. Harder. Kara felt tears fill her eyes at the
shock and pain and humiliation of being splayed over Cade’s knee and
punished. She trembled against him, her tears washing away any rebellion
she might have had.
Kara flinched when she felt Cade’s hand on her again, but that time it was
gentle. Silently, he rubbed the sting from her bottom, allowing her a
moment to come undone and piece herself back together. Slowly, Cade’s
hand drifted to her back as he tenderly coaxed the tension from her muscles
like he had the night before. Kara shivered as she felt his hand slip under
her shirt and his fingertips lightly trace circles across her bare skin. How
could he be equal measures of harshness and gentleness? How could he
punish her like a brute and then treat her with the tenderness of a lover the
next moment? And why did his intoxicating melding of darkness and light
draw her in like a moth to a deadly flame?
“Must you always fight me?” Cade asked softly as he continued to stroke
her back.
Kara remained silent. Not out of obstinance, but because she really didn’t
know why she always felt the need to push back against Cade, even with
the simplest things.
“I’m sorry I didn’t come get you earlier,” Cade continued, his apology
surprising her almost as much as he surprised himself. He had meant to
allow her a reprieve from her room after a few hours, but then Ortega had
shown him something that completely obliterated any thoughts he had other
than retribution. Perhaps she would approve of his afternoon activities, but
he didn’t really give a fuck if she didn’t. “I was detained by a matter of
urgency.” Cade lifted Kara up until she was sitting in his lap and brushed
away the stain of tears from her cheeks. “Will you forgive me?” Cade asked
with sincerity, his eyes unusually kind as he gazed down at Kara.
Kara frowned, her brow creased in confusion. “So you’re apologizing for
grounding me, but not for hitting me?”
“I’m not apologizing for either,” Cade replied with a scoff as his eyes
took on their typical, arrogant glint. “You deserved to be sent to your room,
and you deserved a spanking. I’m merely apologizing that the amount of
time spent in confinement was more than you’d earned. That was a mistake
on my part, and I take full responsibility.”
Kara didn’t really know why he felt he had the right to punish her in any
respect, but she decided to take the proffered olive branch, meager as it was.
“So, does this mean I’m free to go? I’m fucking starving.”
“Well now, we can’t have you wasting away,” Cade answered as a smile
softened his features. “Go get dressed for dinner,” he commanded with a
light swat on her arse.
“Yes, sir,” Kara grumbled sarcastically as she rolled her eyes, trudging
toward the closet to obey his fucking orders. Why did he have to be so
damn bossy? Clearly, the man was accustomed to being around robots, not
actual human beings.
Cade leisurely lay out on Kara bed as she changed, uncharacteristically
deciding to let her cheeky attitude slide. For the moment, anyway. Casually,
he rested with his arms above his head as he caught brief glimpses of Kara
changing in the large closet. She hadn’t closed the door, so he, in turn,
didn’t make any effort to avert his gaze from her naked body. The flashes of
creamy, bare skin and the exposed curve of her ass, still pink from his hand,
were enough to get his cock rock hard. It took a measure of self-restraint to
keep from reaching down and stroking his firm length as he watched her. It
had been too long since he’d plunged his cock into a warm, wet pussy.
Briefly, he allowed himself to imagine using Kara’s. How she would feel
swallowing his huge cock with her tight cunt. How she would scream in
pleasure and agony when he split her open and filled her to the brim. How
she would strangle his fucking cock while she orgasmed with him deep
inside her. How his cum would cover her cunt and spill down her thighs,
marking her as his. Only his.
“Are you ready?” Kara asked as she entered the bedroom, dressed in a
deep emerald dress that accentuated her breasts and small waist and flowed
loosely over her hips down to her ankles.
At the sound of her voice, Cade startled from his fantasies, the
interruption leaving him desperate, ravenous, and with a dreadful case of
blue balls. Swallowing back the heavy thickness of desire that lingered in
his throat, Cade appraised Kara’s appearance. Though he’d purchased that
particular dress, he’d never seen it on. She, he had discovered soon after,
had rather a distaste for green in comparison to her complexion, so the
gown had hung forgotten in the closet and never been worn. On Kara, the
hue was stunning, contrasting the darkness of her eyes beautifully and
making the pale exposure of her skin seem almost luminescent against the
silky, jewel-toned material. “You look lovely,” Cade remarked finally, his
voice raw and almost tender.
 He masked the unintentional softness by grasping Kara’s arm firmly,
possessively. His gaze lingered on her breasts, which he was realizing were
too exposed. In fact, everything was too exposed, and he wanted to take
every inch of bare flesh and cover it. If anyone was going to have the
privilege of seeing Kara’s body, it was going to be him. And only him. “If
anyone at that table looks at you a second longer than necessary, I’ll take
their fucking eyes,” Cade threatened as he dragged her toward the door.

Their entrance to the dining hall brought with it the delicious scent of thyme
and rosemary blended with the sweetness of honey and the savory warmth
of roasted pork. If there was one thing Kara could appreciate about her
captivity, it was Mrs. Hughes’s cooking. The woman was a damn culinary
angel. The rumble of her stomach and the watering of her mouth at the sight
of food momentarily distracted Kara from the most startling detail in the
room. Jace sat at the end of the table, an expression of pure animosity
marring his already brutalized face. Large black and purple bruises were
splattered haphazardly across his jaw, cheekbones, and around his swollen
eyes. A bandage was taped across what appeared to be a cut in his left
eyebrow and his nose, which seemed twisted at an abnormal angle. His lip
was split gruesomely, the blood still looking bright red and fresh. Clearly,
someone had beaten the absolute shit out of him.
Kara looked at Cade in shock, assuming he had been the obvious
assailant, and checked him for injuries. His face was in perfect order; she
would have realized earlier if he’d borne any signs of an attack. Upon
closer inspection though, Kara noticed that Cade’s knuckles were red and
bruised, the skin cracking in a few spots. Apparently, from coming into
contact with Jace’s face one too many times. “What the hell happened?”
Kara asked after she’d finally recovered from the surprise of Cade’s brutal
attack on his business partner.
Cade took in the sight of Jace’s destroyed face with overwhelming
satisfaction as he pulled out a chair for Kara and then seated himself beside
her at the head of the table. When he’d asked Ortega for the library security
footage of the night before, he hadn’t expected to be so overcome with rage
as he watched the events with Jace and Kara unfold. Even at that moment,
the barely diminished fury boiled in his blood calling for more retribution.
“Jace harmed you,” Cade explained evenly as he set about filling his plate
with food. “In doing so, he broke my rules.” Picking up his fork and knife,
Cade pointed the tip of the blade in Jace’s direction. “That is what happens
when my rules are disobeyed.”
“Jesus, Cade, you didn’t need to half kill him,” Kara muttered softly, still
stunned by Cade’s violence. And she didn’t miss the insinuation in Cade’s
words. He hadn’t wrecked Jace for her in some misplaced need to defend
her honor. No, he’d beaten Jace because he’d challenged Cade’s rules, and,
therefore, his control. She wondered if he would inflict the same violence
on her if she dared to disobey him.
“Insubordination will not be tolerated,” Cade answered sharply as he cut
into his meat, the knife loudly scraping against the plate. And it was true,
Cade didn’t allow for disobedience among his men. But that wasn’t why
he’d gone into a blind rage and pummeled Jace’s face into oblivion. No,
that was because Jace had dared to touch Kara. Not only did Jace try to take
what was his, against her fucking will, he had hurt Kara. Every time Cade
closed his eyes he saw that bastard raise his hand and slap his girl across the
face. It made him want to beat Jace all over again.
 “Men and their violent delights,” Kara huffed with an eye roll as she
began devouring her food. After nearly an entire day spent in her bedroom,
she really was starving.
“Yes, and speaking of, Jace has something he would like to tell you.
Don’t you, Jace?” Cade asked, fixing the man at the end of the table with a
withering glare.
“I’m sorry,” Jace replied sullenly, glaring right back at Cade.
“Why are you looking at me? I’m not the one you hit and nearly raped,”
Cade chastised angrily. Everyone in the room, especially Kara jolted at his
blunt words. Until that moment, only Ortega and the parties involved knew
the full extent of the previous night’s incident. Declan and Brax looked
between Jace and Kara with surprise and horror written plainly on their
features.
“Now, apologize properly, Jace,” Cade commanded coldly.
Jace looked at Kara with a small attempt at contrition. “I’m sorry, Kara.”
Not quite knowing how to respond the apology—because there was no
way in hell she could forgive him for what he’d done—Kara merely nodded
curtly before turning her attention to Cade who was gazing back at her with
an expression that almost seemed protective, in a fierce, aggressive sort of
way. She didn’t know what to think of the conundrum of a man whose
chaotic mood changes were constantly ripping her in opposite directions.
First he saved her from Jace, then he treated her like a whore, then he took
her out alone on an almost romantic riding excursion, and then he fucking
whipped her and sent her to her room. Cade beat the shit out of Jace—
making it seem like it was only a matter of control regarding his rules—but
then he forced Jace to apologize to her as though he cared about her
feelings. And at the moment, Cade was staring at her with such passion and
fire in his mesmerizing hazel eyes, it felt as though he cared about her.
The constant tumult of their interactions was driving Kara mad. It made
her feel like doing something drastic to sway the confusing relationship
between them one way or the other. She could think of one sure way to test
Cade’s true feelings for her, but the consequences could be disastrous.
Steeling her resolve, Kara decided it was the only way.
She was going to fuck Caden Ashford.
Shyly, her skills at seduction sorely underdeveloped, Kara slipped her
hand from the arm of her chair and lightly placed it across Cade’s thigh.
The constantly composed, stoic man with perfect social graces actually
jolted in his seat at her unexpected touch. Kara had to stifle a laugh at the
knowledge that she could affect him so visibly as he sharply turned toward
her, his eyes swarming with disapproval mixed with a hint of intrigue. Kara
offered him a sly smile in response, running her thumb gently along the
center of his thigh. She’d never been the one to initiate contact. Any of their
brief moments of passion had been instigated by Cade’s sudden lack of
control before he carefully pieced his composure together and left her
aching and wanting. Now that she was the one making the move, Cade
seemed thrown. It was only a minuscule, fractional crack in his cool facade,
but it was there just the same. Kara trailed her fingers further up, greedily
seeking the firm bulge between his thighs, but before she could reach his
cock, Cade grabbed her hand and tightly intertwined his fingers with hers.
He tugged their hands down and rested them safely upon his knee. Kara
looked up at him, disappointment and confusion marring her features.
“Are you no longer hungry, Kara?” Cade asked, a mischievous smile
pulling at his lips. He liked games, but only when he was the one
orchestrating them. As much as he would enjoy Kara’s hand on his cock,
that wouldn’t be happening unless under circumstances he controlled. He
could admire Kara’s bravery, but he didn’t want her seduction, he wanted
her submission. He wanted to control her body, to demand his own pleasure
and forcefully tear orgasms from her body with his mouth and fingers and
cock while she screamed and writhed in ecstasy. If he chose to take her, it
would be his way.
“I’m actually feeling a little tired,” Kara answered, feeling anything but
tired. She felt as though she might burst from excitement and need. “Maybe
we could go up to bed?”
“But we haven’t had dessert,” Cade responded quietly, his voice rough
and deep as his eyes suggestively trailed the exposed skin of Kara’s breasts.
He raised a single brow as though challenging her to offer herself instead of
dessert. It wouldn’t get her what she wanted, but she would look adorable
trying.
“O-okay,” Kara replied breathlessly, recognizing the salacious glint in his
eyes, but not feeling courageous enough to act on it with so many
witnesses. She tried to retrieve her hand from Cade’s grasp, but he kept her
trapped, squeezing her fingers together in warning any time she tried to
squirm away.
Mrs. Hughes brought out apple crumble with custard for dessert, and
Kara tried to force herself to enjoy it as Cade still held her hand under the
table and she contemplated what might possibly happen after dessert. She
devoured every crumb before placing her fork on the empty plate and
sneaking a glance at Cade. His eyes were fixed on her as though they had
never left, warmth and desire and a touch of something dangerous filling
the green-gold depths.
 “More tea, Kara?” Cade asked, gesturing to the empty tea cup beside her
small plate.
“No?” Kara answered uncertainly. Was he stalling, or merely attempting
to torture her?
“Mrs. Hughes!” Cade called loudly toward the kitchens.
Mrs. Hughes rushed into the dining room, clearly at her master’s beck
and call. “Aye, Mr. Ashford?”
“More tea, please,” Cade ordered, enjoying watching Kara’s face fall in
disappointment.
Yes, the bastard was definitely torturing her.
Kara burned her mouth sipping down the hot tea as quickly as possible
while Cade took leisurely sips and conversed with Brax and Ortega. He still
held her fucking hand under the table, but didn’t acknowledge her beyond a
slight squeeze of her fingers now and then. Kara felt herself slowly go
insane with impatience. Right when she was about ready to start stripping
off her clothes—witnesses be damned—in an effort to capture Cade’s
attention, he rose from his chair, the others following suit.
“Come,” Cade addressed Kara softly, never taking his hand from hers.
“I’ll take you to your room.”

They were both silent after bidding everyone goodnight and walking up the
stairs toward their rooms. Trying to calm her nerves, Kara focused on the
gentle way Cade held her hand in his as he pulled her toward her room. She
took a deep breath as he opened the door, not exactly sure how to gather the
words to ask for what she wanted. Because what she wanted was clearly
deranged given the circumstances. Cade dropped her hand and waited
expectantly as she hovered in the doorway without going in.
 “Stay with me tonight,” Kara told him quietly, unsure of whether it was
panic or anticipation stealing the breath from her lungs and setting her heart
pounding so loudly she could hear her pulse in her ears.
“I sleep in my own bed, Kara,” Cade scolded, his tone prickling with
subtle irritation. He didn’t like being the subject of someone’s demands.
And he didn’t like the quiver of vulnerability in her voice; it made him feel
irrationally protective of her.
“Then can I come with you?” Kara asked, her small voice hopeful.
“Please?”
“I sleep alone,” Cade answered firmly, leaving little room for negotiation.
“You didn’t sleep alone last night,” Kara reminded softly, peeking up at
him from behind long, dark lashes.
“That was different. Those were extenuating circumstances, and I didn’t
want you to be alone.” He had other reasons for bringing her to his bed the
previous night, but he didn’t want her to be privy to those reasons any more
than he wanted to acknowledge them in the first place. The girl made him
weak. So much so, that he had broken his own cardinal rule of sleeping
alone. There was no way in hell he would allow her to instigate a second
offense.
“Well, I don’t want to be alone tonight,” Kara pleaded, glancing around
the emptiness of her bedroom as though the sheer expanse of loneliness
would swallow her up. “Please, Cade?” She timidly reached out and placed
her small hand on his arm, wrapping her narrow fingers around the wide
breadth of his bicep. Cade sucked in a sharp breath at her touch.
“What will you give me?” Cade asked, his tone cold as he glanced at her
hand on him before turning calculating eyes toward her.
 “Give you?” Kara asked, her lips trembling as she considered the possible
insinuation of his words. He expected her to bargain for a place in his bed?
“Yes, Kara, what do you have to offer me?” Cade said slowly,
patronizingly, as though conversing with a child. “I am a man of business,
after all. Nothing comes for free.” A salacious grin spread across his full
lips. “Not even you.”
“W-what do you want?” Kara responded anxiously, an equal mix of
nervousness and arousal twisting in her belly at the thought of Cade’s
demands.
“Hmm,” Cade hummed, pausing as though carefully thinking it over.
“I’m not quite sure at the moment. Let’s just say you’ll owe me a favor at
some point in the future.” Cade’s eyes glittered with sinister satisfaction at
the thought of her at his mercy, forced to give in to his desires, however
dark they may be.
“A free pass for a man like you sounds dangerous,” Kara answered
hesitantly, biting her bottom lip in indecision.
“Oh, it’s most assuredly dangerous,” Cade replied with no intent to quell
her fears. He was a dangerous man. And she should know exactly who she
was getting into bed with. “Question is, is it worth it?” Cade offered her his
hand, like Hades beckoning her to the depths of the underworld.
With a final fuck you to any lingering thoughts of rationality storming
about in her mind, Kara took a deep breath and placed her hand in Cade’s.
His fingers wrapped around Kara’s tightly, almost painfully, as his ominous
smirk grew impossibly wider. Well, if she was going to hell, she might as
well enjoy the ride.
As soon as they entered Cade’s room, the atmosphere altered, growing
heavy and almost suffocating with tension. Cade withdrew his hand and left
Kara standing in the middle of the room as he went to his closet in search of
a change of clothes. Anxiously shifting on her feet, Kara stared at the
imposing bed in the center of the room, thinking of what it would be like to
be taken by Cade and fucked roughly against the dark, silk sheets. She
startled from her daydream when something soft and cotton hit her in the
face. Cade’s shirt, she discovered upon closer inspection, which he had just
thrown at her face. Clearly, he wasn’t in a tender mood at the moment.
“Put it on,” Cade ordered firmly. “I like seeing you in my clothes.”
Kara glared at him, her expression of annoyance quickly morphing into
appreciation when she realized that he’d already changed and was only
wearing a pair of low-riding sweatpants that highlighted the delectable v-
cut that trailed downward from his prominent abdominal muscles. With the
naked curve of his ass peeking out from the waistband of his pants, she was
pretty sure he wasn’t wearing underwear. And at that moment, she didn’t
want to be wearing any fucking underwear either.
Rather than going to the bathroom to change, Kara gathered her courage
and kicked off her heels right where she stood. Holding Cade’s gaze, she
reached behind her back and slowly unzipped her dress, letting it fall to her
feet in a puddle of fabric. Though she stood before him in only her bra and
panties, Cade’s eyes never once left hers to roam over the nakedness of her
body. Raising her brows in surprise at his stoic display of composure and
control for a heterosexual male with a dick between his legs, Kara took it
one step further. She wanted to smash his fucking control to pieces. She
unlatched her bra and tossed it on the growing pile of clothes in front of her,
her pink nipples immediately stiffening into hard buds in the cool air. Still,
Cade didn’t falter as he continued to focus on her face, the smallest hint of a
smile on his lips the only sign that he knew her tits were out. With a sigh of
annoyance, Kara hooked her thumbs into her panties and swiftly slid them
down, stepped out of them, and threw them at Cade’s bare feet. And in
reaction, she got nothing. Absolutely. Nothing. He just stared at her with
that same infuriating composure he seemed to cling to as though it was the
very essence of life.
“I said, put it on, Kara,” Cade commanded again, his voice sterner than
the first time.
Feeling her self-esteem slowly decimate into nothingness, Kara bent to
pick up the shirt. Suddenly eager to cover her nakedness, Kara quickly
slipped into Cade’s shirt, fastened every button up to the neck, and wrapped
her arms around herself to ease her trembling. Maybe the whole sleep with
Cade plan hadn’t been the best idea after all. He certainly didn’t seem to
think so anyway. She gathered the last remnants of her pride and met
Cade’s gaze expectantly as though awaiting his next command.
“Would you like to use the bathroom first, or shall I?” Cade asked, his
tone softening.
“I’ll go,” Kara answered swiftly, thankful for a chance to escape the
embarrassing situation she’d created and have a moment to brush her teeth
and calm her nerves in peace. She made a dash for the bathroom and shut
and locked the door behind her.
Finally alone, Cade allowed some of the uncertainty he’d been feeling to
creep into his face. It was tiring having to constantly erect a mask of
composure when his emotions bubbled so close to the surface, desperate to
burst through. With Kara in his vicinity, in his fucking bedroom, he had to
be even more careful. He knew what she wanted. It was painfully obvious
when she stripped herself bare for him, offering him her exquisite
nakedness like a sacrifice to a bloodthirsty god. Well, she wasn’t wrong
there. He thirsted for her, he craved to devour every aspect of her essence.
And when he was satiated, there would be nothing left of her.
Cade bent down and picked up the panties the cheeky girl had thrown at
his feet. He groaned when he felt and smelled the wetness of her arousal on
the material. Cade picked up the rest of Kara’s clothes and deposited them
in the hamper in his closet for Mrs. Hughes to launder. And he placed
Kara’s damp knickers in his underwear drawer for safekeeping. Since she
had practically given them to him, she wouldn’t be getting that particular
pair back.
Sitting down on the bed, Cade contemplated what exactly he was going to
do about Kara. He knew he couldn’t give her what she wanted because she
couldn’t give him what he needed. She was too pure, too delicate, too
fucking innocent to be able to handle the darkness that he needed to
occasionally let loose and allow to gorge. His appetites required a willing
victim, and he was fairly certain Kara would go running if she knew how he
wanted to use her—and he really couldn’t allow her to run from him. So he
would give her what he could, let her sleep in his bed, give her the warmth
of his embrace if she so desired, but he wouldn’t, under any circumstances,
allow himself to fuck her. Because fucking her had the potential to break
them both.
In a cloud of steam, Kara exited the bathroom—still dressed in his shirt,
thankfully—smelling clean and minty, her gorgeous face washed free of
makeup, and her eyes noticeably red and puffy, as though she’d spent the
majority of her time in the bathroom crying. That was two days in a row
that he had been the cause of her tears, and it made him feel like a fucking
bastard. In that moment, Cade wanted to do anything to wipe the sadness
from her face, but he knew giving her what she thought she wanted would
only hurt her worse in the long run. As much as it twisted at his insides, he
preferred being a bastard that day to save her future pain.
“Are you finished?” Cade asked as he headed toward the bathroom.
Avoiding his gaze, Kara nodded. She was seriously considering whether
she should bolt while Cade was in the bathroom brushing his teeth, but
figured her pride had already been irreparably destroyed so she might as
well stay. She settled into the same side of the bed that she had slept on the
previous night, diving under the covers and hating how much she loved
being enveloped by his delicious scent. Quickly to avoid being caught, Kara
switched the pillows, snuggling her face into the one Cade had used last
night, the scent of cedar and mint lulling her into a sense of calm
tranquility.
All too soon, the bathroom door opened and Cade stepped into the room
still wearing only his sweatpants. His dark hair still dripped from being
washed, sending rivulets of water cascading down the ripples of his abs.
Kara bit her lip to stifle an irrepressible moan at the sight of him. He was
devastatingly, breathtakingly beautiful—like an avenging angel, all
darkness and light, cruelty and tenderness, destruction and salvation. A
single look from him could shatter her as much as it could bring her
heavenly bliss, and she would happily take ruin or rapture at his hand.
“Where would you like me? On the floor, or in the bed? As it was your
bargain, you are free to choose,” Cade asked as he tried to decipher the
confusing concoction of emotions scattering across her face.
“The bed,” Kara answered softly, uneasy with the reminder that she’d
made a deal with the devil—and he had yet to collect.
“As you wish,” Cade acquiesced before turning off the lights and
climbing into bed. He turned away from her, giving his attention to his
phone as he went about his nightly ritual of answering emails and
concluding work related tasks. He wasn’t usually so inattentive when he
had company in his bed, but Kara wasn’t his typical fuck, and he
desperately needed a distraction from the fact that she was lying in his bed
with her pink pussy bare and free for the taking. If he allowed himself to
think about her wet cunt, he would go fucking insane before he snapped and
fucked her until she passed out.
Kara stirred impatiently in bed; sleep was the farthest thing from her
mind at that moment as she waited for something—anything—to happen.
Cade remained fixated on his stupid fucking phone, something she still
hadn’t been allowed the privilege of using while at the manor, she reminded
herself with chagrin. He showed no interested in her whatsoever, even
though she’d practically begged him to fuck her. He’d offered to do it the
day before with no reservations, so what had changed?
“Cade?” she called quietly into the darkness, pleading for some glimpse
of the passionate, intoxicating man who had lately been edging her feelings
dangerously toward something more than mere attraction.
Any semblance of that Caden Ashford seemed to have vanished amid a
storm of dark, brooding silence. She could think of no cause for the abrupt
change in Cade’s demeanor. Fearful that she had done something to upset
him, Kara anxiously studied the unmoving form lying as far from her as
was possible without the risk of crashing to the floor. His back was bare, the
dark sheet barely upholding the bounds of modesty as it draped slightly
below the twin indentations above his backside. His shoulders appeared to
be sculpted more from stone than flesh, broad with smooth curves. His back
rippled with muscles Kara hadn’t known anatomically existed, making the
indentation of his spine more pronounced, like a linear valley amid
mountains. There was a soft curve to his hip that continued below the
obstruction of the sheet, tempting her gaze further down. The man was so
frustratingly beautiful in every aspect that Kara’s heart seemed to ache just
from looking at him.
“Go to sleep, Kara,” Cade commanded shortly, his tone somewhere
between anger and deep annoyance.
“I am sleeping,” she answered unconvincingly.
“No, you aren’t. I think your eyes might have bored holes in me by now.”
“Well, I’m sorry if my gaze offends you. Perhaps I should return to my
own bed as you obviously find my presence so unbearably repulsive,” Kara
responded bitterly.
“You’re in this bed by your demand, not mine. I’m under no obligation to
enjoy the experience.”
Her feelings properly wounded, Kara fell silent. He was right, of course.
The stirrings of attraction and arousal that had begun to blossom within her
were unwarranted, undesired, and, worst of all, unreciprocated. Kara’s eyes
pricked with tears brought on by embarrassment mingled with self-pity; she
brushed away the signs of weakness angrily.
With a suddenness that startled her, Cade rolled over to face her, his body
so close that the crisp scent of his cologne assaulted her senses like a wave
crashing against her. Kara shivered inexplicably, the intensity of his gaze
penetrating deep to her core with a power that couldn’t be explained.
Somehow, she felt as though she would follow anywhere those piercing,
green-gold eyes led her.
“I apologize, that was a little more harsh than you deserve,” Cade said
softly, most of the previous sharpness faded from his voice.
 Kara barely recalled the offense, his closeness having banished all
thoughts of the past to hazy memories. He seemed troubled as his eyes
searched hers, an unfamiliar crease residing between his brows, altering his
expression with a severity that would have been alarming if she hadn’t
already resigned herself to whatever intentions he might have in store. His
mouth curved with an amused smile that didn’t match his darkly intense
eyes, as though a conflict of emotions warred within him. Without thinking,
Kara raised her hand to his forehead and stroked upward, willing the
pensive furrowing of his brow away.
The unpredictability of her touch obliterated any inhibitions Cade might
have possessed, and he reached for her desperately, capturing her face in his
hands and forcing her lips up to meet his. Kara let the kiss consume her,
feeling as though every fibre of her composition melded with Cade’s the
moment their bodies collided. His mouth was conquering—warm,
demanding lips claiming her as his, tongue penetrating deeply as he
explored the undiscovered territory of her mouth, unsheathed teeth meeting
with the tender skin of her bottom lip with such force that Kara couldn’t
suppress a moan. The primal sound drove Cade deeper. With a passion that
bordered on violence, he grabbed her hair and twisted tightly, locking her in
place beneath him. His other hand moved roughly over her body, vigorously
exploring every piece of her as though he were trying to commit her to
memory. Kara’s breath hitched in anticipation as his hand traveled lower;
her lips grew more eager against his, urging him further.
The moment ended too soon. Without explanation, Cade broke off the
kiss and pulled away sharply, leaving Kara breathless and aching for more.
Disentangling himself from her embrace, Cade rolled onto his back and
stared dismally into the darkness, refusing to acknowledge Kara’s presence
or what had quite nearly occurred between them.
“Fuck,” Cade breathed as he ran his fingers through his hair, his breathing
left heavy and uneven after their encounter.
Kara stared at him in complete bewilderment. What the hell had just
happened? Or almost happened? Cade’s kiss had caught her off guard,
nearly as much as her own fervent response to his touch. She wasn’t sure if
she’d ever felt something quite so electrifying as his hands on her skin; she
needed more, a hollow emptiness lingering in the absence of his body
against hers. She watched as Cade’s chest rose and fell deeply, she heard the
quickened pace of his heart beating in his chest; it was a frantic rhythm that
mimicked her own. He had been just as aroused as she was, so why had he
stopped? Kara reached her hand across the distance between them, longing
to pull Cade back from whatever dark place he had vanished to.
“Unless you want to be thoroughly fucked this instant, do not touch me
again,” Cade said dangerously, still refusing to look at her.
Kara drew her hand back swiftly, startled by the raw, uncontrolled
violence in his voice. Cade’s words rang with warning, not that any
cautionary disclaimer was warranted in that regard. She knew exactly who
and what she was dealing with; she had already witnessed and experienced
all the terrible, threatening aspects of being in Cade’s vicinity. Since that
fateful day he came barging into the library, she had been taken from her
home, drugged, and dragged out to the middle of nowhere entirely against
her will. She spent every day living in a prison of his design because his
former client had every intention of doing far worse things to her if he got
the chance. With certainty, being thoroughly fucked by Caden Ashford
would be the most agreeable event to occur since he had crashed so
disruptively into her life.
What Kara didn’t know was that Cade regretted and despised every single
fucked up detail that formulated their short acquaintance. Every despicable
thing he had allowed to happen that led to her lying in his bed at that very
moment. The lack of control that led to the unforgivable act of kissing her
and making her feel the same burning need that he had been struggling
against for longer than he cared to admit. The things he would do to her if
he had her consent. The things he thought about doing even if he didn’t. If
the girl had any sense, she would run as far away from him as possible. If
he had any decency, he would set her free and allow her to vanish into a
peaceful existence somewhere boring and insignificant. Somehow, he
guessed neither of them had the capacity for either.
Having expended her patience for laying in frosty silence while Cade
ignored her to brood over whatever dismal thoughts swirled around in his
mind, Kara gathered her courage and decided to tempt fate. Self-
preservation be damned, she reached across the wide expanse between them
and brushed the exposed angle of his hip with her fingertips, following the
v-shaped crease etched into his torso downward until she reached the
waistband of his pants. Her fingers lingered there, suggestively tracing a
line along his lower abdomen, bracing herself for his reaction.
With a sound that almost resembled a growl, Cade captured Kara’s wrist
tightly, pushed her on her back, and positioned himself on top of her with
his knees locking her hips in place. Roughly grabbing her other wrist, he
forced both of her arms above her head, stretching her out as far as she
could go. In spite of herself, Kara struggled against him, innately spurred to
panic by the inability to move, pinned beneath the weight of Cade’s body.
As she discovered her own defenselessness, Kara felt the first prickles of
fear.
“Is this what you want, Kara?” Cade asked in a tone that was somehow
both seductive and sinister, lowering his head close to hers as though he
meant to kiss her.
“Yes,” Kara answered softly, biting her lip to keep it from trembling with
the nervousness she felt radiating throughout her entire body.
“Are you sure? I am, in no respect, a gentleman in the bedroom.”
“You’re not exactly a gentleman outside the bedroom either.”
“My love, you wound me,” he answered with feigned injury.
“You’re stalling,” Kara accused pointedly. “What’s the matter, Ashford?
Are you scared?”
“No, love,” he answered, sounding resigned. “But you should be.”
Without giving her another moment to reconsider her decision, Cade
reached for the shirt she wore and ripped it down the middle sending
buttons scattering around the bed.
“Cade!” Kara exclaimed in exasperation as she watched him demolish the
only clothing she wore into a heap of threads.
“Don’t speak,” Cade commanded firmly, the sternness of his eyes proving
that he was incredibly serious about his unusual demand. He needed some
display of submission from her, and surrendering her voice was the very
least she could do. Ever the strong-willed, outspoken girl, Kara looked at
him as though she was contemplating all the different ways she could
torture and dismember him, but she respected his order. Good. She was
learning that obedience was the only way she would earn what she wanted
from him.
 Pleased with her silence, Cade released her gaze and allowed himself to
admire the view he had stubbornly ignored during her earlier strip tease.
The delayed gratification and the complete control he possessed in the
current situation made the delectable sight all the sweeter. His lust-filled
eyes ravaged the most intimate parts of her body, devouring the sight of her
nakedness with a hunger he wasn’t sure could ever be appeased. Kara was
undeniably lovely with perfect, milky skin that seemed radiant as though
bathed in moonlight. Her breasts were surprisingly large and almost too full
for her petite frame, her rosy pink nipples hard and practically begging to
be sucked and bitten. Her waist was narrow, her hip bones jutting out a little
too sharply and lacking in softness. Cade made a mental note to make sure
Mrs. Hughes got her to eat more. Her thighs were the thickest part of her
body, soft and curvy and demanding that he sink his teeth into the pale flesh
and run his tongue along the smooth skin. Between her thighs was a small,
meticulously groomed patch of blond curls that covered a pussy so wet and
needy that he could see her arousal glistening on the top of her thighs.
Clearly, his girl was fucking desperate to have his cock inside of her, and
the knowledge of her desire sent all the blood in his body rushing straight to
his aching dick.
“Cade, please,” Kara pleaded in impatience, thrusting her hips upward
with a desperate need to be touched.
As soon as she said the words, Kara swiftly felt the tight grip of Cade’s
hand against her mouth, stifling any of the expletives she might have
attempted to use. Cade’s face was stern, almost angry as he glared at her
darkly and squeezed his hand harder the more that she struggled beneath
him. Frantically, Kara writhed helplessly beneath the weight of his body
and hand, uncomfortable with her current position even more now that she
couldn’t move or speak.
“Not another word, Kara,” Cade commanded forcefully with a punishing
press of his fingers against her cheeks. “If you disobey me again, I’ll have
to think of a way to punish you.” His eyes lit with malice as they traveled
across her exposed body, conjuring creative retributions. “I already have a
few ideas, so you’d better not tempt me.”
Tyrannical asshole.
Frustrated and exhausted, Kara let out a sigh of exasperation and stopped
fighting. With an arrogant smile of victory, Cade ran his thumb from one
hip to the other, tracing an invisible line across her trembling body just
above her aching pussy. Teeming with anticipation and a small measure of
nervousness, Kara lifted her hips to meet his touch, yearning to feel his
fingers lower. She was fairly sure he was teasing her, stroking his fingers
close enough to her pelvic region to be suggestive, but not accurately
enough to provide satisfaction.
And he was, of course.
Kara groaned impatiently against the hand Cade still held over her mouth,
and he laughed with gratified amusement. “Very keen, aren’t you, love?” he
taunted, continuing to caress the length of her hip.
Refusing to be bated into giving the hateful man a chance to inflict
whatever unusual punishments he had devised, Kara ignored the question in
restless silence. Cade assessed her response with surprised approval,
deciding that obedience deserved to be rewarded.
“Is this what you want?” Cade asked seductively, sliding his fingers down
from her mouth, over her breasts, across her abdomen, below her hips, and,
finally, between the folds of her dripping, wet cunt.
 Kara moaned loudly as Cade’s fingers brushed against her clitoris,
grateful that his hand had found a more useful occupation than keeping her
mouth in check. Years of experience had taught Kara that men should be
certified with a specific level of experience before being allowed to play
with a woman’s pussy. Prodding, unskilled fingers did more harm than
good, so the first stroke of the clit was always a test of expertise. After a
few blissful moments, Kara could emphatically say she knew one thing to
be true regarding Caden Ashford: the man knew his way around a clit even
better than she did.
Cade reveled in the moans of pleasure that he dragged from her; they
were perhaps the loveliest sounds he had ever heard, especially as he had
waited so long to enjoy them. She was incredibly responsive to his touch,
moving her hips in rhythm with the circular motion of his fingers, her body
rising slightly as he edged her closer to release. When she was seconds
away from climaxing, Cade’s hand stilled. He preferred to let her build
slowly; delaying gave her body a chance to savor the sensation, to allow the
orgasm to penetrate every sense and every nerve. An exasperated sigh of
disappointment from Kara suggested that she did not agree with his
strategy.
Kara trembled from the loss of the orgasm, her body singing with electric,
uncontrollable need. Cade didn’t delay for long; she soon felt his fingers
slip inside her, sliding easily with the wetness of her arousal. Kara gasped at
the sensation of being filled and stretched from within as Cade penetrated
her with two fingers before adding a third. He moved his other hand to his
mouth, wetting his fingers before continuing to caress her clitoris with
concentrated, circular strokes. The dual stimulation left Kara feeling as
though she was being set aflame from the inside with a delicious warmth
that seemed to radiate through her whole body. The brink of her climax
arrived quickly; she lifted her hips off the bed as she rose to meet it before
plummeting with a cry of desperation as Cade once again deprived her of
his fingers and her orgasm.
He was going to fucking kill her with need if he didn’t stop his torture
soon.
She whimpered when Cade once again touched her aching, over-
sensitized skin, biting her lip to keep from begging for the orgasm he kept
denying. If she broke his rule of silence, the cruel bastard probably
wouldn’t let her come the entire night. In that moment, she couldn’t be
certain if that wasn’t his plan all along. Obviously, he was a sadist who
enjoyed giving her agony more than pleasure.
Maybe she could conceal her pleasure and come without him knowing?
The loud scream that escaped her lips the moment Cade’s lips wrapped
around her throbbing nipple and sucked it against his teeth proved that she
wouldn’t be very successful at masking her pleasure when he controlled her
body as though he owned it. The pressure in her core was building at an
alarming rate as Cade’s tongue rolled over her tight nipple, his fingers
continuing to pound wetly inside her pussy as his thumb assaulted her clit
with expert precision. She was nearly there, and she wanted to orgasm so
much that it physically hurt.
“Are you close, Kara?” Cade asked, his voice rough and raw as he
continued to stimulate her in all the right places.
Kara shook her head, refusing to let him know just how close she was.
Her eyes closed as she begged to go over the edge of release without him
knowing, without him stopping her before she surrendered to the
overwhelming pleasure. A sharp slap to her clit snapped her from her
concentration as her eyes flew open to gap at Cade. The bastard had just
spanked her fucking pussy.
“Don’t lie to me, Kara. Are you close?” Cade demanded sternly.
“Yes,” Kara answered, the single word coming out as a sob. If he denied
her again, she might pass out from exhaustion.
“Do you want to come?”
“Yes!” Kara nearly screamed, the desperation and need consuming her
like fire until they were the only things her body could feel.
“Then be a good girl and come for me,” Cade ordered, his voice warm
and soothing and sexy as fuck. He lowered his mouth to Kara’s tit and bit
down hard on her nipple as he thrust three fingers deep inside her cunt
while his thumb rubbed tight circles around her clit. He felt her pussy clamp
down on his hand, strangling his fingers as she obeyed his command.
Kara cried out as she came harder than she ever had in her entire life as
wave after wave of pure ecstasy conquered every nerve in her body. Cade
continued to thrust and bite and rub as she allowed the orgasm to consume
every thought, word, breath, and heartbeat. He prolonged his assault until
every ounce of pleasure had been wrung from her body, continuing until her
skin was so sensitive that his touch turned painful.
“Cade,” Kara begged breathlessly, her face wet with tears she didn’t
know she’d cried. This time, she longed for a reprieve from the stimulation.
“Yes,” Cade answered deeply, loving the sight of her trembling and
soaked beneath his fingers, tears of ecstasy painted beautifully across her
flushed-red cheeks.
“Please,” she begged, too far gone to form a complete thought. She just
needed a moment to breath without his hands on her, driving her toward
insanity once again.
 Understanding her unspoken need, Cade removed his fingers from inside
of her and brought them to her mouth, trailing the wet fingertips along her
lips. “You look beautiful when you come undone,” he whispered, his eyes
full of adoration and desire as he admired the orgasmic flush spread across
her skin, leaving her with a pink tinged glow that suited the creamy
paleness of her complexion perfectly. “I believe it is my turn, love,” Cade
announced huskily, his voice practically incinerating with need.
“I don’t suppose we could sleep first?” Kara asked sheepishly, already
exhausted and overstimulated and nowhere near prepared to take his cock in
her still throbbing pussy.
“Not a fucking chance,” he answered darkly, desire burning in his eyes.
Cade slid his pants down until they rested on his lower hips, not bothering
to entirely undress before fucking her. It was a power play, a subtle way of
asserting his dominance and making her feel a little disadvantaged as she
lay fully naked beneath him. When he looked back at Kara, he realized that
her attention was not on him, but on the massive length and width of his
cock. Typically, Cade had the courtesy to provide a disclaimer on his size
before intimacy, but everything about the night seemed to be deviating from
protocol.
Kara eyed his cock warily; in all of her not so vast experience, she had
never had anything of that size inside her. She was rather certain he would
break her. Actually, she was positive he would break her.
“Don’t worry, you’re built to stretch,” Cade offered in reassurance as he
lowered himself on top of her, supporting his weight by gripping the
headboard above her.
Somehow, the notion did nothing to placate her nervousness as she felt
the tip of his cock at the entrance between her legs. “Wait, condom!” Kara
cried in alarm.
“Are you on birth control?” Cade asked impatiently, damning himself for
forgetting yet another part of his usual routine. A fucking important part.
“Y-yes.”
“Have you slept with anyone recently?”
“No…”
“Neither have I,” Cade said as he took her bottom lip into his mouth and
sucked it hard against his teeth. “No condom. I want to feel you bare
against my cock.” His mouth crashed against hers, bruising her lips with the
brutality of a kiss that was demanding, devouring, all-consuming. He stole
her breath, refusing to allow her the chance to replenish her lungs as she
suffocated beneath the weight of his passion. Without breaking contact with
her lips, Cade slipped his hand down her body till he found the wet heat
between her thighs. He plunged three fingers into her dripping cunt,
scissoring and stretching them inside of her to prepare her for his size. His
thumb drew circles over her clit, dragging her toward the edge she’d
crashed over mere minutes before. Unable to wait any longer, Cade broke
their kiss, allowing Kara to catch her breath in heaving gasps. “Are you
ready for me?” Cade asked deeply, his voice husky and coarse.
“Y-yes,” Kara answered breathlessly, closing her eyes as she braced
herself for the impact.
With no attempt at gentleness, Cade thrust inside her forcefully,
penetrating deep to her core on the very first stroke. She winced as he tore
through her, her soft cry of pain mixing with his groan of ecstasy as her
tightness constricted around him.
“Fuck, you feel good,” he whispered against her ear, sending shivers
down her spine.
 Unable to control his fervid need, Cade rammed into her at a punishing
pace, his thrusts at the very brink of violence. Kara might have been
frightened of his intensity if it didn’t satiate the fierce desires she felt
growing within her every time he entered her body. Desperate to penetrate
deeper, Cade grabbed her arm and twisted her over onto her stomach.
Taking ahold of her hips, he pulled her up to her hands and knees and began
fucking her from behind. This time, they moaned in unison as Cade reached
unfamiliar territory deep within her. Cade’s hand dug into her hip with
bruising strength as he slammed her ass against his thighs to meet his
thrusts. His other hand traveled up her back, searching for her hair as it
swung against her shoulders rhythmically. Cade grabbed ahold of the pale
blonde waves and pulled sharply, her soft cry sending a surge straight to his
cock.
Using his knees to force her legs further apart, Cade’s hand slid down
from her waist, dipping into the wetness between her legs and swirling it
around her clitoris. He continued to fuck her hard as his middle finger
worked steady circles around her clit, pushing her toward the peak of
pleasure again. Cade’s thrusts grew faster and harsher as Kara’s breathing
became heavier. Without warning, her senses exploded with a crashing
climax that left her whole body shaking from the intensity. Not far behind,
Cade plunged inside her with a ferocity that obliterated any of her ability to
balance. Undaunted, he merely picked her up by the hips and pulled her
onto his cock, her own ability to participate irrelevant. Cade exhaled loudly
as he found his release, his fingers digging deeply into her skin as he
spurted his hot cum inside of her, marking her and possessing her. He held
Kara’s body against him—both of them breathless, trembling, and sated—
and stayed inside her until finally his cock wasn’t as hard as a steel rod.
Gently, he pulled out, feeling her body stiffen at the emptiness, and watched
with primal pleasure as his cum dripped out of her pussy and trailed down
her thighs. And fuck if that wasn’t the best sight he had ever seen.
Feeling his cock thicken already at the sight of his cum painting Kara’s
skin, Cade released a groan of annoyance before flipping Kara on her back
and crashing down on the bed beside her. As much as he already ached to
be inside of her tight cunt again, he knew Kara was too tired for another
round. So, out of pure chivalry, Cade denied himself another glance at her
glistening, pink pussy.
“Fuck me,” Cade said in content astonishment as he absentmindedly ran
his fingers through his sex-ruffled hair. His prim little librarian was a
shockingly good fuck. One of the best he’d had, and the list was very
extensive.
“I believe that is exactly what I just did, Lord Ashford,” Kara answered
with a very self-satisfied smirk on her face.
“Very funny, Kara,” Cade replied with an uncharacteristic eye roll. He
turned toward Kara and subtly searched her body for marks or signs of
injury. Although he had tried to go easy on her, Cade knew he was naturally
rough during sex. Because he always fucked women with rough sexual
preferences, it was never a problem. Everything was always discussed
beforehand, agreed upon, and signed on for the sake of keeping his lawyer
happy. But Kara was different. In fact, everything about his relationship
with Kara went against his typical practices. He felt her chipping away at
his control one sliver at a time, and the unfamiliar uncertainty he
experienced around her was driving him toward insanity.
“Are you okay?” Cade asked with a furrowed brow, not quite sure how to
proceed with Kara post-fuck. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
 Kara stretched out happily from her fingers to her toes. “I’m okay. Better
than okay actually. I think a thorough fucking is just what I needed.”
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHT

T HE blissful scent of coffee wafting through the air roused Kara from
the deepest, most peaceful slumber she’d ever had. Honestly, the past
few nights spent in Cade’s bed offered the best sleep she’d had in a while,
in or out of captivity. And there was something about that word that had
Kara cringing in distaste. Did she still consider herself to be a prisoner?
Technically, she couldn’t leave, even if she wanted to; she knew having sex
with Cade wouldn’t have altered her circumstances that drastically. But she
no longer wanted to view him as a villain, nor herself as a victim. She was
—hopelessly, stupidly, naively—falling for him, and it hurt her sense of
pride to be reminded that she was merely a captive developing misplaced
feelings of affection for her captor.
Stockholm Syndrome is a fucking bitch.
 Unknowingly interrupting an inner turmoil of epic proportions, Cade
walked around to Kara’s side of the bed, setting a steaming cup of coffee on
the bedside table. “Good morning,” he greeted pleasantly, his voice soft and
warm as he sat down beside Kara on the bed.
“Is it?” Kara asked nervously, not quite sure how to act around the all too
attractive specimen of a man after he spent most of the night—and a
majority of the last seventy-two hours inside of her. Would things
eventually go back to the way they were? Was she a temporary bit of fun, a
moment of weakness, or did the sex mean something to him? She knew it
meant something to her, but she didn’t know how to navigate the
complexities of falling for her fucking kidnapper.
“From where I’m sitting, it’s pretty damn brilliant,” Cade answered with
a smile, reaching over to brush a soft wave of hair from Kara’s cheek.
Hearing his words, Kara relaxed slightly. At least he didn’t regret what
they did. That was a start. “So, what now?”
“Now, you drink your coffee like a good girl, go put on something that
isn’t mine,” he enjoyed her slight blush as she looked down at his dress shirt
wrapped around her naked body, “and then you join me for breakfast. It will
be just the two of us as the others are preparing for an assignment we have
later today.”
“Wait, you’re leaving?” Kara questioned, unable to conceal the
disappointment in her words.
“I’m afraid I do have to work on occasion,” Cade answered teasingly. He
noticed her expression fall, doubt and hurt etched into her features. He
gripped Kara’s jaw and forced her to look up at him. “Hey, my leaving has
nothing to do with you,” Cade reassured her. “These last few nights have
been perfect. You have been perfect. And I have every intention of making it
back home as quickly as possibly so that I can make you come so many
fucking times you’re begging me to stop. And then, I’ll fuck you into
oblivion.”
Kara felt her breath hitch and her bare pussy dampen at the sheer, explicit
deliciousness of Cade’s words. “Do you promise?” Kara asked, her voice
breathless and needy as she considered all the ways she could get him to
skip the leaving part and fulfill all his threats right that moment.
“I promise,” Cade pledged seriously. If there was one thing he didn’t fuck
around with, it was sex. “Does my girl need a sign of good faith?” he asked,
reading the desperation in her taut body and clenched thighs. “One more
orgasm to hold you until I return and use you so hard you can’t walk or sit
or move without thinking about me being inside that tight cunt?”
Kara didn’t even have the decency to be shocked by his words. All she
could feel was an exquisitely painful, breathtaking need to be pleasured,
filled, and used by the beautiful man beside her. “Yes, please.”
“Spread your legs, love. Let me see how soaked that pussy is for me,”
Cade commanded, crawling over her until he sat in between her bare thighs
and sliding his hands up her hips.
With an electrifying shock of arousal and a whimper of anticipation, Kara
obeyed, spreading herself for him as wide as she could. Licking his lips,
Cade dove between her open legs and devoured her—kissing, licking, and
biting as though it was the first and last time he would ever taste anything
so delectably satisfying. His hot tongue lapped at her entrance, savoring the
earthy tanginess of her arousal, before he thrust his tongue inside her, his
cock hardening almost painfully when he heard Kara’s sweet whimpers of
need as he impaled her with his mouth. Kara’s fingers twisted in Cade’s
hair, holding him captive between her damp thighs as her moans grew
loader and more frantic. Feeling her body begin to tighten beneath him,
Cade withdrew his tongue and slapped her pussy, the sound of his palm
meeting with her dripping cunt loud and unmistakably wet.
“This pussy is mine, isn’t it?” Cade asked ferociously, his voice
unrecognizably animalistic as he replaced his tongue with three of his
fingers, shocking her with the sensation of being completely filled as he
viciously pumped them in and out of her. “Isn’t it, love?” he repeated,
emphasizing his words with three sharp thrusts of his fingers, splaying them
as wide as they could go inside of her. It might have hurt if she wasn’t so
completely consumed with arousal and need.
“Yes!” Kara exclaimed, completely incognizant of his words. She just
wanted him to shut the fuck up and use his mouth for better purposes.
Satisfied with her response, Cade gave her what she wanted. He lowered
his mouth to her clit and sucked hard, scraping the sharpness of his teeth
over the hard nub. With his teeth wrapped mercilessly around her clit, Kara
came as screams of ecstasy poured from her lips. Cade felt her clench
tightly around his fingers as she fell apart, riding his hand shamelessly as
she enjoyed a tsunami of pure bliss. Finally satiated, Kara fell back against
the bed limply, her chest still heaving from the aftermath of an otherworldly
orgasm. She stared at Cade with sex-hazed eyes, her expression somewhat
sheepish after having come undone so completely, so loudly in his presence.
She had never in her life been quite so expressive during sex; perhaps it was
because Cade was the first man to do it right.
Slowly, Cade withdrew his fingers from her drenched, pulsing pussy,
enjoying the way she winced when he pulled out, as though she wanted to
keep him inside her forever. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Cade
lifted the three fingers still dripping with her cum to his mouth and sucked
on them, licking away every last drop of her arousal as Kara watched him
with a conflicting sense of horror and lust. “Goodbye has never tasted so
fucking good,” Cade proclaimed as he bent to kiss her, allowing her to taste
herself on his lips. She kissed him back with a bloody fervor that demanded
goodbye never come at all.

BREAKFAST had passed too quickly; it was one of their rare moments
alone while not fucking, and Kara had enjoyed every minute of it. Anxiety
began to creep in at the idea of being left unaccompanied in the sprawling
mansion without Cade. Mingled with the anxiety was a disturbing sense of
excitement—she would be left alone in the mansion without Cade. The
intoxication of Cade’s presence often stifled the rational part of Kara’s
consciousness that reminded her she was still a captive in a cage. With the
knowledge that Cade would be gone, that reasonable part of her being was
jolting into awareness, planning for an escape. Kara tried her best to quell
the annoying nettling of reason and focus on Cade’s last moments with her
before going on a grand adventure to scheme and pillage or whatever the
fuck he did. His criminal activities were also something she tried to ignore
to the best of her abilities, particularly when his cock or tongue was inside
her. Morality was a pesky intruder when it came to fucking.
“Promise me you won’t leave the manor,” Cade ordered, his voice stern
and intimidating and leaving very little room for negotiation. Actually, as
far as he was concerned, there was no room for negotiation. “It’s not safe
right now,” Cade continued almost pleadingly as he grasped her throat
gently, possessively. “I hate having to leave you.” Cade’s grip tightened
slightly as he moved his other hand to softly trace the shape of her lips,
committing the prominent points of her cupid’s bow to memory. “If I had it
my way, I would imprison you in my bed, torture you with my mouth and
cock, and never let you escape, no matter how much you beg.” His lips
found the tender spot beneath her ear and kissed lightly, teasing her with a
need for more. “And it would please me very much to hear you beg,” he
whispered darkly as his teeth grazed her earlobe.
“Forget work. I like your idea much better,” Kara replied, breathless with
lust as his lips continued down her neck.
“Sorry, love,” Cade answered in a tone that was decidedly unapologetic;
he got rather a thrill from denying Kara what she wanted, making her crave
him and need him. And when he returned, he would deliver everything she
could possibly imagine and more. “I do still have a professional reputation
to maintain. And it would be inadvisable to keep this particular client
waiting. He is a significantly powerful man with rather a reputation of being
a tyrannical bastard.”
“Hmm, sounds like someone else I know,” Kara quipped before her
words were stolen as Cade’s mouth slammed on hers, his tongue forcing its
way beyond lips and teeth and aggressively demanding her surrender. His
kiss was consuming and demanding, depriving Kara of strength, will, and
even thought. Everything she was seemed to dissipate until she was nothing
more or less than his. Only his.
“Promise me you’ll stay at the manor,” Cade commanded when he’d
finally allowed them the chance to breathe. His hand captured her chin and
forced her to meet his gaze. His eyes were darker than usual, they
demanded submission and searched for any hint of deception in her
countenance or her answer.
“I promise,” Kara answered solemnly. And in that exact moment, brief
and fleeting as it was, she meant it.
“Good girl,” Cade responded warmly, pinching her chin playfully before
releasing her. “I’ll try to get the assignment finished as quickly as possible.
And you aren’t allowed to finish until I’m back. Is that understood?”
“Are fucking you serious?” Kara scoffed in disbelief as she took a couple
steps backward, trying to put space between them. “You aren’t some
orgasm overlord. If I want to fucking come, I’ll fucking come. I have no
intention of signing the rights of my body over to you, no matter how
fucking bossy you are.”
Cade closed the distance between them in a single, angry lunge. “Watch
that fucking mouth,” he warned, his voice deceptively calm. “You said your
pussy was mine, remember?”
Kara had the vaguest recollection of saying something of the sort whilst
in the throes of a mind shattering orgasm, but there was no way in hell
she’d allow him to hold that against her. “Declarations during sex don’t
fucking count. That was the pheromones speaking, not me.”
“Regardless, your cunt belongs to me. No one is allowed to touch it
without my permission, and that includes you. If you disobey me, I will
know, and you will be punished.”
Possessing literally no ability to formulate a response to that, Kara merely
stood in stunned silence, her chest heaving against Cade’s as her heart
pounded frantically with anger and lust and everything in between. What
the hell was he doing to her? Before she could spout a clever retort or a
witty insult or even a beautifully simplistic fuck you, their stare down was
interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat as an awkward
way of announcing their presence.
“Ah, just in time,” Cade greeted the person standing behind Kara.
Kara turned to see Declan shifting nervously as he watched his boss
pressed intimately against her body, the room charged with anger and the
lingering remnants of sexual arousal. Immediately, she stepped away from
Cade, smoothing down her dress as a means of calming her emotions and
hoping she appeared more presentable than post-orgasmic. Declan’s gaze
shifted to the floor, as though he didn’t want to be caught looking at Kara;
the self-preservative move was understandable given Cade was likely
exactly the sort of territorial Neanderthal to take offense at someone having
the audacity to look at his things. The thought made Kara scoff aloud.
Cade fixed her with a glare before his expression turned decidedly smug.
“Declan is going to be your babysitter while I’m away. He is responsible for
keeping you out of trouble, so go easy on him.” Cade laughed at the
horrified expression on Kara’s face at the idea of being treated like a
mischievous child. “You,” Cade ordered, pointing at Declan. “Do not let her
out of your sight. Lock her in her room if you have to.”
“Cade!” Kara exclaimed, understandably outraged. There was no way
that fucker was going leave her locked away while he was gone. The manor
was enough of a prison without adding more bars and padlocks.
“Be good,” Cade commanded, bestowing a woefully unwelcome kiss on
her forehead. “I will likely be back tomorrow.”
"CHECK,” Kara announced in a bored tone, languidly moving her piece
across the chessboard. Playing a game had been Declan’s idea. Something
to relieve the awkwardness of being the active jailer of someone being held
against their will. And something dull enough not to incite the jealousy of
his scarily aggressive employer. As she was about to win her third game in
a row, chess was clearly not the kid’s forte.
As Declan studied the board with an overly concentrated expression, Kara
pondered why the hell she was contentedly sitting there playing games with
him instead of trying to escape while she had the fucking chance. Yes, she’d
promised Cade she would stay put, but that was before he’d given his little
minion permission to lock her away. She was, after all, a captive. Even if
her captor’s fucking skills were unequivocally incomparable, shouldn’t
escape be her ultimate priority?
Working up her nerve and her less than adequate acting abilities, Kara
turned pain filled eyes to Declan as she grasped at her temple in false
agony. “Fuck, my head,” she groaned dramatically.
Declan jolted to his feet in concern. “What is it? What’s wrong? Are you
hurt?” he asked anxiously.
Kara had to cover a smile at the poor kid clearly worried that his boss’s
plaything might succumb to death or injury on his watch. She knew his fear
of Cade was nothing to scoff at, but she simply couldn’t fathom why
everyone treated Caden fucking Ashford as though he was a god. Well,
she’d at least try to use that fear of Cade’s wrath to her advantage. Declan
wouldn’t want Cade to come home to his toy in less than pristine shape,
now would he? “I’ve got the most dreadful migraine coming on,” Kara
explained, keeping her voice strained and weak as she covered her eyes. “I
get them somewhat regularly, but they’re exacerbated by stress. My current
situation, as you can imagine, doesn’t help matters.” Kara cast a glance at
Declan, and he had the decency to look guilty at the implication.
Perfect.
“I have a doctor’s prescription that usually keeps the migraines from
becoming too crippling, but it’s in my purse upstairs in my room.” Kara
paused to moan pitifully. “Do you think you could go get it? I’m not sure I
have the strength to stand right now.”
Declan’s expression was plagued with uncertainty and unease. “Umm, I
don’t know. Ashford said I wasn’t supposed to let you out of my sight.”
“Please, Declan,” Kara pleaded, allowing her voice to tremble. “Does it
look like I’m in a state to go anywhere? If I don’t take the medication, I
could black out, and then you’ll have to explain to Ashford why you let me
pass out in his game room.”
“Okay, okay I’ll go get it. Just stay here, okay? Don’t try to get up; I don’t
want you getting hurt,” Declan responded frantically as he moved toward
the exit.
“I’ll be right here,” Kara agreed with a wincing smile. It was her second
lie of the day. Or perhaps the third. She was losing count. As soon as
Declan was out of sight, she rushed out of the room, knowing she had
bought herself between five and ten minutes to make her escape. She
hurriedly headed for the detached garages that she’d discovered while
exploring the grounds. They were somewhat removed from the main part of
the house, so she knew it would take at least three minutes to get there if
she sprinted.
Thankfully, Kara found the doors to the sprawling car storage unlocked.
Turning on the overhead lights, she was shocked by the superfluous number
of automobiles sitting unused in the garage. There were at least fifteen cars;
some were clearly vintage, collectible items, others were flashy and sporty,
about four were black, sensible sedans that looked more for business than
pleasure. Having no interest or knowledge in the types of cars housed in
Cade’s excessive collection, Kara looked for the most nondescript vehicle
she could find. Settling on a black Audi, she quickly snatched the keys from
a rack on the wall and started the car. Shockingly, her plan was working.
With maybe three minutes left until Declan sounded the alarm, Kara pushed
the button for the garage door and flew down the drive.
Belatedly remembering that she would have to pass gate security, Kara
slowed the car to a reasonable pace before stopping in front of the iron
wrought gate—the one thing between her and escape. She knew Ortega and
Braxton were with Cade on his assignment. They’d left behind minimal
security who’d likely been commissioned to keep people out, not keep
people in, so she hoped there was a chance she could slip by without an
incident. Shockingly, miraculously the gates opened, and Kara sped out into
the open road toward freedom. She felt a twinge of sympathy for the poor
bastard who opened the gate. One thing was certain, they’d be lucky to
escape Cade’s wrath merely unemployed.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINE

F OUR hours. She enjoyed four fucking hours of freedom before the
wolves descended. Her first stop after escaping had been the university
library. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the most logical choice of sanctuary,
but she hadn’t exactly been looking for a place to hide. She’d just wanted a
moment to breathe without the suffocation of being under watch all the
time. As utterly insane as it sounded, she’d had every intention of returning
to Ashford Manor after checking in on her colleagues, her work, and
ensuring the security of the rare texts. Perhaps she’d made a mistake in
assuming the choice to return would be her own.
“Hello, Dr. Caine,” a dark and familiar voice slithered from behind her,
leaving a trail of goosebumps in its wake.
Fuck.
 Kara turned sharply to find Jace leaning nonchalantly against a bookshelf
with an unmistakably smug grin on his revolting face. Kara's fingers turned
white as she clawed at the book in her hand with uncontainable fury. Cade
had sent his fucking minions after her. And not just any of his infernal
employees. Fucking. Jace. Kara took a cautionary step back from the threat
of the man before her. Even if she ran, she wouldn’t make it very far before
he caught her. Aware that she was trapped, Jace took another step toward
her.
“Don’t worry, I’m not allowed to touch you. Ashford wants you in perfect
condition so he can rip you apart himself.”
Kara shivered at the insinuation, walking backward until her body
collided with the hard frame of the bookshelf against the wall. Jace
followed, filling the space between them until he hovered over her. True to
his word, he made no move to touch her.
“I’ve never seen Ashford lose control. He’s always so collected. So
calculating. I wonder if there will be any pieces of you left to dispose of
after he’s finished punishing you for your betrayal?” Jace continued
tauntingly.
The frost of fear delved into Kara’s veins, her heart momentarily
forgetting its purpose as Jace’s words twisted through her thoughts like a
knife. “How did you even find me?” Kara asked bitterly.
“You’re not very hard to guess, Kara. This is the first place we looked.”
“We?” she asked, her voice alight with a small spark of hope. If Jace
wasn’t alone, maybe she could appeal to his companion for safety.
“Me and Declan. Someone had to drive back the damn Audi you stole.
The kid left with the car as soon as we got here.” Jace leaned in closer until
his nose nearly brushed hers. “So you can wipe that fucking smile off your
face. You won’t be taking advantage of that idiot’s weakness again. You’ve
no car and no escape. You’re coming with me.” Jace brushed past her and
moved toward the doors that barred Kara from freedom. “I’d appreciate it if
I didn’t have to use force,” he called back to her.
Immobile, Kara clung to her spot by the wall. Thoughts of Cade’s anger
and retribution left her terrified, and she lacked the will to walk willingly to
her doom. Jace turned to face her with a mischievous glint in his eye.
“Actually, that’s not true at all. I would like nothing more than for you to
make me drag you out of this place by your hair, kicking and screaming.
Ashford asked me not to touch you, but not if it interfered with his most
important command: bring the bitch back. So what’s it gonna be, Kara? Do
you want to come quietly, or do you want to make my day?”
Kara bit her lip anxiously as she contemplated Jace’s ultimatum.
Regardless of her decision, she knew the ultimate outcome would result in
her being dragged back to face whatever hell was in store for her at Ashford
Manor. The best she could hope for was depriving Jace of the satisfaction of
taking her by force. She knew the sick fuck loved the fight; he had told her
as much when she became very well-acquainted with the back of his hand
the last time they enjoyed each other’s company in the library. For him, she
would swallow her anger and pride and walk out of that building with all of
the composure and sickly sweet submission she could muster. “I’m ready to
go now,” Kara announced primly, pushing past Jace and leading the way out
of the library.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Jace’s face as he moved to follow
Kara. He had expected fire and fury. A shrieking, clawing beast that he was
ordained to subdue. Kara’s usual stubbornness set his blood singing with
violence. But the calm obedience with which she returned to captivity left
him reeling. His whole body ached with the sudden loss of a fight, his veins
coursing with unnecessary adrenaline. Kara fucking Caine had
unceremoniously killed his buzz, and he was fucking pissed.
Kara kept walking without a second glance at Jace. She wasn’t aware of
his personal choice of vehicle, but she didn’t need to ask. She simply
walked toward the most conspicuously out of place car in the library
parking lot and waited expectantly by the passenger side door. Jace
unlocked the red Porsche with an annoyed grunt that suggested she was
taking all of the fun out of his grand mission of acquisition. Good. Because
she had every intention of behaving like the perfect little captive for the
duration of their trip back to the manor.
They both got in the car, the area feeling rather cramped as mutual
feelings of anger and annoyance filled the space between them. Repelled by
the closeness of Jace’s presence, Kara moved away as far as she physically
could in the closed confines, resting against the window as she bid farewell
to the familiar sites of campus. The heavy musk of Jace’s cologne pervaded
the air, drawing forth grim memories of the last time he had been far too
close for comfort. She rolled down the window, beckoning the fresh air to
save her from suffocation and ruminations. The start of the ignition brought
with it blaring, distasteful music that committed atrocities against her
eardrums. The sheer aggression of the song seemed to suit Jace’s overall
characteristics perfectly. Noticing her irritation, Jace turned the music up.
Rolling her eyes, Kara braced herself for what was sure to be the longest car
ride of her life.

“You ran, but you didn’t try to hide,” Jace commented aloud, breaking the
silence of the past thirty minutes in the car. “You actually escaped. You
could have gone anywhere. You could have disappeared, gone somewhere
we couldn’t have found you, at least not right away. Instead, you went to
the first place you knew we would look. Why?”
“Why do you care?” Kara asked defensively, keenly aware of quite how
asinine her actions sounded when spoken aloud.
“I don’t care. I’m just curious. Why throw away your one chance? Do
you enjoy the thrill of danger that much?”
“I didn’t run,” Kara admitted quietly.
“Excuse me?”
“You said I ran, but I didn’t.”
“How else would you define stealing a car and sneaking out of his house
without telling anyone where you were going?”
“I needed time to myself. I needed to check on my work. I needed a small
taste of freedom, yes. But I wasn’t running. I had every intention of
returning tonight after settling things in my office. I hadn’t thought anyone
would notice. But, of course, Cade found out and sent in the damn calvary,”
Kara finished with a sigh of irritation.
“You promised him you’d stay. And, for some unknown reason, he
trusted you.”
“I know,” Kara agreed, guilt settling in heavily as she remembered her
pledge to Cade. Why did she feel so devastated for stealing a moment of
freedom and breaking a promise to her captor? She was entitled to freedom
far more than he was entitled to her trust, and yet, the thought of hurting
him made her heart feel like it was being crushed in her chest. Jace looked
at her appraisingly, reading her thoughts as though they were written plainly
on her face.
 “Shit, Ashford really did fuck you up, didn’t he? You didn’t run because
you wanted to stay—with him,” Jace said with a laugh devoid of humor.
Kara sat silently, ignoring his derision. What could she say? The entire
situation was precisely as ludicrous as Jace had so eloquently put. She was
fucked from the moment she and Cade allowed their relationship to become
physical. Crossing the bounds of captive to lover had twisted their
relationship into something indescribable, straddling the boundaries of both.
She had allowed herself to forget the true role Cade played in her life, and
her reckless naivety would come at a price.
Every minute brought them closer to Ashford Manor, closer to the man
who would forever steal her freedom. Every second, she tried to make
herself hate him, willing away the memories of tender moments shared
between them. But try as she might, her heart could not be hardened, her
treacherous emotions thrusting her open-armed toward the man holding the
keys to her cage rather than beckoning her toward escape.
The gates of Cade’s lair came into view far quicker than anticipated,
signaling the time for dreading and delaying the master of the manor’s
wrath had come to an end. The first prickles of fear crept across Kara’s skin
as she watched the metal bars close behind them, creaking with finality.
Cade would be pissed that she had broken her promise. He would be furious
that she had run from him. She wasn’t sure how possessive he felt about his
cars, but there was a good chance he might be more than peeved about her
dabbling in grand theft auto. All in all, Cade had sound reasons to be angry
with her, but she had no intention of begging for forgiveness because she
took advantage of her one chance at freedom as soon as he had his back
turned. She refused to apologize for doing what any self-respecting captive
would have done. Whatever issues Cade had with her illicit afternoon
activities, he could take them and fuck off.
Kara’s unflinching resolve lasted about as long as the ride up the narrow
drive, vanishing as soon as the white stone towers of the manor loomed
ominously ahead. Jace opened the car door for her, less out of chivalry and
more to force her out of the security of the vehicle to which she was
desperately clinging. Without laying a hand on her, he herded Kara toward
the double stairway at the entrance of the manor. She climbed the steep
steps solemnly, feeling like Hardy’s Tess on her way to the gallows,
innocent by virtue if not by deed. Kara stalled by the front of the imperious,
carved doors before Jace pushed past her and knocked three times with the
ostentatiously formal, golden knocker fashioned into a roaring lion’s head.
With little delay, Mrs. Hughes opened the doors, greeting Kara with a
pitying smile.
Crossing the threshold, Kara looked upon the prison with which she had
become familiar. Though the manor was extravagantly beautiful, she had
missed the welcome simplicity of the library. Kara longed for another day
spent amid the encompassing smell of books and warm glow of sunlight
through open windows rather than the glare of chandeliers and the empty
echo of vast halls.
“Ashford said to bring you to him as soon as we arrived,” Jace informed
her curtly.
“Given the events of the day, I’m assuming I don’t have a choice in the
matter?” Kara asked, feeling the irritation that had been growing during the
duration of her ride back with Jace beginning to consume her. If Cade
wanted to demand her presence, he had better be prepared to deal with the
consequences. Whatever anger he might be feeling, Kara was sure she
could match it in full after being dragged back to his house like an escaped
convict.
“Boss’s orders,” Jace responded, his lips curling into a smile of cruel
amusement.
“He’s in his study,” the older woman informed Jace, obviously apprised
of their current situation and not at all at ease with it. Mrs. Hughes touched
Kara on the shoulder kindly, an almost maternal gesture, as though she
might impart some small measure of strength with which to weather the
coming storm known as Caden Ashford.
Kara gave her a weak smile in return and trudged onward behind Jace.
She hadn’t explored much of the monstrous house, so she considered it as
an opportunity to familiarize herself with the many facets of her prison.
Preoccupied with her mental mappings of twists and turns, Kara nearly ran
into Jace as he stopped abruptly in front of double doors that seemed much
like the others along the hall. Jace knocked twice to announce their arrival.
“Enter,” responded a decidedly ill-tempered voice from the other side.
Jace opened the door to reveal a visibly enraged Cade seated behind a
large, mahogany desk, his arms splayed authoritatively across the smooth
wooden surface as he continued a conversation on his phone. As Cade
preferred to keep his work private, Kara had never had the opportunity to
visit his study. The room suited him. Dark, emerald hued walls were
transfixed with antique cabinets with glass panes exhibiting an eclectic
variety of collectibles and artifacts on either side of the immense desk
polished to perfection. A large, abstract painting hung directly above the
desk, the sparse brushstrokes of white and grey evoking the bleakness of a
winter night. Synchronizing with the decor of the rest of the manor, an
ebony chandelier draped dramatically from the center of the ceiling. The
pristinely organized, somber opulence of the space enveloped Cade’s
personality perfectly.
It seemed rather foreboding that Kara had been taken directly to Cade’s
inner sanctum upon their arrival. Whatever his feelings regarding her little
excursion that afternoon, they were severe enough to warrant disrupting his
work. How was he even at home when he had scheduled time with a client
until the following morning? Had the client canceled? Or had Cade
abandoned a client that he himself had described as undeniable for the sole
purpose of rushing back home to deal with her transgressions himself?
Fuck, perhaps she was in more trouble than she thought. Kara fidgeted
nervously, feeling awkwardly like a child awaiting chastisement, as Cade’s
conversation drew to a close. She clung to the hope that he would listen to
reason before rushing to judgment and fury and retaliation. Unfortunately,
reasonability had yet to be his strongest attribute.
“Handle it,” Cade finished shortly as he ended the call, tossing the mobile
on the desk in irritation.
An anxious chill washed over Kara as she realized she was next in line to
receive Cade’s furious attentions. She shifted restlessly beside Jace, waiting
for the anger she knew would come, pondering what form her punishment
would take. Continuing to ignore her presence, Cade ran raked his fingers
through his hair viciously. Noticing a disarray on his desk, Cade took a
moment to tuck the papers into tidy stacks, the small, orderly task allowing
him to regain a semblance of composure. Finally, he stood, fingers deftly
closing the front buttons on his suit as he turned to look at Kara for the first
time since he had bid her a tender farewell that morning when her promise
to stay remained chaste and unbroken.
 Cade’s eyes were darkened with the depths of icy ire, cold and fiercely
unforgiving. Kara withered beneath the fury that encompassed his entire
body like an aura, longing with every fiber of her being to look away.
Refusing to give him the satisfaction of cowering, Kara ignored the
instinctual impulses to beg or run and held his gaze with a steady bravery
that hopefully masked her true terror.
“You may go, Jace,” Cade instructed his associate without releasing Kara
from his violent gaze.
“I’ll apprise you of the details later, Ashford,” Jace replied as he turned to
go.
“Shut the door on your way out.”
Jace gave Kara a suggestive wink before abandoning her to Cade’s mercy
and shutting the door firmly behind him. Kara found herself alone in the
room with Cade, trying unsuccessfully to avoid a tremble of apprehension.
“Cade, I’m—”
“Stop,” he interrupted angrily, cutting off her attempt to offer excuses or
apologies. “I didn’t give you permission to speak.”
Cade’s hands ached to throttle her or force her over the desk and deliver
the thrashing she so desperately deserved for breaking her promise. He
couldn’t trust himself to touch her, yet. The rage coursing through his veins
demanded violence, and he couldn’t be sure of his ability to stop once the
price justice demanded had been exacted. He didn’t want to hurt Kara to the
point of ruin, so he would try his utmost to keep a safe distance between
them until his anger had quelled enough to discipline her reasonably.
He moved to where a chair rested in the corner of the room and dragged it
rather loudly across the floor until it stood in front of his desk. “Sit down,
Kara,” he commanded, gesturing to the newly situated piece of furniture.
 “I would prefer to stand, thank you,” Kara answered firmly, having no
intention of allowing him to put her in a position of feeling small and
powerless as he towered above her.
“It wasn’t a suggestion,” Cade responded darkly.
“Well, I’ve never been very good at following orders.”
“Clearly. If you were, we couldn’t be having this conversation.”
“How is it a conversation if I’m not allowed to speak?” Kara replied with
determined defiance.
Cade slammed his fists on the desk in frustration. The aggression of the
act shocked Kara, and she shrank back slightly. Cade was gratified to read
the fear in her eyes. At least she had some notion of common sense. He
intentionally used the desk as a barrier between his anger and her. Cade
didn’t trust himself to handle her with the haze of fury clouding his
judgment. She had broken her promise. She had run right into the
precarious situation he had been trying to protect her from. She had risked
his reputation, his business, his employees, and her personal safety, and the
possible consequences of her reckless betrayal sent all gentleness and
rationality out of his being.
“Why can you not follow even the simplest of instructions? Have you not
an inkling of self-preservation?” Cade asked in exasperation.
“Is this still about sitting in the chair?” Kara asked, trying to make light
of the situation.
“No, it’s not about the fucking chair,” he growled. “But yes, I would have
a much easier time maintaining control if you could make some effort to
cooperate.”
“Oh heaven forbid, Caden Ashford isn’t in fucking control! Do I have
your parents to thank for your supremely inflated sense of self-importance,
or are you a self-made asshole?”
Kara could see from his face that she had gone too far. His movements
seemed almost feral as he strode toward her. Kara backed away in panic,
trying to escape the line of fire, but his steps matched two of her own.
Within an instant, Kara felt her back pressed up against the wall, Cade’s
body holding her there. He grabbed her shoulders, unable to resist giving
her a slight shake.
“Why are you so fucking reckless, Kara?”
“Let go of me, Cade,” she demanded as fiercely as possible, trying to
ignore the sting of fear she felt beneath the strength of his hands. “You’re
hurting me.”
He loosened his hold on her, unleashing his pent up frustration on the
wall beside her head. His fist met the hard surface with a loud bam. Kara
flinched. She sensed that only a thin tether of self-control had kept him
from hitting her rather than the wall. His body physically quivered with
rage, but he contained himself. Barely. The violence that lurked so close to
the surface was beginning to burn through. Self-preservation demanded that
she tread carefully. As usual, she ignored the instinct, fear spurring her
toward fight rather than flight.
“You should work on those anger management issues,” she goaded with a
pointed glance at the fist that still rested on the wall a few inches from her
head.
“My issue is with managing my librarian, not my anger,” Cade responded
darkly. He was clearly still seething, and her glib attitude was not diffusing
the situation.
“Perhaps you should find a new librarian,” she suggested flippantly.
 “Trust me, if there were any others to be had, you would be gone,” he
replied evenly. His words inflicted more damage then he intended; Cade
could see the hurt written plainly on her face. She had, against his better
judgment, become something more than just a job, but that was part of the
problem. Cade ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to control his rage
before he said or did anything he might regret. He had to make her
understand the severity of her actions. “You promised to stay here, Kara,”
Cade reprimanded, finally getting to the heart of the matter.
“I don’t think I should be held to oaths made under duress,” Kara replied
spitefully.
“Under duress?” Cade questioned with an incredulous scoff.
“Yes, under duress. As I am a prisoner in this damn house, every move I
make is under fucking duress.”
“I seem to recall you begging me to stay and fuck you this morning. I
don’t believe anyone forced you to sleep with me. Or keep coming back for
more. You wanted it.”
“I’m a good actress,” Kara answered disdainfully.
Cade narrowed his eyes. “I see.”
Without warning, Cade’s lips were on hers—hot, possessive, and entirely
conquering. His tongue forced its way past her defenses, invading her
mouth violently. His teeth collided with flesh, impatient and hungry as they
drew blood from her full bottom lip. Her mouth filled with the taste of him,
heady and familiar and completely intoxicating. Kara allowed herself to
briefly melt beneath his touch before pulling back and slapping him as hard
as she possibly could across his presumptuous face.
“Get the fuck off me!” Kara shouted in disgust. What had possessed the
impudent bastard to kiss her like that?
 Immediately obeying her request, Cade took an intentional step
backward, putting space between them once again. He moved his hand to
the side of his face emblazoned with the red print of her fingers, stroking
the sting thoughtfully, a smile slowly playing across his lips. Rather than
looking pissed, Cade was positively gleeful, as though a slap to the face was
exactly what he had been after. “You, my love, are no actress. When you
dislike someone’s advances, you protest quite freely. And quite loudly. You
came to my bed willingly. You can attempt to convince yourself otherwise,
but I have all the proof I need,” he finished, rubbing his sore cheek for
emphasis.
Kara merely glared at him, any hope of challenging him obliterated to
ash. She hated him for taking advantage of her weakness and manipulating
the intimacy of their relationship.
“As I was saying, when you broke your promise and went to the campus
today, you risked very grave consequences. Both for yourself and for me.”
“What do you mean?” Kara asked, confused.
“Avery’s men were at that library, Kara. Yesterday. What would have
happened if they were there today when you foolishly decided to make an
impromptu visit alone and unprotected?”
“Wait, what are you talking about? I thought you were Avery’s men?”
“Yes, but we didn’t exactly follow through on delivery, now did we?
Avery had no intention of permanently relinquishing that text, and he’s
fucked without it. He’ll do what it takes to get it back, and he’s more than
willing to employ people with far fewer moral scruples than I.”
Kara scoffed aloud at the idea of Cade representing a moral standard.
With a chastising glare, Cade continued. “His agents have been regularly
visiting the university, presumably waiting for you to show up after having
little luck finding you at the literary conference in Canada you’re
supposedly attending according to Braxton’s hacking skills. If any of them
saw you with Jace today, they’ll know your location and that I am
involved.” Cade watched as the realization that she might have endangered
more than just herself began to sink into Kara’s consciousness.
“Well, I would have been more careful if I’d known. Shit, Cade, why
didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t feel it necessary to worry you with the knowledge that you were
being hunted. I had it under control, and I told you not to leave the manor.
You should have trusted my judgment and not disobeyed.”
“Well, I just assumed you were being a control freak; it is basically your
fundamental characteristic.”
“Much as blatant irrationality for the sake of appearing independent is
yours.”
“You literally had your lackey come and forcefully drag me back to this
prison because I decided to get some air for a few hours. A little
independence would be a nice change.”
“Prove you’re capable of obeying reason, and I’ll consider it.”
“And we’re back to this again. I swear your outrage has far less to do
with my brush with danger than it does my audacity to disregard your
authority. I’ve seen the power you wield over those around you; hell, even
Jace is wary of inciting your displeasure. It’s as if your very presence
extinguishes free will. Thank goodness I’m still able to express my right to
rebellion.”
“You speak so rashly because you have yet to experience the
consequences of my displeasure, but trust me, you will.” Cade’s threats
were interrupted by a brisk knock on the door. “Not now,” Cade
commanded loudly as he grabbed ahold of Kara’s arm and dragged her
toward his desk.
Kara tried to resist, but his grip was relentless and his countenance
completely devoid of mercy. For all her defiance, Kara was beginning to
dread the consequences of pushing him too far. Cade’s eyes shone with a
determination that implied he had finally decided upon the manner of
Kara’s reckoning. And she knew it would not be pleasant.
Someone burst through the door, providing Kara with momentary
salvation. It was Declan. Cade turned the full brunt of his fury on the poor
boy, giving him a deadly glare that made Kara shudder and Declan eye his
escape route warily.
“I said we were not to be disturbed,” Cade thundered angrily, his hand
still painfully constricted around Kara’s arm. The boy was already next on
his hit list after the events of the day, and his interruption was not helping
matters.
Declan gulped nervously before answering. “Jace says that it’s urgent.
It’s about the December client.”
Kara rolled her eyes, terror temporarily giving sway to annoyance. Of
course Jace would offer up the poor boy like a sacrifice to the mercy of
Cade’s wrath rather than risk interrupting Cade himself.
Cowardly bastard.
Cade took a moment to determine the best course of action. He needed
thirty minutes alone with Kara. Thirty minutes and her disobedience would
be reprimanded, his need for retribution would be sated, and he could
complete the order for the December client with a clear conscience and a
clear head. But he had already stolen time from one of his highest statured
clients to fly home and deal with the Kara fiasco under the guise of a work
emergency. If Jace was demanding his attention, Pascal was probably
getting restless. Cade ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair.
“Fuck!” Cade yelled in exasperation, causing both Kara and Declan to
flinch. Begrudgingly choosing to put work before his personal issues with
Kara, Cade pulled Kara viciously toward the door.
“Follow me,” Cade ordered over his shoulder to Declan.
Cade dragged Kara down the hall, around the corner, past the library, and
up the stairs. She struggled to keep up with his rapid pace, tripping slightly
on the stairs, but his vice-like grip on her arm kept her upright and
continuing forward. Declan trailed obediently behind them. To her relief,
Cade turned toward her room rather than his own. Kara’s relief was short-
lived as he opened the door to her room and thrust her inside, the force of
his push throwing her to the floor. Kara gaped at him with unabashed
outrage.
“Do not fucking move from this room until I return,” Cade thundered,
pointing his finger at her in emphasis.
“And when exactly will that be?” she questioned angrily, not taking
kindly to being manhandled and given orders.
“When I bloody well feel like it!” Cade yelled, equally incensed.
With no further goodbye, Cade turned on his heel and left the room,
slamming the door behind him with shattering force. With nauseating dread,
Kara heard the scrape of a key turning on the other side of the door. Even
when Cade had first taken her hostage, she had never been locked in her
room. For the first time since she had arrived at the manor, Kara was truly
imprisoned.
“Cade!” Kara called in panic. “Let me out! You can’t lock me in here.”
 “On the contrary, love, I can do absolutely anything imaginable to you,
and there is nothing you can do to stop me. I treated you as my guest. I gave
you my trust. But you have disregarded my hospitality and broken that
trust. So now, you will be treated as the prisoner you so enjoy claiming to
be.”
“Cade, please,” Kara pleaded, the stubbornness and fury vanquished,
replaced with quivers of fear.
“You’ve brought this upon yourself, Kara” Cade answered stonily.
“Declan will be here to guard the door. And I assure you he has every
intention of fulfilling his duties and redeeming himself of this morning’s
lapse in judgment. Do not talk to him. Declan is under strict orders to call
me immediately if you attempt to disobey my orders.”
Kara heard the sound of footsteps receding and then nothing. “Cade?” she
called into the emptiness. “Cade!”
There was no answer. She was alone. Locked in a room with no escape
and a monster for a jailer.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TEN

T HE minutes ticked past slowly. Or perhaps they were hours. The sun
had yet to shed its nightly cloak, the moon still a looming orb of
gloom, signaling morning had yet to arrive. Kara had very little with which
to fill the vacant hours of ennui. She had no phone, there was no television
in her room, there wasn’t a single book to offer a kindly reprieve from the
tedium that was now her wretched existence. Cade had successfully
entombed her in a crypt of boredom, a true testament to his obvious cruelty.
Kara had allowed her lust and ill-fated attraction to Cade to cloud her
judgment regarding his true character. It was a mistake of deadly
proportions and one that she would not make again.
With little else to distract her thoughts, Kara was keenly aware that she
was starving, her last meal being breakfast with Cade that morning. Apart
from a cup of black coffee at the library, she hadn’t had any sustenance
since. Contemplating the risks of disobeying Cade’s orders yet again, Kara
summoned the courage to ask Declan if she could be allowed to venture
downstairs for dinner. She would have eagerly accepted a mere crust of
bread delivered to her door, but dinner might give her an excuse to escape
her confinement, even if only briefly. “Declan,” Kara called sweetly, her
mouth pressed against the door where he waited on the other side.
“Shit, Kara. You aren’t supposed to talk to me. I don’t want either of us
getting into more trouble with Ashford,” Declan answered anxiously, his
voice a harsh whisper.
Kara rolled her eyes. How exactly was he in trouble? She was the one
locked away and guarded. For what infernal reason did everyone tread so
carefully when it came to Cade? Sure he was imperious, ill-tempered, and
pretentious, but not so very threatening. He was a mere man, endowed with
as much or as little power as he was allowed to take. Unlike the men who
followed him, Kara had no intention of allowing Cade to dominate her fear.
Gritting her teeth, Kara tried again to reason with the Caden Ashford
acolyte. “I’m sorry if I got you in trouble with Cade earlier. I didn’t mean
for you to be blamed for my leaving,” Kara apologized with partial honesty.
She had planned to be back before Cade found out, eliminating the need for
anyone to be blamed or punished. She’d felt bad for using the kid’s
gullibility to her advantage, but the guilt was mitigated by the fact that
Declan was actively enabling her imprisonment.
“It’s okay. I was stupid. Shouldn’t have let you out of my sight,” Declan
responded with an embarrassed laugh.
“You were empathetic and kind. You should never have to apologize for
possessing such worthy attributes. You should get the hell out of here before
any goodness disappears entirely,” Kara answered truthfully, repressing a
shudder at the thought of the sweet kid turning into someone as merciless as
Jace.
There was an uneasy pause before Declan answered. “Well, you really
shouldn’t be talking to me. Boss’s orders and all.”
“I know. It’s just…I haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast. Do you
think you could let me go downstairs for dinner? I’ll come right back to my
room, I promise,” Kara pleaded. The degradation of having to ask
permission to keep from starving left her feeling bitterly indignant.
“I don’t know, Kara. I’d have to ask for his approval.”
“He seemed rather busy with work today. Certainly you don’t need to
interrupt him to ask if I’m allowed the common courtesy of sustenance?”
“His orders were very specific,” Declan informed her, denying her
request not to involve Cade with an immediate call to his superior.
Fuck.
Kara weakened in defeat, knowing how the sadistic bastard would likely
respond to her request.
“Hello…Yes, sir…No, she hasn’t left her room….She’s asked if she can
eat dinner downstairs…I called yo,k;’ll put her on speaker.”
“He wants to speak with you,” Declan told her, his tone wary.
“Kara,” a muffled voice came from the other side of the door, the angry
address unmistakably Cade’s.
“Yes,” Kara answered, careful to keep her tone even, not allowing her
frustration and hatred to seep in.
“I see you decided talking to Declan was worth disobeying my orders, yet
again.”
“Yes,” Kara responded simply, the answer obvious.
 “And you seem to think I’ll allow you to leave your room? Allow you the
pleasure of eating when all you have brought me today is vexation and
insubordination?”
“Yes,” was Kara’s third monosyllabic answer.
“Disobedient brats do not deserve dinner, Kara.”
“Fuck you!” Kara shouted angrily, his demeaning attitude finally
breaking through her collected composure.
“I promise you’ll regret that disrespectful outburst. Very soon, in fact,”
Cade warned ominously.
“Declan,” he redirected, finished indulging Kara with his attention.
And that was the last Kara heard from either of them.

IT was a few hours shy of dusk when Cade finally arrived home. He was
weary, frustrated, mentally taxed, and longed for nothing more than to
collapse into bed and allow slumber to overtake him. But he still had one
manner of unresolved business, and sleep would have to wait.
Cade’s previous fury from that afternoon had cooled to a mere echo of
anger over Kara’s transgressions. The passion had subsided in favor of
calculated retribution. Unlike the heated interaction in his study, Cade could
now trust himself to punish Kara fairly and without malice. He was no
longer out for blood. He would be satisfied with a small measure of pain as
payment for her betrayal. Kara had committed a number of sins that day,
and the time of judgment had come.
 From the top of the stairs, Cade could make out Declan’s sleeping form;
he had passed out on the floor, his head resting on Kara’s door frame. Cade
released an exasperated sigh of disapproval, making a mental note never to
put Declan on guard duty again. He’d deal with the kid later; doling out one
punishment in the early morning hours was more than enough in his sleep-
deprived state. For the moment, Declan would escape unscathed. The
insolent girl on the other side of the door wouldn’t be so lucky.
Cade lightly kicked Declan in the side, startling him awake.
“Ashford! You’re back?” Declan asked in surprise as he jolted upright,
his heart racing with the shock of being thrust into consciousness as well as
nervousness at being caught sleeping on the job.
“Clearly,” Cade responded shortly, lifting his hand to massage the
weariness from his temple. “Go to bed, Declan. We’ll be having a
discussion in my office in the morning.”
“Yes, sir,” Declan replied guiltily. “Goodnight, sir.”
Cade waved him off without another word, summoning his last stores of
energy for what was sure to be an uncomfortable confrontation. His face
settled into unforgiving stone as he unlocked the door and entered Kara’s
room. She lay peacefully on the bed, any angers or fears she had regarding
him melting away in the sweet bliss of slumber. Cade had entertained the
hope that she would wait up for him, as eager to clear the animosity and
dissension between them as he was, but he didn’t begrudge her the desire to
sleep away the stress of a long day.
He walked toward Kara quietly, treading lightly so as not to wake her. His
caution was illogical as he would be doing just that in a few moments, but
he enjoyed getting the chance to watch her while she was free of mouthy
insults and infuriating obstinance and all the other traits that came with
Kara being conscious. Cade sat beside her on the bed, unable to refrain
from brushing a stray strand of pale blonde hair from her forehead. Her skin
was warm, inviting, and the smallest bit flushed as Cade continued to run
his fingers lightly along her cheek. She was beautiful, heartbreakingly so.
Her biting temper, so blatantly incongruous with her own fragility, drove
him mad while also igniting a tenderness in him that he didn’t know
existed. He ached to wrap his arms around her, feel her warmth against his
body, and fall into tranquil sleep beside her. The enticing temptation almost
banished any thought of broken promises and punishments.
Almost.
“Kara,” Cade said firmly, loud enough to startle her from sleep.
She blinked at him with bleary eyes, her sleep-addled mind searching for
the reason for Cade’s untimely awakening. Slowly, consciousness brought
with it the unwelcome reminder that she had pissed off the man single-
handedly in control of her future, and he had promised retribution.
Instinctually, Kara buried her shame-tinged face in the cover of the pillow
in the unrealistic hope that the bit of fluff would shield her from Cade’s ire.
Unsurprisingly, it did not.
“Look at me, Kara,” Cade commanded calmly.
Cautiously, she peaked at him from behind the pillow, anxious of being
subjected to the same explosive anger he’d exhibited in his study. To her
relief, the fire in his eyes had cooled, replaced by something as hard and
frigid as ice. His gaze wasn’t one of cruelty, but dispassionate
determination. This version of Cade could be reasoned with, she just had to
approach him with an appropriate balance of rationality and remorse. Or so
she thought.
 “Cade,” Kara greeted warily, her voice still laced with drowsiness. “I
thought you had business in New York for a couple days. How did you
make it back so quickly?”
“I got things settled. Jace is handling it now,” Cade answered, his voice
tired and drawn as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Did you think you
would escape so easily? I told you I would be back to handle your
punishment.”
“I thought being locked in my room with no dinner was my punishment,”
Kara said quietly, lowering her eyes.
“No, love, that was merely the overture. The true orchestration of your
punishment begins now.”
Kara’s heart stuttered in terror at the words dripping with ominousness.
“What are you going to do?” she asked fearfully, trying to inconspicuously
slide away from where Cade sat on the bed.
Reproachfully, Cade captured her arm and pulled her closer toward him.
She quivered slightly beneath his grasp, trepidation plainly written across
her face. Cade wondered what exactly she thought he was going to do?
What horrors did she suppose he was capable of? He may occasionally be a
bastard, but he wasn’t a monster.
“Let’s go over your transgressions, shall we? Then perhaps we can
ascertain a fitting judgment.” Cade waited for her nod of acknowledgment
before proceeding, counting each sin with the lift of a finger. “First, you
broke your promise. You told me that you would keep within the safety of
the manor, and you lied to my face. Second, you ran from me. When you
were first brought here, you were allowed free reign permitting you didn’t
leave the premises. You disobeyed. Third, you jeopardized my business by
risking exposure as well as depriving a client of my very valuable time
when I had to rush home to deal with your misbehavior.”
Kara stared at the three damning fingers Cade held before her, a tally of
her crimes. She remained silent, assuming anything she said would merely
be used against her. She couldn’t argue with his recounting; the details were
true. Hell, he’d even made her feel marginally guilty for her recklessness.
But that didn’t mean she was prepared to pay the price.
“Well, Kara? What do you think is a suitable punishment?” Cade asked,
genuinely interested in her opinion.
“I don’t know,” Kara answered miserably. She had no desire to damn
herself, but she was equally petrified of having Cade decide her fate.
“In that case, I’ll decide for you,” Cade said threateningly as he rose from
the bed.
In one quick pull, Cade ripped the covers from Kara’s body, sighing
lustily as he beheld her near nakedness beneath. She wore a delicate silk
nightgown that barely brushed the tops of her thighs, the soft blush color an
exact match for the flushed rosiness in her cheeks. Transparent lace trim
framed her breasts, allowing a seductively teasing glimpse of the dark pink
of her nipples. The nightgown was pushed up to her hip on one side,
revealing scanty knickers of the same see-through, pink lace. Cade’s gaze
transfixed hungrily on her pussy, the outline of her sex entirely visible. It
would require an unbelievable level of self-control to keep from fucking her
the minute her punishment was concluded.
“Stand up,” he ordered sharply, sexual frustration making his voice
harsher than he intended.
Reluctantly, Kara sat up, folding her arms over her chest to conceal the
nipple revealing negligee. The thin, transparent material of her nightwear
left her feeling like she was entering a battle without armor. Using one arm
for support and the other for cover, Kara stood, meeting Cade’s gaze as
bravely as she could under the mortifying circumstances.
“Hands at your sides,” Cade commanded, stripping her of another layer
of security and comfort.
Embarrassment flooding her cheeks, Kara forced her arms down, her
fingers clenching tightly at the bottom hem of her nightgown. She shifted
anxiously from one foot to the other as Cade painfully drew out the dread of
whatever retribution he had planned.
“Follow me,” he directed after a long moment’s pause, turning to walk
across the room.
Kara followed him hesitantly, confused when he halted in front of the
desk in front of the far window. She searched Cade’s countenance for a hint
of what he had planned. Did he want her to write something? How would
that satisfy the debt he insisted she pay for her disobedience?
“What did I say would happen the next time you risked your safety by
willfully disobeying me?” Cade asked sternly.
Kara thought back to his words at the stables, the blood draining from her
face as she remembered the consequence to which he was referring. Surely
he wouldn’t?
In answer to the question she thundered at him silently, Cade reached for
his belt buckle, unfastening it and pulling the belt from his hips at an
excruciatingly languid speed. “Well, Kara? Surely you remember?”
“You said you’d—” Kara’s voice momentarily abandoned her as she tried
to get out the words that tasted of bile. “You said you’d whip me.”
“That’s exactly right.” As his eyes seared hers with the dangerousness of
his intentions, Cade folded the heavy leather belt in half and slapped it once
against his palm as though he were displaying his showmanship.
The resounding thwap made Kara gasp aloud in sickened horror.
Abandoning quiet submission the moment she heard the wicked belt meet
skin, Kara started to look around frantically for a means of escape. She
desperately ran for the door, and Cade made no move to stop her. He stood
by the desk calmly, the doubled belt hanging sinisterly in his grasp.
“I would suggest you not run from me a second time, Kara. I don’t think
you’d enjoy your punishment being twice as hard.”
Kara spun around to face him, her face contorted with indignant fury.
How dare he think he could physically punish her for breaking a few rules?
In case he hadn’t noticed, beating a grown woman for disobedience hadn’t
been socially acceptable for at least half a century. Her heart clenched at the
fact that what he threatened to do to her had ever been permissible at all.
“There isn’t a chance in hell that you’re going to touch me with that!”
Kara shouted at him as she maintained a safe distance from Cade and his
weapon of choice.
“You’re right, I’m going to do a good deal more than touch you with it.
You’ve earned yourself a proper thrashing. Now come here,” Cade ordered,
snapping his fingers.
“No,” Kara denied with a firm shake of her head.
“Do not make me ask again, Kara. Here. Now,” Cade almost shouted,
loudly tapping his index finger on the desk for emphasis.
Kara didn’t move an inch, locking her arms over her chest in a blatant
stance of defiance as she stared at Cade with unshakable fortitude. Cade
mirrored her posture, crossing his own arms as he attempted to glare her
into submission. Both were equally matched in obstinacy. Neither of them
spoke. Neither of them wavered. They were at an impasse, each of them
willing to stand there all night if that was what it took to prove a point.
Cade broke first.
“Fine, you insufferable woman! If you won’t own your mistakes and pay
the price, I’ll have to use a substitute.”
“What exactly does that mean?” Kara asked, worried by his cryptic
suggestion.
“It means, Kara, that since you do not accept responsibility for your
actions today, I will have to find another to carry the blame in your stead.”
“Who could you possibly find guilt with other than me?”
“I believe Declan was tasked with making sure you didn’t leave the
manor,” Cade continued, his eyebrow raised with a hint of a challenge.
Kara’s face drained of color, her heart twisting as she began to understand
Cade’s intentions. “It isn’t Declan’s fault that I disregarded your orders.
You have no justification for taking out your anger on him. My decisions
were mine alone,” Kara pleaded, confused to find herself defending the boy
who merely an hour before had been standing guard at her locked door,
enforcing her imprisonment.
“You’re right, it was you, not Declan, who recklessly ignored my orders
and carelessly endangered everyone involved. However, since the guilty
individual refuses to submit to the consequences, my punishment must fall
on someone else,” Cade shouted back, seething with frustration.
Cade thrust his fingers through his dark locks in irritation, desperately
striving to find the serenity with which he had entered the room. Kara, in
her infuriatingly characteristic belligerence, had taken a battle axe to his
composure, and he was struggling to gather the pieces. Slowly,
painstakingly, Cade centered himself once again, turning to Kara with
sternness, but not anger.
“You have the next ten seconds to get your arse over here, bend over the
desk, and accept the punishment you’ve rightfully earned. Or, I’ll march
downstairs, drag Declan out of bed, and have him thrashed in front of you
and everyone else in the house.” He wasn’t bluffing. Cade had every
intention of dragging the kid out into the courtyard and beating him
senseless if it meant Kara would take a hard look at how her need to
challenge the rules put herself and others in danger.
Kara shifted anxiously, faced with two excruciating choices. She couldn’t
fathom consensually allowing anyone to beat her, least of all a man she had
willingly allowed into her bed. The perilousness of her current situation
certainly had her reconsidering all of her recent life choices. She had fucked
her captor, even developed some sort of murky feelings for him. Now, in
punishment for the single sensible judgment she’d made in weeks, the
Neanderthal was threatening to hit her with a belt. Every survival inclined
instinct within her body screamed for her to run. And she longed
desperately to obey. But Cade wasn’t playing fair. In a very underhanded
move, he had brought Declan into a matter that should have been settled
between the two of them. Regardless of her fear and humiliation, she
couldn’t allow Declan to be used as a whipping boy for her mistakes.
“Time is up, Miss Caine. What is your decision?”
“I’ll take the whipping,” Kara answered quietly, her voice quivering with
dread.
“Good,” Cade said as a smug smile spread across his face. “Thank you
for finally being sensible.” He patted the top of the desk cheerfully,
welcoming her to join him and looking more like he was inviting her to tea
rather than a beating.
“It’s not like you gave me much of a choice,” Kara responded bitterly as
she walked toward him.
“I believe a choice is exactly what I gave you.”
“Let’s just get this absurdity over with. I’ll remember you get off on
beating women the next time I feel even remotely tempted to get into your
bed again.”
Cade captured her wrist and gently pulled her toward him. Warm breath
caressed her neck as he wrapped his fingers lightly around her throat and
leaned down to press the softest kiss in the hollow behind her ear. “Careful
love, you might enjoy it too,” he whispered seductively.
“Not a chance in hell, you depraved bastard,” she replied venomously and
tried to pull away from his touch.
“Harsh words, love. Let’s see if I can soften you up a little. Face me,” he
commanded.
Reluctantly, Kara obeyed, turning to meet his appraising gaze. The glitter
of amusement had left his eyes, and he wore a steady mask of
determination.
“Why are you being punished, Kara?” Cade asked, capturing her chin in
his hand to keep her from shying away from the question or his attention.
“I broke my promise and I ran and I put everyone at risk,” she answered,
her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he left her feeling like a scolded
child.
“And what, Kara, are the consequences of your behavior?”
Her eyes begged him not to demand further degradation. She had already
submitted her body for his castigation. He could at least leave her dignity
intact.
“Answer the question,” he demanded coldly.
“You are going to hit me with your belt,” she replied as she nearly choked
on the words, strangled with mortification.
“Precisely. Now, apologize and request your punishment.”
“You can’t be serious,” Kara scoffed as she shook her chin from his
grasp, her fear momentarily forgotten in the wake of his sheer audacity.
“Oh, I am deadly serious,” Cade informed her, his face dark with
intensity.
Kara groaned in anguish, hating the man before her with every molecule
in her body. She wished she could take back every pleasant thought she’d
ever had about him. She especially wished she could take away every
memory of the reprehensible bastard being inside her. And, more than
anything, she wished she could take back the twisted irony of enjoying his
body so much that she would possibly consider fucking him even after he
hit her.
“Should I go get Declan?” Cade asked, growing impatient.
British bastard.
“Fine! I apologize for disobeying your orders. Please be so good as to
whip me,” Kara conceded finally, hoping she had adequately concealed the
sarcasm in her voice. The malicious grin on Cade’s face implied that she
hadn’t.
“Well, if you insist, love. Bend over the desk.”
Kara stood before the ominous desk. There would be no more stalling. No
more delays. No more arguments. It was time for her to pay. She felt Cade’s
hand on the small of her back, gently encouraging rather than forcing her to
lower herself onto the desk. She complied reluctantly, bending at the waist
and laying her upper body across the smooth mahogany like a sacrificial
offering for his whims of retaliation. The surface of the desk was
unforgiving, cold, and too hard against the soft warmth of her skin. The
angular corners bit painfully into the tender flesh of her abdomen,
connecting with her hip bones any time she shifted or adjusted her weight.
Cade placed the belt on the desk in front of Kara, noticing her startled jolt
of fear when it landed on the wood with a loud thud. Kara eyed the
detestable implement warily, distracted to the point that she didn’t notice
Cade move behind her. She felt him press the length of his body against her,
cringing mentally even as her traitorous body leaned slightly into his
embrace.
His hands softly traced the outline of her body, stroking from her
shoulders, down her sides, dipping into the indent of her waist, over her
hips, and, finally, across her backside. His touch lingered there, rubbing
concentric circles across her ass, demanding her relaxation with his
massaging fingers. Involuntarily, Kara obeyed, raising her hips to lift her
ass into his tantalizing touch. She froze when she felt his hands slip under
her nightgown and slowly raise it above her hips. She shivered when Cade’s
fingers hooked into her panties and gently pulled them down her legs,
stroking her thighs and calves along the way. Placing the softest kiss on her
right ankle, Cade lifted her feet one at a time and helped her step out the
panties.
Kara was naked from the waist down, fully exposed and prostrate to
whatever Cade may demand. And in that moment, much to her complete
bewilderment, she very much wanted him to fuck her. Feeling him pull
away from her, Kara heaved in distress as Cade walked back to the desk and
picked up the belt. Her stomach turned as she watched his fingers flex
tightly around the smooth, brown leather, the simple act corrupted with the
threat of impending violence. She stifled begs and pleas as they crept
cowardly up her throat, demanding to be released. She knew, at that point,
no words would save her.
The lethal sound of leather cutting through air was the only warning Kara
had before the belt landed harshly on the very center of her ass.
One.
She gasped at the sensation resonating across punished flesh.
Unquestionably, it had hurt. A lot. But there were layers beneath the
singular feeling of pain. And it was confusing as hell. Cade’s sensual
caresses had left her feeling open to sensation, insatiable for touch. And
somehow, even though that touch was punishing instead of gratifying, her
body had welcomed it rather than finding it wholly disagreeable.
After making sure Kara was composed enough to proceed, Cade whipped
her again. Harder.
Two.
She flinched at the contact of leather with skin, but remained unyielding.
Aiming for the apex of her thighs, Cade hit again.
Three.
She pressed her thighs tightly together, squirming against the edge of the
desk. “Please,” Kara begged breathlessly, though not entirely sure for what.
For Cade to stop hitting her? For him to continue the onslaught that left her
feeling tortured and tingly all at once? For him to put down the damn belt
and fuck her hard against the desk? Another lash hit her high on the ass,
dragging a soft moan from her lips.
Four.
 Cade’s brow furrowed as he stilled his hand momentarily, surprised to
find Kara’s utterances echoed lust more than anguish. Clearly not fulfilling
his duty adequately, Cade put his full weight into his next swing, the belt
landing on the tender skin of her thighs.
Five.
Kara whimpered softly, this time in pain. Six. Every lash pulled her
farther from enjoyment. Seven. Slowly, arousal gave way to anguish. Eight.
Rather than his arm tiring, Cade’s strength seemed to grow with every
blow. Nine. Each strike of the belt was harder than the last, as though
exacting her pain and submission fueled him. Ten. Kara began to shake
beneath the brutal assault, tears threatening to spill.
“Please,” Kara pleaded again. This time, she was entirely sure all she
wanted was for the whipping to stop.
“You don’t get to ask for mercy now, Kara.” Cade layered another blow
across an already sore welt on her ass. A blot of deep red blossomed against
the purpling bruises as he broke the skin. Eleven.
Kara cried out softly.
“You should have considered the consequences when you broke your
promise.” He hit her quickly in succession. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen.
Kara felt her cheeks dampen with tears she hadn’t realized she’d shed.
“You should have thought of the ramifications when you ran from me.”
The lashes grew harder still. Fifteen. Sixteen. Kara’s chest heaved with
silent sobs as she struggled to absorb the pain Cade delivered. How much
more could she bear? How many more blows would she have to take before
Cade was satisfied?
“Do you regret disobeying me now?”
 Kara struggled to remain standing on trembling legs as he whipped her
hard across the thighs. Seventeen.
“Answer the question, Kara,” Cade commanded, striking her again.
Eighteen,
“Y-yes,” she sobbed in response.
He hit her again. So hard. Nineteen. Kara’s nails dug into the top of the
desk; faint scratches marred the smooth surface from her gripping it so
tightly.
“Are you going to disobey me again?”
Cade drew his arm back and delivered a blow with such force that Kara’s
entire body shuddered. Twenty.
Kara mentally pleaded that Cade had satisfied his need to punish her
having delivered a score of lashes. She didn’t think her body could
withstand much more. She knew the strength of her mentality had depleted
to the point of defeat. Her slippery grasp on self-control was very close to
being vanquished, and she was about to start screaming beneath the wicked
blows of Cade’s belt, personal dignity be damned. Though she could not
speak to the actions of her future self in their entirety, Kara knew, in that
dreadful moment, nothing in the whole expanse of the world could have
provoked her into crossing Cade again. She would bend to his every desire,
submit to his every request, provided she never had to feel the sting of the
belt across her skin again.
“N-no, sir,” Kara answered, choking on tears. Her unusual address had
been an unconscious decision, the word startling her as it escaped her
mouth. Cade hadn’t asked for the title of formality, but something about the
situation—his authority and her unavoidable submission— pulled the word
sir from her lips.
 Cade stilled at her response, his face awash with surprise as he shifted the
belt in his grasp. Her words disarmed him as much as they stoked the
burgeoning stirrings of passion and need that had begun the moment he bent
and bared Kara over the desk. With those two, simple words, Kara had
sealed her fate. She had provided him with the proof that he couldn’t
conclude her punishment. Not quite yet. She was close, so incredibly close
to giving him everything. Her absolute surrender. “To truly learn your
lesson, I think you need to be taken past your breaking point. One lash more
than your limit to truly part with your self-detrimental disobedience once
and for all.”
Kara cried softly at the harrowing meaning behind his words. He wasn’t
done yet. He was going to keep hitting her. And she wasn’t sure she could
continue to take it. The next lash came so hard and so fast, Kara barely had
time to register the sound of it hissing through the air before it struck
mercilessly on the already broken skin of her backside. Twenty one.
Kara broke.
A scream tore from her throat, every last shred of composure completely
obliterated beneath the overwhelming agony. Unable to resist her body’s
need to purge itself of the pain, she wept loudly, the pent up anguish
escaping along with the tears. Kara had never allowed herself to cry with
such abandon, not even after losing her parents. She had always managed to
maintain control. And there she was, coming undone in the audience of a
man she currently loathed more than anyone else on the godforsaken planet.
Panic stole the air from her lungs as Kara heard the rustle of the belt
behind her. She couldn’t possibly take another lash. She would certainly
collapse or pass out or both. Could Cade truly be that cruel? The harsh bite
of leather on her tender, bruised thighs answered her question. Twenty two.
 Yes, yes he could.
When she heard the belt clatter to the floor, her tears fell abundantly, this
time in relief. Was he done? Was it finally over?
“Kara,” Cade breathed, his voice thick with emotion as he drew toward
her. Having finished his unsavory task, Cade wanted nothing more than to
tell Kara how proud he was of her unyielding strength, her submission, her
complete surrender. His arms ached to hold her, to smooth away any
lingering pain or embarrassment. Cade didn’t regret his actions. Kara had
earned the punishment, and he hadn’t hurt her more than was duly
necessary to exact her remorse. But the sight of Kara trembling as she
remained bent over the desk, her cheeks stained with tears and the deeply
colored marks of his belt written prominently across her skin, twisted at his
insides in unusual ways.
Kara flinched as she felt Cade’s touch at her hips, wary of being forced to
endure more pain at his hands. Gently, almost reverently, his fingers found
the hem of her nightgown and drew the soft material down over her legs,
granting her the dignity of being covered once again. Kara sucked in a
breath as even the silkiness of the thin dress felt like sandpaper on her
tender and bruised skin. Cade’s hands lingered on her thighs, stroking as
though attempting to soothe, and Kara felt the anger rising within her to the
point of bursting at his pretense of tenderness.
How dare he touch her like that after what he just did?
“Get your fucking hands off of me,” Kara commanded coldly, her tears
evaporating in the wake of her blossoming fury.
A flicker of hurt crossed Cade’s face as he swiftly rescinded his touch,
backing away slightly to allow Kara to rise and get her bearings without
feeling suffocated.
 Kara lifted her head gingerly, her right cheek feeling like it carried the
bruising imprint of the desk after being crushed against the hard wood for
such a long period of time. Her fingers were stiff as she pried them from the
sides of the desk, identical deep red lines etched into the middle of her
palms from grasping the sharpness of the edges. The overextended muscles
of her body protested as she slowly lifted herself. Kara couldn’t even
imagine what the backs of her thighs and backside looked like, but they hurt
like fucking hell. Standing straight with all the pride she could muster, Kara
wiped the tears from her cheeks, smoothed the unruly mess that was her
hair, and straightened the nightgown to appropriately cover what little it
could of her breasts and thighs. Having fully composed herself, she directed
the complete extent of her ire at Cade, meeting his cautious, questioning
gaze with dark, hate-filled eyes.
She despised Cade. Completely. Irrefutably. Irrevocably. Every space in
the entirety of her now hardened heart was reserved for the unfathomable
loathing of the detestable man.
“Kara,” Cade warned, disapproving of her misplaced anger.
“Do not say my name. You are unworthy of addressing me.”
“Unworthy?” Cade questioned with a raised eyebrow.
“Would you prefer another adjective to describe your reprehensible
character? I can think of several that are far less courteous and far more
apt,” Kara spat back, defiantly crossing her arms over her chest.
“Mind your attitude, Kara,” Cade cautioned, feeling his anger rising to
match her own.
“Or what?” Kara asked bitingly. “You’ll beat me? Again?”
“Do I need to beat you again?”
 Kara flinched at the threat, cursing herself for the habit of talking herself
into an even worse situation. Biting back a spiteful retort for the sake of her
already wounded backside, Kara settled into a stance that was a little less
confrontational. “No,” she answered quietly, the fiery outrage cooling to
embers.
“Good. Because I would find no pleasure in having to punish you again.
I’ve had a very long, tiring day, and I would like nothing more than to
administer aftercare and go to bed.”
“Aftercare?” Kara asked warily, fearful to be met with some other form of
torture. “What the fuck is that?”
“I need to tend to your welts,” Cade answered as though it were the most
obvious thing in the world.
“If you actually gave a damn about my well-being, you wouldn’t have
given me welts in the first place!” Kara shouted back, entirely confused by
his methodology of wanting to hurt her and then help ease her discomfort.
Was he a sadist plagued with a messiah complex as well?
“As previously discussed, you earned them. But that doesn’t mean I want
you to suffer unduly,” Cade explained as he moved closer to her with an
outstretched arm, longing to touch her, comfort her, make her see reason. “I
understand you’re upset—”
“I’m not upset, I’m fucking livid,” Kara replied hatefully, slapping his
arm away from her in aversion.
Cade stilled where he stood, stunned and perplexed by her over abundant
expressions of aggression and anger. Why was she acting as though she had
been wronged in some way? It wasn’t as though he had assaulted her in
anger. He had calmly requested Kara submit to the whipping she’d earned.
She had consented. “You accepted the punishment,” Cade said confidently
as though his assessment would prove the illogicality of her feelings and
would put an end to their argument.
“Like I had a choice! If you think I willingly gave you permission to beat
me, you’re insane.”
Cade’s jaw clenched tightly in frustration. He ran a hand through his hair
as he tried to formulate a response that would inspire rationality in the
increasingly confounding woman. “You broke your promise,” he reminded
her, confused as to why he had to constantly reiterate her transgressions—
her own bloody decisions—that had brought about the punishment she
apparently found so offensive.
“Yes, I broke my promise,” Kara affirmed through gritted teeth, annoyed
to be readdressing the minor events of the day, yet again.
“You ran.”
“Because I’m a fucking prisoner! That’s what sensible prisoners are
supposed to do.”
“You knew there would be consequences if you were caught,” Cade
replied darkly, the harshness in his voice covering for the faint stabbings of
guilt he felt at her accusation of being a prisoner. If he was entirely honest,
that was exactly how he had treated her all day. The knowledge did not sit
well with him, but he resolved to deal with it at a moment when he was
more rested and less exasperated.
“I knew you would act exactly like the domineering twat you’re being
right now,” Kara responded bitterly, turning dismissively to walk in any
direction that Cade wasn’t.
Cade caught her viciously by the arm, jerking her around to face him and
entrapping her tightly against his chest. “I have warned you not to turn your
back on me, Kara Caine,” Cade rebuked in a tone simmering with violence.
“And I would thank you to watch your filthy fucking mouth.”
Kara struggled against his hold, but battling against the strength of his
arms was like trying to demolish an iron wall with bare fists. Finally, Kara
conceded and went still against him. The moment Cade felt her submit, he
relaxed his hold, stepping back so he could look at her face. Unsurprisingly,
her eyes glittered with unconcealed hatred. Gently, Cade brushed his
knuckles along her cheek, willing the tension in her expression and anger in
her eyes to dissipate. He bent down until his forehead hovered a mere
breath above her own, gazing deeply into her eyes in an attempt to disarm
the defenses he watched her forge higher and more impenetrable with each
passing moment.
“You earned your punishment. You paid for your disobedience. Now get
over your self-righteous anger and let me tend to your injuries before they
get worse,” Cade entreated almost amicably, as though offering a truce.
Taking advantage of his softening attitude, Kara pulled herself from
Cade’s loosened grasp and threw her fists into his chest, shoving him away
as hard as she could. Surprised by her aggression, Cade stumbled back
slightly before regaining his balance.
“I would rather drink a hemlock cocktail than have your hands on me
again after what you just did,” Kara retorted spitefully.
Cade stepped toward her slowly, intentionally keeping his movements
unthreatening as he reached for her again, driven by a singular need to right
things between them, despite believing his actions were completely
justified. Kara matched his step forward with another step backward,
refusing to allow him to close the space between them.
 “Get the fuck out of my room and let me suffer in peace, Caden,” Kara
ordered, her tone one of unflinching resolve.
Cade’s jaw clenched tightly at her insolence, but his expression slowly
softened into resignation. He had gotten what he came for, she had paid for
her sins, and the least he could do was allow her privacy to lick her wounds.
He had taken enough from her for one day. “As you wish,” Cade agreed
shortly. “There is arnica cream in the top drawer of the bathroom vanity. It
can be applied topically to ease the pain and swelling from the bruises,
though you may find it difficult to apply yourself.”
“I’ll manage,” Kara answered curtly, eager to be free of his presence.
“Very well,” Cade said in a mildly disapproving tone, making his way
toward the exit. He opened the door, turning to glance at Kara one last time
from the threshold. Cade knew she expected an apology, and he wished he
could bestow one for the sake of smoothing things between them. But he
regretted nothing of his actions, only that her choices had warranted them.
Regardless of her feelings, her punishment had been an unfortunate
necessity, and he would do it again if required. With nothing left to say,
Cade walked out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Kara tensed anxiously, waiting for the scrape of the lock turning to
announce that she was once again a prisoner. But the dreaded sound never
came, just the soft tap of retreating footsteps. Alone at last, Kara sighed
heavily in relief as she forgetfully fell back onto the bed in exhaustion. She
yelped out loud, agony searing through every nerve in her body as her
battered skin collided with the bed linen under the full weight of her body.
Jolting upright, Kara headed for the bathroom in search of anything that
would offer relief from the pain. Opening the drawer, Kara sifted
determinedly until she found the tube labeled as arnica. Her nose crinkled at
the strange, medicinal smell, but at that point she was willing to try
anything. Standing in front of the full length mirror, Kara turned and
gingerly lifted her nightgown to inspect the severity of the damage. She
gasped sharply at the horrifying reflection.
Fuck.
Deep purple and maroon blossomed across her entire backside and thighs,
speckled with pricks of red where Cade had delivered the harshest of lashes.
He had marked her body with a collage of bruises, welts, and blood blisters.
She knew the belt had hurt, but she had no idea Cade had delivered that
level of destruction. He truly was a vindictive bastard. She would never
forgive him for hurting her. She would never forgive herself for sleeping
with him. Somehow, the intimacy that they had shared made the offense so
much worse.
Hesitantly, Kara applied some of the cream to her fingertips and began to
rub it on the welts. She inhaled sharply as the sting from the cream set in,
pushing past the discomfort to thoroughly cover her injuries. Begrudgingly,
she had to admit Cade was right about the challenges of self-application.
The angle was difficult to manage, relying on only the mirror for direction,
and she found it hard to brace for the incoming sting and apply the cream
liberally at the same time. Difficulties be damned, she wouldn’t allow Cade
to touch her again. Not after what he put her though. She still couldn’t
believe that he had hit her with a belt. Worse, that she had allowed it.
Perhaps the weeks in captivity were fucking with her rationality.
Having completed her task as adequately as possible, Kara walked
achingly to the bed. Learning from her previous mistake, she slid
awkwardly onto the bed on her stomach, careful to keep her nightgown
from touching the punished flesh. Kara pulled the duvet up to only the
bottom of her thighs, risking the chill of the winter night rather than the
abrasion of fabric on her tender skin. Too exhausted to process her physical
discomfort, Kara closed her eyes and willed sleep to come and steal away
thoughts of Cade.
Twenty two. The bastard had hit her twenty two times. And that was
exactly how many times she would stab Cade in his most valued appendage
with the nearest pointy object the instant he put himself within an arm’s
reach of her.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER ELEVEN

I T was hunger that at last drew Kara from her den of despondency. She
was nearly resolved to starve for the day rather than subject herself to the
sight of Cade’s abhorrent face. But, as she would eventually have to make
her descent into humiliation at some point, Kara chose to cross hunger off
her list of emotions keeping rage and misery company. She planned to
entertain the latter two for the foreseeable future.
It seemed an endless walk down the stairs to the large, unwelcoming
foyer. At that moment, Kara desperately wished that the garish chandelier
that hung above would unlatch itself and fall on her appreciative head.
There was a ruckus coming from the dining room with shouts of good
humored banter and Cade’s hateful voice among them. Taking a deep breath
and gritting her teeth in irritation at the sheer audacity of the bastard to find
himself so pleasurably entertained, Kara entered the dining room. The
clatter of utensils scraping against plates stopped instantly, and the din of
voices fell silent. Kara stared into a sea of eyes marked by amusement and
intrigue; Cade’s eyes held something more, but she couldn’t discern what.
Attempting to ease the rocky tension between them, he rose gallantly to pull
out a vacant seat for Kara. She ignored him completely, making her way to
the opposite end of the table and as far away from Cade as she could
manage. Cade’s face fell slightly, his expression a mixture of injured
feelings and concern, but he said nothing.
Jace openly studied Kara as she walked about the room, his eyes roaming
over every inch of her body with an intensity that differed from his usual
leering. There was a calculated appraisal in his gaze that made her even
more uncomfortable than usual, Jace’s eyes narrowing angrily as though her
appearance had been deemed unsatisfactory in some capacity. Whatever the
fuck that was about, Kara ignored him as well. The others merely stared,
lacking the proper manners to avert their gaze after an unsavory amount of
time spent gawking. Kara rolled her eyes as though she shouldn’t have
expected anything more from Cade’s criminal underlings and made her way
toward the table laid with breakfast. Thankfully, the murmurs in the room
began to grow once again, conversations of market values and possible
acquisitions dispersing the silence as Kara set about appeasing her hunger
in peace.
“You still seem to be in one piece,” Jace commented darkly, his scathing
gaze moving from Kara to Cade, an open challenge in his eyes.
“Leave it alone, Jace,” Cade dismissed shortly. “Kara’s actions have been
dealt with.”
 Refusing to get involved in their argument, though she seemed to be the
topic of the disagreement, Kara made her way around the table to fill her
plate with pastries, fruit, and yogurt. Deciding that she would call even
more attention to herself by eating while standing, Kara eyed her chair
warily, sucked in a deep breath, and sat down. She winced as the chair came
into contact with the bruises of twenty two lashes courtesy of Caden
Ashford’s belt. A bitter laugh from Jace made Kara look up frantically in
panic and embarrassment. Jace stared back at her viciously before
transitioning his contempt to Cade.
“She lied to you. She ran from you. She put every single one of us at risk.
And she walks away with nothing more than a fucking spanking? When did
you go so goddamn soft?” Jace thundered at his boss.
Kara wished she had never left her room and simply allowed starvation to
claim her. She felt the burning heat of mortification fill her face, her
appetite entirely lost. There was no denying that the entire room now knew
exactly what had transpired between her and Cade the night before. The
public discussion of her retribution left her feeling doubly punished. Her
eyes hesitantly found Cade, his face darkened with anger rather than
embarrassment.
“Watch your fucking tone, Jace. The matter doesn’t concern you, and I
would suggest you keep your unsolicited opinions on my methods of
discipline to yourself,” Cade responded coldly.
“Like hell, it doesn’t concern me! I was the one who had to retrieve your
little pet when she ran away from home. She’s a professional liability, and
every minute she spends among us is an added risk. She should have been
forced to retrieve the book by any means necessary, and we should have
fulfilled our agreement with Avery. Then we should have been well
compensated and bid good riddance to the pain in the ass librarian. But no,
you’re too fucking cunt struck to follow through.”
“Get. The fuck. Out,” Cade commanded with icy rage, jolting to his feet
so abruptly that his chair fell to the floor behind him.
“Fuck this shit,” Jace muttered angrily as he shoved away from the table
before storming out of the room.
“Would anyone else like to share their unwarranted opinions on my
authority?” Cade asked angrily as he glared about the room, four pairs of
wide eyes fixed on him.
Ortega and Brax both shrugged silently, clearly not nearly as interested in
Kara and Cade’s personal drama as Jace was. Declan glanced at Kara guilty,
clearly conflicted about how Cade had handled her disobedience, but he
wasn’t brave enough to challenge his boss. Silently, he shook his head in
surrender. Kara glared at Cade openly, apparently the only one with enough
balls to defy the overbearing bastard. Though she didn’t give voice to her
thoughts, she made sure Cade could read the hatred simmering brightly in
her eyes.
“Good,” Cade announced threateningly, his gaze fixed on Kara. “Then
breakfast is fucking concluded. We have work to do.” Cade strode toward
the exit without sparing a second glance at anyone in the room. He knew
they would follow. Or there would be fucking hell to pay.

AFTER that god awful breakfast, Kara made it her mission to avoid every
despicable male presence in her vicinity as though her life depended upon
it. She had attempted to ignore Cade entirely, but inhabiting the same house
regretfully came with inevitable interactions. Even so, that didn’t mean she
couldn’t treat the entire situation like a proper bitch. Anytime Kara and
Cade shared breathing space, everyone was subjected to the burning hatred
that radiated from every fiber of Kara’s body like a fiery essence. She
didn’t feel the need to bother with the pretense of civility when everyone
knew exactly what had transpired between her and Cade, and she would
ensure they all knew explicitly how she felt about the arrangement.
That also meant forgoing any and all sexual activity with the worst
bastard of them all, a fact which her pussy bemoaned far more than she did.
The abstinence had given her clarity, allowed her to focus once again on
finding some means of escape rather than focusing on all the pleasure she
could be receiving at the mercy of Cade’s cock. And mouth. And hands.
Okay, maybe she did still occasionally fantasize about being fucked into a
catatonic state by her captor, but she was at least trying to get her priorities
straight.
The silent treatment was getting to Cade; she was beginning to see the
cracks in his perfectly cool composure. He liked to be the one in control—
actually, he demanded it. And Kara was stripping away that control bit by
bit with every cold shoulder, ignored greeting, and silently enjoyed meal.
And she did still eat with the others, merely for the sake of proving to
everyone that Cade couldn’t control her behavior or her attitude even if she
was his prisoner. It was her fun little way of undermining his authority in
front of his men. And it was working perfectly. She could see the others
looking doubtfully between her and Cade, wondering why he was allowing
her insolence to go so far. And honestly, she wondered why too. Why
hadn’t he just tried to beat her into submission like he had the other day?
Maybe he realized that, try as he might, he couldn’t break her. Or maybe, he
missed the sex enough to strive to get into her good graces once more. But
she had a feeling Cade’s allowances had their limit. And the sinister glare
he gave her at breakfast that morning suggested that his mercy would be
running out sooner rather than later.

Kara spent the afternoon in blissful, Cadeless tranquility. The bastard and
his band of obliging delinquents, left the house right after breakfast, off to
pillage and plunder or whatever the fuck they did to afford their luxurious
lifestyle. Finally alone, she drifted through the manor with ease, exploring
all the undiscovered rooms of the huge house without the weight of
watchful eyes. In the absence of the cacophony of men’s voices—one in
particular—the manor seemed haunted by emptiness. As her imagination
turned the winding halls and unfamiliar alcoves eerie and sinister, Kara
neglected her explorations and headed for her safe haven.
As she turned the corner toward the library, Kara was startled by the
rough assault of a firm hand clasped onto her arm, jerking her into the
shadows and thrusting her toward a large, overpowering body. She found
herself staring into the hardened eyes of the man she’d been trying to
escape for days. “Cade!” she exclaimed in frustrated surprise. The bastard
had stayed behind, no doubt to entrap her and force her compliance. “What
are you doing here? I thought you left with the rest of the rest of the
minions for New York?”
“I had a more pressing matter that required my attention,” Cade answered
evenly.
The implication stirred at the tension in her core that seemed ever present
when he was near. Kara’s eyes narrowed at the idea of her being a matter
that needed his attention, but she didn’t further engage in the conversation.
Cade released a frustrated sigh. “So what is it going to take for this
needless sulking shit to end? I’m at my fucking limit with the silent
treatment and death stares.”
His phrase called to mind a similar one he’d used while administering a
punishment she would never forget, and Kara was tempted from her vow of
silence. “Well, if you’re at your limit, I guess you just need one more,” she
replied as scathingly as possible. With the most murderous glare she could
summon, Kara tried to jerk her arm free from his hold and walk away.
Cade’s grasp held firm, refusing to let her get away that easily. Instead, he
pulled her unwillingly toward the wall and trapped her with a firm hand on
either side of her shoulders and his chest pinned against hers. His gaze held
hers, and, in that moment, she could not find the strength to look away. “I
will ask you one more time. What, Kara, will it take for you to make it past
that minor episode of discipline and start behaving like a functioning human
again?”
Kara’s sense of indignation tingled at the accusation that her current
behavior was anything less than human functionality. Heaven forbid,
someone hold a grudge against the great Caden Ashford. Given his less than
glowing personality, she was likely keeping company with a great many
people who wished the man eternal damnation. Still seething, Kara took a
moment to ponder his question. What exactly would it take for her to move
on for the sake of enduring his company with a little less disdain? An
apology seemed like the obvious solution. Though, considering Cade’s
character, that occurrence bordered on the edge of impossibility. Also, Kara
doubted a meager apology would alleviate the feelings of animosity that
had been festering since Cade had taken it upon himself to beat her into
submission. No, she was out for blood. With a newfound delight for
revenge, Kara settled on a compromise that was just as unlikely as an
apology—though it held the possibility of being a great deal more cathartic.
“How about you let me hit you with a belt?” she offered with a raised brow,
a hint of challenge ringing in her voice.
Cade’s face contorted with surprise that turned contemplative.
Withholding an immediate answer, Cade reclaimed Kara’s arm and drew
her down the hall toward the closed doors of his study. He had an air of
determination, but Kara didn’t comprehend his intentions, the uncertainty of
the situation leaving her uneasy. Practically dragging her into the room,
Cade left Kara in silence by the edge of the desk and went to shut the door.
Whatever was about to transpire, he required the privacy of closed doors.
Cade turned away from the door and walked toward Kara purposefully.
He seemed to sense the fear in the room and absorbed it with a small level
of amusement. He stopped, inches from Kara’s still form, and addressed her
with a look of pure intensity. “The punishment you received at my hands
was not for my pleasure, as you seem to imagine. It served a purpose, and I
won’t apologize for it. However,” he paused, placing his hands tenderly on
either side of her face, willing her to read the sincerity in his eyes, “if it will
help heal the bond of trust that I regretfully and unintentionally damaged, I
am willing to offer you this.”
Kara piqued with anger at his sheer denial of an apology, but that
morphed into confusion when she considered how exactly Cade planned to
absolve himself of the deed that had waged war on their relationship. As if
to answer the question housed in her eyes, Cade reached for his belt with an
undefinable expression and laid it down on his desk.
 Kara drew a sharp intake of breath, apprehension and anxiety rolling over
her in waves as she stared at the terrible implement lying there so
threateningly. Though she had challenged Cade and given him a fair
amount of attitude, she hadn’t expected it to be enough to warrant another
punishment. “Please, not again,” Kara pleaded, looking up at him fearfully.
“You look so pretty when you beg, love,” Cade whispered softly,
brushing his thumb across her cheek. “But the belt isn’t for you this time.”
Cade met her wary eyes with an expression that was a combination of
resignation and amusement as he reached for the buttons of his shirt,
undoing them at a leisurely pace one by one. Fully unbuttoned, Cade
removed the shirt and threw it unceremoniously on the floor. He stood
before Kara fully naked from the waist up, his dark pants riding low on his
hips with the belt removed. He was a breathtaking site of sheer masculinity
that demanded admiration—imperiously broad shoulders, a smooth,
muscular chest, rippling abs, and the perfect outline of a V at his hips that
drew her eyes unwillingly downward. Kara cursed the disarming effect that
his body had over her own and felt the icy shards of animosity that had
shrouded her heart against him slowly start to melt away. Searing her to the
very core with a final provoking glance, Cade turned away and faced the
desk, taking a firm hold with both hands and exposing his naked back and
shoulders.
“Do your worst, darling,” he provoked, his tone implying that he wasn’t
worried in the least about Kara’s capacity for violence.
Kara’s heart stopped, literally forgetting its function within her chest for a
mere second as she processed Cade’s intentions. Certainly he could not
expect her to hit him? Not methodically, repeatedly, as though to purge his
sins from his body; the idea was barbaric and preposterous. And yet, there
lay his belt ready for the taking, his naked form willingly offered. She had
asked him for this, had thought that only violence in turn could quell the
anger that raged so fiercely within her. And in that moment, Kara was
losing her nerve.
“Having second thoughts, Kara? Is beating someone not quite as enticing
as you had imagined?” he questioned scathingly as he kept his back to her.
Damnit, he had called her out. Now she was determined to hit him, if
only in a futile attempt to beat the smug pretentiousness out of his all too
attractive body. Kara reached for the belt; it was heavier than she expected.
After some practice testing the weight of it, Kara drew back her arm and
threw the doubled end of the belt at Cade’s naked back with some force.
The blow landed with a mild thud across the center of his back.
“Certainly you can do better than that, love. I thought you hated me?
Prove it,” he goaded almost angrily.
His comments served their purpose of riling her up, and Kara threw all of
her might into the next lash, hitting him squarely on the shoulders and
leaving an angry red line across the entirety of his back. Having gained
some confidence, Kara threw the next blow with more ease, marking his
lower back right above his hips. She aimed the fourth lash at the middle of
Cade’s back, striking directly against the indented curve of his spine. Kara
found little fulfillment in the administering of pain, but a silent need pushed
her on, seeking some semblance of surrender on his part. If she could find
the smallest crack in Cade’s hardened, self-assured exterior, then maybe she
could allow herself to trust him again. She swung again, an empty gesture,
searching for some reaction from him. She hit him again. And again. And
finally, as a blow hit the tender skin of his shoulders twice marked, a soft
grunt of discomfort escaped Cade’s lips. And that, small as it was, was
enough a sign of surrender for Kara to consider her task complete.
She dropped the belt instantly as though its leather burned her skin and
moved toward Cade in an offering of reconciliation. Her hands reached to
touch the hot, reddened skin, marveling that those were her lashes on his
back. As much as she hated the thought of hurting him, there was a primal
satisfaction in seeing her marks on his skin. She reached desperate arms
around his chest, hugging his back close to her front. Cade tensed in
response. “Oh shit, I’m sorry,” she said, instantly pulling away. “Does it
hurt?”
“I think I’ll live,” Cade answered sarcastically as he turned around slowly
to face her. “Much to my surprise, you’ve got a killer swing, love. I should
reconsider the next time I hand you a weapon while you’re mad at me. You
might just kill me if I gave you the chance.”
“I might,” Kara answered confidently as she agreed with him. His light
hearted manner set her at ease a bit, though she still harbored some feelings
of guilt at having given in to her more vindictive nature.
Cade saw the furrowing of her brow and drew a finger to her temple to
smooth the worried crease away. It was such a simple gesture, but it held a
tenderness that awoke Kara’s repressed feelings of desire with a sudden
ferocity. Cade watched as the glint in her eyes transformed into need, and
he matched her carnal hunger wholeheartedly. His firm hand captured
Kara’s neck and drew her mouth to his; she welcomed his devouring lips
and lost herself to the kiss that righted all wrongs. Kara clawed at his bare
chest needing more, no, all of him right in that moment. Her hands moved
lower and lower until they found their prize: the button of his pants. In one
skilled movement, Kara had the buttons undone, and Cade found himself
with his pants at his knees.
“Let’s even the playing field a bit,” he said as his hands made quick work
of removing and tossing her blouse aside.
Kara felt overwhelmed with gratitude as she considered how, by his
willingness to lend control and submit to a measure of pain, Cade had
reestablished the equality in their relationship once again. Gone was the
fear that he would try to bend her to his will—in its place, Kara felt
renewed trust and appreciation. And she had a very enticing idea of how to
make that appreciation known. Meeting Cade’s eyes with a look full of
mischievousness, Kara dropped to her knees, reached for the waistband of
Cade’s boxers, and tugged them down. His massive cock sprang free, his
impressive length nearly hitting her lips before she even settled her mouth
on him. Kara gave his dick one slow, tantalizing stroke and then took him
into her mouth. Cade released a primal growl of need and pleasure as he felt
her hot mouth constrict around his cock as she ran her tongue along his
length. Kara grinned as well as she could with her mouth full of cock and
took Cade in deeper, fighting her gag reflex as he slid down her throat.
Cade placed a hand on Kara’s head, half steadying himself and half
guiding her onward, as he closed his eyes in rapture. Kara was skilled, more
so than he would have expected from a lonely librarian who supposedly
spent all her time in the solitary perusal of books. Then again, he supposed
there must be literature written on the subject of oral pleasure. And if that
was how Kara learned her blowing skills, they should definitely make it
part of the university curriculum. Kara’s pace quickened, and Cade could
feel himself on the verge of release.
 “Easy there, love. This isn’t where I plan on coming right now,” he
cautioned as he lifted her up from her knees and placed her none too lightly
on her back on the desk in front of him. “I’ve fucking missed this pussy.”
Cade’s hands traveled up Kara’s skirt and savagely ripped her lacy knickers
right off of her. He grabbed both of her thighs in a firm grip as she wrapped
her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. He paused with his cock
pressed against her already soaked cunt. “Ready for me, love?” he asked,
his voice raw with need.
Kara nodded her consent, and Cade buried himself inside her as deeply as
her body would allow. She moaned at the delicious feeling of being so
exceptionally full, and Cade thrust faster in response, pounding into her wet
slit with a brutal pace that caused her back to scrape against the surface of
the desk. The burn of the wood against her bare skin merely heightened her
arousal, the pain melding with the pleasure in a tantalizing symphony of
sensation. Cade’s rough hands found Kara’s bra and ripped it down to her
stomach, causing her naked breasts to spill free and bounce against her
chest in rhythm with his thrusts. His fingers latched onto her hard, aching
nipples, twisting and pinching with such ferocity that Kara whimpered at
the hurt in her sensitive buds even as she wanted more of Cade’s torture.
“You like that, baby?” Cade asked roughly, his fingers pulling even
harder on Kara’s nipples.
“Yes,” Kara answered breathlessly, resisting the urge to close her eyes
and submit to the ecstasy.
“Tell me what you like, love. Beg me for it,” Cade commanded, his chest
heaving above her as he stilled and waited for her answer.
“Please…” Kara moaned.
 “Please what? Be specific, or I’m happy to fuck this tight cunt and not let
you come at all.”
“Please touch my tits…make it hurt…please,” Kara begged desperately
as she writhed beneath him.
“Good girl,” Cade replied, slamming into her so fast and so hard that the
only thing keeping Kara from flying off the desk was his hand gripping her
upper thigh so tightly that he’d definitely leave his fingerprints in bruises on
her pale skin. His other hand traveled back up to Kara’s tits, groping and
pinching one before reaching over and slapping the other. She shrieked at
the stimulation as her pussy clenched around his cock, strangling him
tightly as she rode out her orgasm with almost pained whimpers as Cade
pinched both of her nipples until her orgasm subsided and she lay breathless
and exhausted against the desk.
Not giving her a moment to catch her breath, Cade grasped Kara behind
the knees and threw her legs over his shoulders. “Keep them there,” he
ordered as he placed the head of his cock at her entrance and thrust inside
her so deeply that she screamed.
“Stop, it’s too much!” Kara protested as she tried to squirm away from
the huge cock that felt like it was impaling her to her very organs.
Cade held her in place with his hands digging into her upper thighs. “You
can take it,” he told her as he continued his punishing assault on her pussy.
“Can’t you, love?”
Kara nodded, her eyes glistening with tears as she shattered beneath the
overwhelming sensation of being so savagely, exquisitely fucked. She had
never been so aroused in her entire fucking existence. She went over the
edge again, Cade joining her almost instantly as he groaned with his own
release, the desk shaking beneath them. He hovered above her as they tried
to regain their breath in synchronized heaves.
“Well that was certainly diverting,” Cade said as he crashed down on the
desk and pulled Kara against his chest so he could feel her raging heartbeat
against his.
“That’s one word for it,” Kara responded breathlessly, her chest still
heaving irregularly from the exertion.
“Truly, I give it top marks. I really should endeavor to engage in make-up
sex more often,” he teased as he brushed her sweaty hair away from her
cheek.
“Or you could just have sex without the argument,” Kara countered.
“But where is the fun in that?”
Kara enjoyed the tenderness of Cade’s caresses before she gathered the
courage to ask the question at the forefront of her mind. “You…you said
that you didn’t punish me for your pleasure, but I’m pretty sure you enjoyed
getting to take a belt to my ass. How am I supposed to reconcile those
contrasting facts? Do you get off on hitting me or not?” Kara bit her lip
nervously as she suffered the long silence before Cade composed a reply.
“The answer to your question is complicated. But, putting it simply, I
would never hit you purely for my pleasure. I am willing to be a corrective
force if your behavior warrants reproach, but I would never hurt you to
satisfy my own personal needs. The pleasure I experience while punishing
you is a byproduct of the experience of exacting total submission. It is
much like the pleasure associated with sex, with the act of overcoming
another body with your own and eliciting their release. It is an intoxicating
adrenaline rush steeped more in power than pain. Though, if you ever
wanted to explore the two together, I would be more than happy to oblige.”
Cade stroked Kara’s cheek thoughtfully. “How did you feel when you were
hitting me?”
“I didn’t like it,” Kara answered immediately, having no need to consider
her response. Even though she thought she hated him at the time, she felt no
pleasure in causing Cade pain. She had a hard time imagining how anyone
could enjoy inflicting pain, even when a small voice in her head reminded
her that it wasn’t exactly logical for her to enjoy receiving pain from Cade’s
hands as much as she did. She supposed they were both fucked up in their
own ways. Or perhaps the kinky bastard was rubbing off on her.
“That’s because you don’t crave power like I do,” Cade answered darkly.
Kara had a premonition that she hadn’t even begun to comprehend Cade’s
need for power and control.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWELVE

C ADE entered the dining room, momentarily glancing up from the

work email he was reading on his tablet. He was startled to find the
room much altered from its usual state as an orderly space of both business
and sustenance. Tall candles lined the length of the table; their flames
flickering against the darkness lent a warm, unequivocally romantic haze to
the room. Instead of the usual fullness of dining company, the table was set
for only two, Cade’s usual place at the head and the place beside his. An
arrangement of flowers, roses from the garden in shades of blush and
burgundy, adorned the center of the table. The unmistakable scent of wine,
lamb, and root vegetables wafted from the direction of the kitchen; it was a
nostalgic smell, reminding him of Yorkshire and autumn and long walks in
the countryside that ended with a hearty meal beside the fire to banish the
damp cold. Cade was shaken from his reminiscing as the coordinator of the
evening’s welcome deviations entered from the kitchen.
“What’s all of this?” he asked casually as Kara walked in from the
kitchens, an oversized apron wrapped around her waist. They had spent the
last few days in undisturbed peace, enjoying each other’s company,
christening about half of the manor with the most sinful fucking they could
contrive, even in the library, and finding an easy rhythm of living alongside
each other. Kara never used her own bedroom anymore, having moved into
Cade’s room without so much as a discussion. It had just happened
organically, much as Kara was growing into a natural part of Cade’s
everyday life. In fact, he was beginning to forget what his existence had
been like before she crashed into his life like a raging hurricane and
destroyed everything in her wake. But nothing had prepared him for such a
display of utter domesticity. The sight of Kara in a fucking apron sent all of
the blood in his body rushing straight to his suddenly hard as hell cock.
Kara’s cheeks flushed with the tinge of embarrassment. Or perhaps it was
the rather large glass of wine she had downed as she waited for Cade’s
arrival. “I thought it might be nice if we had dinner, just the two of us,”
Kara responded shyly.
“Like a date?” he inquired teasingly. “Why, Miss Caine, are you trying to
seduce me?”
“Do you require seduction, Lord Ashford?” Kara replied, the slightest
smile breaking through her attempt to maintain a countenance of complete
seriousness. She tried to conceal the slip with a hand to her lips, managing
very much to look like a guilty child stifling giggles after sneaking a sweet.
In spite of himself, Cade found her ineptitude for coyness endearing.
“Not at all. Against my better judgment, I find myself completely beguiled
already,” Cade answered with sincerity. The declaration, though true,
troubled him. He could see his words jarred Kara as well, but she recovered
her composure quickly.
“Well,” she responded after the slightest awkward pause. “Just wait until
you try dinner. I’ve been told my true powers of seduction lie in the
kitchen.”
Immediately, Cade conjured images of how he could make use of Kara in
the kitchen, and it certainly was not for cooking. There was a sizable marble
island in the middle of the kitchen that would suit his fantasies quite well.
Thoughts of fucking her over the table were interrupted as Cade processed
the entirety of Kara’s statement. She had seduced someone in that manner
before. Was it a past lover? A current one? Hell, she could have a fucking
assortment of men for all he knew. And he didn’t like that thought one bit.
His pleasant thoughts of fuckery shattered by the treacherous blade of
jealousy, Cade sulked as he dwelled on imagined adversaries for Kara’s
attentions. He did not care to share his possessions, least of all her.
The shadow of disappointment that passed over Cade’s face was not lost
on Kara, though she couldn’t have guessed what caused it. She tried to
revive the air of happy banter that Cade’s curious mood change had dulled.
“Would you like a glass?” she asked hospitably, gesturing with the bottle of
wine in her hand that she had quite forgotten. “It’s an excellent year, or so
Mrs. Hughes tells me. I relied on her considerable expertise for tonight’s
menu.”
“Yes, where is our venerable cook this evening?” Cade inquired, just
noticing that she hadn’t made her usual appearance to announce dinner.
“I gave her the night off. She works far too hard, and I thought she
deserved an evening to herself.”
 “You gave my employee the night off?” Cade asked incredulously with a
raise of an eyebrow. “And under whose authority are you giving orders?
Perhaps we need to have a discussion concerning your position here, Kara.
Ashford Manor has only one master, and you are looking at him.”
The sternness in Cade’s eyes left Kara feeling chastised and embarrassed.
“I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I didn’t mean any disrespect. I’ve just missed
cooking and didn’t see any harm in letting Mrs. Hughes have a break. I
apologize if I overstepped.”
The wounded anxiousness in Kara’s face tugged at Cade’s heart, which
seemed to be growing consistently softer since their acquaintance. Perhaps
he had been too hard on her regarding Mrs. Hughes. The guilt of being the
one to turn her happiness into distress was unsettling, and he longed to
make amends. “Forgive my shortness; it’s been a long day,” Cade
responded finally as he moved behind Kara, wrapped his arm around her
waist, and placed a soft kiss on the side of her neck. “Here, allow me,” he
said as reached for the bottle of Sangiovese.
“Nope,” Kara replied, pulling away from him. “I’m serving you tonight.
Sit, please.” She pulled out Cade’s chair from the table and gestured for him
to take a seat.
“As you wish,” Cade answered with a laugh, sitting as requested. The
irony of his following her orders after the confrontation between them just
moments before was not lost on him.
Kara reached for Cade’s wine glass and poured as professionally as she
could before placing the glass delicately on the table beside him. “Your
wine, sir,” she announced in a tone of false formality.
“That’s more like it,” Cade answered in amused approval. She had no
idea how much he liked it. “So, what’s on the menu for tonight?”
 “You’ll see,” she answered with a mischievous smile as she placed the
bottle of wine on the table and whisked off to the kitchen.
Cade listened to the clatter of dishes and cutlery coming from the other
room with curiosity. The whole playing house charade appeared to ignite a
sort of giddy excitement in Kara. And it suited her quite well. There was
something appealing about watching her bustle about the house in her apron
and high heels, cooking for him and serving him, the perfect picture of a
housewife. The scene was fun for a night, but a night only. He had a cook
for cooking, maids for cleaning, and the only role in his house suited for
Kara was in his bed. So, Cade had every intention of getting Kara out of
that bloody apron—and the rest of her attire—as soon as possible.
The echoing tap of high heels across the marble floor announced Kara’s
arrival, her hands full with a dish that smelled heavenly. She placed her
masterpiece on the table and watched for Cade’s reaction.
“Shepherd’s pie?” he asked in pleasant surprise.
“Uh-huh,” Kara answered, feeling very pleased with herself.
“That’s my favorite,” Cade conceded. Clearly, she had done her research.
“I know,” she replied smugly as she dished out a serving for Cade and
herself. “I asked Mrs. Hughes what you liked best, and she gave me the
recipe. She said you asked for shepherd’s pie so often as a child that she
was surprised you didn’t turn into one yourself.”
Cade wondered what else the old battle axe had told her. He had no idea
that Kara had become such good friends with his cook. The idea unsettled
him, though he didn’t know why. Mrs. Hughes was practically family. Hell,
she probably knew him better than his own mother after all those years, not
that it was saying much considering the type of mother the great Lady
Ashford was. And perhaps that was the problem. Cade was a private
person; Kara knowing little details like his childhood longing for a
peasant’s dish left him feeling exposed. He would have to speak to Mrs.
Hughes before she revealed any other intimate information regarding his
personal life.
“Allow me,” Cade offered chivalrously, rising from his seat to pull out
Kara’s chair from the table.
“Thank you,” she answered graciously. “Please, eat before it gets cold.”
Happy to acquiesce, Cade tucked in eagerly. It was delicious,
indistinguishable from Mrs. Hughes’s best work in the kitchen. Kara Caine
was a woman of many talents.
“Well, how is it?” Kara asked, anxious for his opinion.
“Mmmm,” Cade answered in a guttural sound of approval. “It tastes like
home. Well, the good parts of home anyway.”
“Are there bad parts? Of home, I mean,” Kara asked, her face a mixture
of kindness and sympathy.
Cade groaned inwardly; he abhorred talking about the past, even less so
when it meant disrupting a delectable dinner. Although he supposed he
brought it upon himself. He shouldn’t have said a damned thing about
home, it just slipped out. “Just your standard story of family
dysfunctionality. Lady Ashford didn’t care for motherhood, Lord Ashford
didn’t care for monogamy, soon neither of them cared for their marriage. I
was often considered a minor inconvenience in their pursuit of things they
truly enjoyed. After a time, I adjusted my expectations for parental affection
and managed tolerably well. I had nannies and Mrs. Hughes, and eventually
there was boarding school and university. I left home as soon as the
opportunity in America presented itself, and fondness rarely draws me
back.”
 “Mrs. Hughes said you have a brother. Does he live here, or is he still in
England?”
Caught off guard, Cade lost his composure completely, the cutlery he held
in his hand dropping to the plate with a loud clatter. “Fucking Mrs.
Hughes,” Cade said angrily under his breath, not low enough to escape
Kara’s notice. He took a moment to collect himself before answering. “No
Kara, my brother does not live here or in England. He died, angry and
broken and intoxicated, and he is lucky he didn’t take anyone out with him
in his destruction.” Cade ran his fingers through his hair in irritation. “Are
you quite finished with the investigation into my personal affairs?”
Kara was devastated, the color draining from her face in mortification. In
merely trying to get to know Cade, she had unintentionally gouged open
more than one wound of his past. “I’m sorry, Cade,” she whispered
sorrowfully. Their dinner had consisted of far more apologies and far less
romance than Kara had imagined. Cade wouldn’t look at her as she reached
across the table to place her hand on his before he pulled away sharply. “I
understand loss, Cade. You know I do.” Her voice was broken, her eyes
pleading.
Realization dawned on him, and it was Cade’s turn to feel guilty. Her
parents. Of course. He had been so focused on the inconvenience of having
to relive and retell his past hurts that he had been completely insensitive to
her experiences with pain and loss. Twinging with remorse, Cade grasped
her hand and held it tightly. “Of course you do, Kara. Forgive me, again. I
am not myself tonight. I prefer to keep the past in the past; bringing ghosts
into the present only allows them to haunt you further.” Looking deeply into
her eyes, Cade saw his words had soothed the sorrow, but there remained a
guarded caution in its place. “In recompense, I’ll permit you to ask me one
personal question of your choosing. This is a rare offer, so I’d suggest you
ponder your query carefully.”
“Can it be anything?” Kara asked, her eyes alight with excitement at the
possibilities.
“Anything at all. Though I warn you, some answers may be harder for
you to hear than for me to give. My life has been full of diverse experiences
and interactions, a fair number of which would not appeal to your delicate
tastes.”
Kara sat in stunned silence for a moment, shocked by Cade’s offer to
divulge personal information. The man valued privacy almost as much as
he valued control. So what did she want to know most about the enigmatic
man she had somehow become entangled with? His darkest secret? His
darkest deed? Did he make a habit of kidnapping women, or was she the
first? Did he keep a staggering tally of the women he had fucked? Was she
one of ten? One hundred? More? The thought of others raised a question
that she’d stuffed far down beneath the surface of her consciousness the
moment she’d started to develop feelings for Cade.
What happened to E?
“Have you ever killed someone?” Kara asked brashly before she could
even try to form the question with more finesse or detail.
“Yes,” Cade answered simply, his voice devoid of any emotion one might
associate with the confession of murder. “Does that frighten you?”
“I could scarcely call myself human if it did not,” Kara responded
shakily. She stared down at her hand, still firmly held in Cade’s. Did he kill
E? Was she wearing the clothes of a murdered woman?
“Do you wish to leave?” Cade asked courteously.
 “I’m not sure,” Kara answered truthfully. She should want to leave. She
should want to run as far away as possible and never look back. But
something kept her grounded, something that common sense and intellect
and rationality could not overcome.
Cade could see Kara grappling with reason and emotion, the two battling
for dominance, and he sympathized. He supposed natural moral instincts
dictated that Kara remove herself from whatever their relationship may be.
That was the last thing he wanted her to do, but the decision must be hers
alone. “Would it help if I added that her death was not my intention?” Cade
elaborated, hoping, perhaps selfishly, that he could keep Kara a while
longer.
“It was an accident?” Kara asked in clarification, allowing herself to
breathe for the first time in what felt like ages.
“On my part, yes, a tragic one, though I still blame myself for the
outcome.”
“You can’t possibly blame yourself for an accident, Cade. I tried after
what happened to my parents, but in the end you have to accept that there is
nothing anyone could have done to change it.”
“Unlike the car accident that took your parents, I wasn’t blameless in her
death, Kara. It wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for my actions, and I
will always carry the guilt with me. I have learnt to accept it, much as I
hope you can accept me in spite of it.”
Kara thought a moment before answering. “For now, I can accept the man
that I know, however mysterious and fragmented the pieces of your
composition may be.”
“For that, I am very grateful,” he answered, his eyes tender and
thoughtful as he gave her hand a light squeeze. “Now, Miss Caine, we’ve
spent a fair amount of time delving into my dark past this evening. It seems
hardly fair for you to escape unscathed.”
“Trust me, I am quite the open book,” Kara said with a laugh.
“We shall see. Tell me, what is the most devious deed an upstanding
academic such as yourself has ever committed?”
“You eat, and I’ll think. Deal?” Kara said as she took a bite of dinner
herself.
“Deal. The shepherd’s pie really is quite delicious,” he said as he started
eating as well. “Mrs. Hughes might have some competition if you intend to
stay.”
“Very funny,” Kara answered with a laugh, confusing Cade as to whether
she was laughing about the cooking or the staying.
“Time is ticking, Kara,” Cade reminded as he finished what was on his
plate.
“Give me a minute!” Kara responded shortly, never liking to be rushed
when she had an assignment.
Cade went for a second portion of dinner, watching in amusement as Kara
scrunched up her eyebrows in concentration. She was considering all her
misdeeds from birth, no doubt. He was sure it was a compilation of late
book returns, missed stop signs, jaywalking, and maybe even a drink or two
underage. The idea of Kara being capable of anything truly deviant was
unfathomable.
“Time is up, Miss Caine.”
“It’s doctor, for fuck’s sake! If you’re going to be weirdly formal so
frequently, you might as well use the appropriate title,” Kara declared with
a huff.
 “But where is the fun in that, Miss Caine, when I know it irritates you so
much?” Cade answered with a bastardly smirk. “Let’s hear it. Worst thing
you’ve ever done. Astonish me.”
“Okay, no judgment?”
“After my own admissions, I hardly have any standing to judge.”
“Okay,” she started, taking a moment to brace herself for the confession.
“I had sex in the library, during open hours, in the Children’s Literature
section.” Kara looked away in embarrassment.
Cade laughed so loudly and so hard that his eyes watered. Insulted by his
amusement, Kara punched him as hard as she could in the arm, though the
assault had no effect on his laughter, which continued. With a huff of
irritation, Kara gathered the dishes, silverware, and remnants of their dinner
into a single stack, appreciating the loud sound each item made as they
clashed together, an obvious signal to Cade that she was pissed. Grabbing
the two wine glasses in a single hand and the tower of dishes in another,
Kara stormed out of the room and into the kitchen.
Cade listened to the ruckus ensuing from the kitchen without a single
twinge of guilt. At times, Kara was so delicately sensitive he feared she’d
fall apart in his hands. Other times, Kara was so fiercely strong and defiant
that a man less brave than himself would hesitate to cross her. At that
moment, she was a conflicting concoction of the two. There was something
endearing about her storming about like some imperious force as though
those four inch heels made her the biggest, most imposing person in the
room. They did not, but he wouldn’t be the one to deprive her of the
delusion.
Kara entered the dining room once again, drying her wet hands on the
apron around her waist before settling into her chair. Having a moment to
herself in the kitchen seemed to have slightly improved her mood, which
now hovered a touch above sulking. She leveled a gaze at Cade, daring him
to approach their previous conversation at his own risk. If he had a
modicum of decency, Cade would have heeded the silent warning. He did
not.
“So,” Cade began, pausing for dramatic effect, “that’s the worst thing
you’ve ever done? You humped next to ‘Humpty Dumpty?’”
“Hilarious,” Kara responded with an eye roll.
“You got dick on ‘Hickory Dickory Dock?’” Cade continued, self-
impressed with his wit.
“Are you finished?”
“You,” Cade stopped to think for a moment, “diddled by ‘Hey Diddle
Diddle?’”
“Stop it!” Kara berated in irritation. Clearly he wasn’t taking her
seriously.
“Have you seen the titles of nursery rhymes? They’re overtly suggestive.
Truly, that is the most disreputable thing you’ve done in your entire life—
you’ve banged in the kiddie corner at the library? Wait, did the children
watch? That would be fucked up.”
“Of course not! We did it in the Children’s Lit section because it’s always
empty at the university. And, in case you weren’t aware, having sex in a
public place is illegal. I think taking the risk of being seen and arrested to
enjoy a quick fuck is a level of impropriety not to be taken lightly,” Kara
argued with as much dignity as she could.
“Yes, you do lead a very provocative life, Miss Caine. I worry my honor
as a gentleman might be impugned by our mere association,” Cade
responded with an admirable attempt at keeping a straight face.
 “You’re such a bastard, Caden,” Kara berated with a scowl.
“Yes, you’ve mentioned that. Repeatedly.”
“Alright, enough about me,” Kara announced as a change of subject. “Did
you save enough room for dessert?”
“I believe I could rouse an appetite for something sweet.”
Kara rose to retrieve the cake she had made from the kitchen, but Cade
stood quickly and grabbed her hand before she could make her way from
the table. He pulled her close, her body tightly wedged between the table
and himself with no room for escape.
“Cade, what are you doing? The dessert is in the kitchen.”
“Correction,” he answered, locking his hands around Kara’s waist and
sliding her onto the smooth wooden surface behind her. “Dessert is on the
table.”
“Cade!” she half-shrieked, half-giggled.
Cade embraced her, his hands moving along her back as he searched for
the laces of the apron, his fingers moving deftly as they untied, removed,
and threw the apron on the floor. Next, his hands found the laces that
wrapped her dress slightly above her waist. With one quick pull, the bow
was undone. Cade opened her dress, easily revealing the bare skin and bits
of pink lace underneath. He sighed in appreciation. Kara saw the hunger in
his eyes; his raw desire ignited something deep within her, a carnal intensity
that she had never quite experienced with anyone else. Perhaps because no
one else had ever thrown her on a table and declared her dessert.
No longer satisfied with the mere sight of her, Cade brought his lips to
her neck, drinking in the taste of her with the ferocity of a man whose thirst
could never be quenched. Her skin was burning with warmth though she
shivered beneath his touch. She smelled of violets and strawberries. She
tasted of salt and earth. Cade’s mouth trailed kisses across the exposure of
Kara’s breasts. He moved lower, planting a line of kisses down her
abdomen. He nipped at the curve of her hip before capturing the edge of her
panties with his teeth, tugging to pull them down to her thighs.
Kara inhaled sharply as Cade exposed her sensitive pussy. With a skillful
move of his hand, he slipped off her knickers entirely and tossed them over
his shoulder. Cade trailed a single finger down the length of Kara’s leg from
hip to heel. He grasped both of her ankles and pulled her to the edge of the
table, spreading her legs, bending her knees, and placing her feet flat on
either side of the table. Kara was left bare and spread wide open before him;
it was without a doubt the most exposed she had ever felt in her life, lying
naked on a table like an object to be examined. It was both excruciatingly
uncomfortable and exhilarating at the same time.
Cade admired the exceptional view for a minute before drawing his chair
close to the table and positioning himself between Kara’s open legs. He
looked up at her and offered a mischievous smile before diving into the soft
folds of her cunt. Kara gasped as she felt his mouth on her, his skilled
tongue caressing her clitoris with a perfection of speed and position. She
moved her hips in rhythm with the circular motion of his tongue. Her hands
slid into his hair, pulling him closer. She moaned—a sound of desire and
desperation and unadulterated need. Cade grasped her thighs tightly, his
fingers digging into the tender skin as he locked her in position beneath his
mouth. Kara was close; her back arched, her legs tensed, her toes curled.
Cade felt the tightness of her body and moved to push her right over the
edge of ecstasy. Simultaneously, he sucked hard on her clitoris and plunged
two fingers inside of her wet slit.
 Kara came loudly, eagerly meeting Cade as he thrust his fingers inside her
and lapped at her pussy until he had rung every ounce of pleasure from her
body. Kara collapsed on the table, orgasm flushed, sweaty, elated, and
exhausted. Cade smiled in appreciation, licking his lips as he savored the
taste of her on his tongue. Kara closed her eyes and enjoyed the briefest
reprieve before she felt Cade’s cock ram inside her. Kara moaned at the
sensation of being filled completely, her pussy still tight and spasming from
the orgasm. Cade moved quickly, fiercely. He grabbed her legs and pulled
her down till she hovered halfway off the table. Kara reached above her
head and clung to the edges of the table to steady herself. Cade slammed
into her hard, grasping her hips and pulling her as close as possible. The
table squeaked loudly in protest as they fucked their way to euphoria. When
they came, it was in unison, their moans of pleasure melding together as
they surrendered to the discovery of an ecstasy that seemed only to be
found within each other’s bodies.
After finishing, Cade laid Kara down gently and pressed himself against
her, hovering over the table and supporting himself with an elbow on either
side of her head. He bent to place a kiss just below her chin, stroking his
thumb along the curve of her jaw. He was growing increasingly appreciative
of Kara and her many talents, sexual and otherwise. As surprising as it was
for a man of his experience, he had never fucked where he ate his dinner.
The experience had much to recommend itself, and that table had just
become his favorite piece of furniture in the whole damn manor.
“Tired?” Cade whispered against Kara’s ear, rousing her from whatever
thoughts had been occupying her attention.
“Mmhmm,” she answered with a nod, sounding blissfully happy.
“I see you enjoyed dessert as well,” he said with a laugh.
 “I enjoyed the sex, though, technically, you were the only one who ate
dessert.”
“My apologies, Miss Caine, you are quite right. Allow me to remedy the
situation,” Cade responded as he rose from the table, picked up Kara at the
waist, and put her over his shoulder.
“Cade! What are you doing?” Kara yelped in surprise as she was jostled
in the direction of the kitchen.
“Getting you dessert,” Cade answered as he kicked open the kitchen door
and walked through. He set Kara on the counter a little roughly beside a
lovely cake decorated with candied lemons and edible flowers from his
hothouse. “Ah, see, dessert,” he said, gesturing grandly at the cake as
though he had just magically produced the cake from thin air.
Kara laughed at the welcome silliness. “It’s beautiful. Made it yourself,
did you?”
“Absolutely. Only the best for you,” Cade answered seriously before very
determinedly beginning to rummage through the cupboards in the kitchen.
“And what is the purpose of this grand expedition?” Kara asked in
amusement as she watched Cade systematically search through the vast
collection of cabinets in the manor’s kitchen.
“To my great personal embarrassment, I rarely venture into the kitchen,”
he answered, continuing to look around. “Mrs. Hughes has always provided
everything, so there was never any need.”
“Of course not,” Kara responded with an eye roll. He really was a
pampered prince. Or lord, or whatever. Realizing that her dress was still
completely open, she tried to cover up as Cade rustled around the kitchen;
she crossed her legs to make up for the fact that Cade had left her panties
lying somewhere on the dining room floor.
 “Eureka!” Cade announced triumphantly, holding up two coffee cups.
“Does Caden Ashford actually know how to make coffee?” Kara
questioned doubtfully.
“He can manage,” Cade answered with a touch of chagrin. “And none of
this,” Cade chided, noticing that Kara had fixed her attire. He walked over
to her and quickly undid the bow, opening her dress. Sliding a hand
between her thighs, he spread her legs open. When Kara resisted, he spread
her open wider. “Stay like this,” he commanded with a stern look.
Kara greeted his bossy attitude with a glare of disdain, but she obediently
kept her thighs positioned where he placed them on the counter. Modesty
was something she was growing less accustomed to the more time she spent
in his company. She glanced over at Cade as he fiddled with the coffee
machine and its accompanying accessories, smiling in amusement as she
considered the unexpected disadvantages that came with a life of privilege.
At some point, she’d have to ask him for an account of all the basic life
skills he had made it well into adulthood without acquiring. As the delicious
smell of coffee filled the air, it was apparent he had somehow won his battle
with the brewing machinery.
“Your coffee, m’lady,” Cade said as he carried over two steaming cups of
brown liquid that did indeed resemble the aforementioned beverage.
“Is it safe to drink?” she asked, eyeing the coffee cup suspiciously.
“It’s coffee beans and hot water. I doubt there’s much I could do to render
it dangerous for consumption.”
“Never doubt your abilities,” Kara answered with a sarcastic laugh.
“Just drink,” Cade said, rolling his eyes as she hesitantly took a sip.
“Mmm, tastes good actually,” Kara confirmed in surprise.
 “See, I know what I’m doing,” he answered, giving her a light nudge on
the shoulder. “Now, forks.”
“They’re in the second drawer to the left,” Kara instructed, feeling
magnanimous enough to save him from another scavenger hunt in the
kitchen.
Cade came back with a single fork in his hand. “We can share,” he
declared mischievously.
“I should have known you would try to put something in my mouth.”
“An excellent idea for later,” Cade answered with a salacious smile. “But
for now, cake.” Cade indelicately thrust his fork into the side of the cake
and scooped up a piece that was a fair amount bigger than bite-sized. “Open
up,” he instructed.
With a measure of embarrassment, Kara opened wide, feeling rather like
an infant being spoon-fed. Cade fed her the forkful of cake, getting a
smudge of buttercream on her cheek as he put it in her mouth. Kara tried
not to giggle as she struggled to chew the huge piece of cake with as much
ladylike decorum as possible. As doubtless was his intention, she did not
succeed. Cade wiped the frosting from her cheek with his finger, bringing it
to his mouth for a taste.
“Mmm, delectable,” Cade judged in approval. “I think I’ll have to try
some more,” he said as he drew close and kissed the sugar sweetness from
her lips.
“My turn,” Kara announced, snatching the fork from Cade’s hand as he
went in for another kiss. “Open up,” she mimicked, digging into the cake to
achieve the largest bite possible.
Cade obeyed dutifully, downing the cake in what appeared to be a single
gulp. Dissatisfied with the ease in which he had consumed his portion, Kara
swiped her finger along the side of the cake and deposited a large dollop of
frosting directly onto Cade’s nose. She stifled a giggle as Cade stood there
in stunned silence for a moment. Collecting himself, Cade launched a
counterattack and buried his face between her breasts, smearing the frosting
across her chest.
“Oh no, I seem to have made a mess,” Cade said with a devious grin.
“Here, let me clean you up.” Cade unfastened the front clasp on Kara’s bra
—she was lucky to have made it that far into the night with it on—and set
about kissing, nipping, and licking her tits until any remnant of frosting had
been wiped clean.
“I believe you’ve tasted quite enough of me tonight,” Kara scolded as she
fought to push him away from her breasts.
“What can I say, you’re like a craving I can never satisfy.”
“Well, the only craving I care about satisfying right now is my sweet
tooth,” she said as she dug the fork into the cake, this time taking a bite for
herself.
“Allow me,” he said, stealing the fork from her hand and shoveling
another bite into her mouth. He quickly fed himself before thrusting more
cake into Kara’s mouth.
“Slow down,” she choked out with her mouth full.
“With your body this exposed, you aren’t going to make it much further
tonight without being fucked. So unless you want me to take you here on
this counter, eat up.”
“Yes, sir,” she answered obediently after a quick gulp of the remaining
food in her mouth.
The words sent a jolt of excitement to more than just his cock, and Cade
stood transfixed by the beguiling, baffling women who had serendipitously
stumbled into his life. Or rather, she had been dragged into his life against
her will, kicking and screaming along the way. And yet, there she sat, of her
own volition, wrapped within his arms, her eyes full of warmth and hunger,
her rosy lips begging to be kissed. He did kiss her, long and hard. She tasted
like lemons and violets and sweetness. Their kiss deepened as Cade pulled
Kara close and twisted his fingers in her hair. Cade wanted more. He
wanted to consume her, body and soul. The feeling was both exhilarating
and terrifying. When he finally pulled away, they were both breathless with
desire and need. Cade tenderly ran his thumb along her bottom lip, swollen
from the passion of their embrace, and turned his darkened gaze to meet
hers.
“I’m rather fond of you, Miss Caine,” Cade said softly after a moment of
heavy silence, his voice deep and rough. It was a simple confession, but
Cade’s eyes burned with a depth of affection which seemed a great deal
more than fondness.
“I’m rather fond of you too, Lord Ashford,” Kara retorted in the most
dreadfully pompous British accent she could summon.
“God, is that really what I sound like to you?” Cade asked as he laughed
out loud. He appreciated her attempt to lighten the mood of the room, which
had been steering dangerously toward seriousness. Fuck, what was
happening to him?
“Oh no, you sound much worse,” Kara answered teasingly.
“Alright, enough of your cheek. Time to get you to bed,” Cade announced
as he lifted her off the counter.
“Ready to go to sleep already?” Kara asked with a suspicious raise of a
brow.
“My love, you will be lucky if I allow you to sleep at all tonight.”
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER THIRTEEN

K ARA practically hobbled down toward the dining hall, still feeling the
lingering imprint of Cade’s massive dick deep within her womb.
Every muscle in her body ached in protest of Cade’s delicious abuse.
Throughout the night, he’d made her come so many times she lost count of
the number of orgasms he forced from her needy pussy. Her neck was
covered in hickeys, her breasts sported the red marks of his teeth, and her
hips bore the bruises of his fingers from where he held onto her and fucked
her like a madman. She was relatively certain she’d been kidnapped by a
villain in possession of the highest sex drive in the whole damn world.
The bed was empty when she woke up, so she assumed Cade would be
preoccupied with work and wouldn’t spend the day bending her to the will
of his overactive cock. Good. As much as she missed his company when he
was busy with clients, her poor pussy could use a reprieve. The table was
full when Kara walked into the dining room, the men already in heated
discussion. She tried not to pay too much attention to the details of their
business talks; she had enough difficulty rationalizing that she enjoyed
fucking her captor without being reminded that he also did illegal shit for
exorbitant amounts of money. One thing at a time.
Drawing a collection of reproving glares, Cade broke off his
conversation, rose from his seat, and pulled out the chair to his right,
gesturing for Kara to sit beside him. She blushed as she felt the attention of
several pairs of eyes on her as she walked toward Cade and sat down,
hoping that she’d concealed the hickeys enough to prevent everyone in the
room from knowing that she was fucking their boss. Although, from the
lingering, molten intensity of Cade’s stare at that moment, she was almost
completely sure it was obvious what the two of them did behind closed
doors. Or on the fucking table. The same table from which they were all
currently eating breakfast. The inappropriate memories of the night before
sent a shock of arousal and need straight to her overused pussy as heat
flooded her pale skin.
“Good morning,” Cade whispered seductively against her ear, his lips so
close it was almost a kiss.
“Morning,” Kara answered softly, looking around guiltily as the others at
the table stared with expressions lacking in amusement. It wasn’t her fault
that their boss had a perpetual hard-on and she was the only female in the
house other than Mrs. Hughes. If they were annoyed, they could take it up
with him.
Cade’s hand inconspicuously caressed her lower back as he pushed in her
chair before taking his seat with a slight smirk on his lips. The man was
utterly incorrigible. Kara subtly kicked his leg under the table as a warning
to behave in front of the others. In retaliation, Cade reached across her seat
and pinched her thigh so hard that Kara had to stifle a yelp. Concealing his
mischievousness with a blank expression, Cade turned back to Jace to
continue the business Kara’s entrance had interrupted, keeping his hand on
Kara’s thigh as a threat for any further insolence. Kara rolled her eyes in
annoyance and set about filling her plate with breakfast.
The chaotic cacophony of men’s raised voices halted with the trill of a
phone ringing. Kara looked to Cade in surprise. He didn’t allow the use of
phones at the table; it was one of his many ridiculous, controlling rules, and
the men abided by it religiously, always making sure to keep their electronic
devices tucked away during meal times. The most unusual aspect of hearing
a ringtone at the dining table was that it was coming from Cade’s pocket.
His movements stiff and full of tension, Cade pulled out his phone and
looked at the caller.
“Fuck,” he breathed before swiping the screen to answer it. “Ashford,”
Cade answered brusquely. He waited impatiently as the person on the other
line rushed out an explanation. “Damnit, I knew this would turn into a
fucking shit show. Have you heard from Jensen?” He waited as the caller
barked out something. “Fuck. Don’t do anything else right now,” Cade
ordered, shoving his chair hard across the floor as he stood abruptly. “No,
leave it. I’m heading over.” Cade motioned for Brax to follow him as he
stormed toward the exit, phone still in hand.
Ortega checked his phone and left soon after, though Kara couldn’t be
sure if his departure was related to Cade’s miniature explosion. She found
herself hoping that it wasn’t, before chiding herself for being empathetic
towards Cade’s work stresses. He was probably just having issues stealing a
priceless piece of history or depriving some unsuspecting elite of their
family heirlooms. God, she seriously needed to be rethinking her
relationship with such a depraved man. Unfortunately, her pussy was
morally bankrupt at the moment.
“What was that about?” Declan asked as he looked toward the dining
room doors with his dark eyes wide in surprise. He wasn’t used to seeing
Ashford lose control like that. In fact, before Kara arrived, he’d never seen
his boss lose his cool.
“You don’t want to know, kid,” Jace answered cryptically. “You might
want to eat up. We’ll probably be shipping out soon if that call was who I
think it was.”
Kara resisted the urge to press Jace further about what he knew about
Cade’s sudden departure. Cade kept her in the dark regarding that aspect of
his life, and that was exactly how she wanted to keep it. Brushing aside her
inconvenient interest in Cade’s dark business matters, Kara tried to focus on
her breakfast. Desperate for a hit of caffeine to lift the morning mood, she
reached for the coffee carafe, jolting when she felt the brush of fingertips
against hers. Realizing that Jace had reached for the coffee in the exact
same moment she did, Kara pulled her hand away sharply, hating the feel of
his skin against hers and the memories his touch conjured.
“Sorry,” she responded hastily out of habit, not entirely sure why she
should be apologizing for reaching for something at the same time as him.
Social etiquette was a peculiar construct.
“It’s all right,” Jace answered with an air of gentility that didn’t quite suit
him as he lifted the carafe and reached for Kara’s cup. “Allow me,” he
offered, filling her mug before she had a chance to decline.
 “Thanks,” Kara answered suspiciously, again feeling obligated to be
cordial and polite with the man who tried to assault her.
“Let me guess, you take it black?” Jace asked, his eyes glittering with a
dark sort of amusement.
She did take it black. But there was something about Jace having the
audacity to correctly assume her taste in something as simple as coffee that
had Kara gritting her teeth in irritation. So she did the least logical thing she
could think of: she lied. “Cream and sugar actually. Heavy on the sugar,”
Kara responded sweetly as though she hadn’t just requested a revolting
concoction for the sake of disappointing the smug asshole.
“Sweet and light, huh? I’m surprised, Dr. Caine. I would have thought
you preferred something more…dark,” Jace implied suggestively as the
brightness in his eyes turned sinister.
“Nope, nothing dark here,” Kara answered uncomfortably, hoping she
was imagining the innuendo in his words as she gulped down the far too
sweet coffee.
Jace was silent a minute, studying her thoughtfully in a way that made
Kara’s skin crawl. She looked for a distraction, latching onto the only other
person in the room. “Hey, Declan, could you look up the forecast for today?
I was hoping to go riding if there isn’t any more rain and it’s not too muddy
from yesterday.” Spending time outside with the horses was always a nice
diversion from her life as a pampered prisoner.
“Sure,” Declan answered helpfully with a smile that was a little too eager
as he pulled out his phone.
Kara had a sneaking suspicion that the boy had a bit of a crush on her.
She recognized the bright look in his puppy dog eyes; she’d gotten rather
used to ignoring it with students over the years. Declan was sweet and
inexperienced, and Kara wondered for the hundredth time what on earth
had led him to associate with criminals like Jace and Cade. They’d crush
his innocence before it even had a chance to bloom.
“Lucky for you, it’ll be mostly sunny the whole day,” Declan declared
brightly before setting down his phone and grabbing another scone off the
tray in front of him. “I could walk down there with you if you’d like some
company?”
“Thanks, Declan, that’s really sweet of you,” Kara replied kindly, trying
to think of the easiest way to turn him down for his own good. If Cade
caught her traipsing about the countryside alone with one of his men, it
might not go over very well for either of them. “But you should probably
stay close to the house, just in case Cade needs you.”
“Oh yeah, that’s true,” Declan answered, sounding a little bit
disappointed.
“Yes, I’m sure Ashford would be lost without Declan here,” Jace intruded
into the conversation scathingly.
“I don’t recall asking for your opinion, Jacen,” Kara spat back.
“Dude, I didn’t know your full name is Jacen,” Declan commented in
amusement, the sarcasm in her response completely going over his head.
“It’s not,” Jace answered in annoyance. “Dr. Caine just likes to pretend
that she’s smarter than everyone else. Isn’t that right?”
“I do not think I’m smarter than everyone else,” Kara retorted angrily.
“Oh, I think you do. I think you’re a spoiled little princess who thinks
they’re too good for the rest of us.”
“Fuck you, Jace,” Kara said with a bitterness that was a front for her hurt
feelings. She was not spoiled, and she did not think she was better than
everyone. Jace was just being a dick like usual.
 “Is that what you want, baby? You want me to fuck you? Or is Ashford
already doing that for you?”
Declan looked at Jace in shock while Kara looked at him with nauseated
embarrassment. “I’ll take that as a yes,” Jace answered smugly, judging the
warmth flooding Kara’s cheeks as confirmation of his accusation. “I was
wondering why he put you in her room, but the answer is obvious now. He
wants to use you like he used her.”
Kara blanched at Jace’s words, the breakfast in her stomach suddenly
revolting. “W-what do you mean? Who is she?” Was Jace talking about E?
Did he know her? Did he know what happened to her?
“Hmm, I see Ashford didn’t tell you. That’s interesting,” Jace answered
vaguely, nodding his head as though understanding something that no one
else in the room did. “You are full of surprises, Dr. Caine. I didn't think
you’d be into that sort of thing.”
“How did Cade…use her?” Kara asked softly, terrified of his answer.
“Well, it’s no fun if I tell you, Kara. You’ll have to figure it out,” Jace
replied with a malicious smile.
Kara looked at Declan, but he was clearly just as confused as she was. As
much as it terrified her, she was going to have to ask Cade about E. She
didn’t like Jace making threats that she didn’t have enough information to
understand. The general unease in the room was disrupted when Ortega
barged in through the doors with an expression that Kara had started calling
his business face fixed sternly upon his features.
“Boys, let’s go. Ashford is already in the car,” Ortega shouted across the
room, clearly not in the mood for patience that morning.
Declan jumped to his feet instantly while Jace downed the rest of his
coffee and then followed suit. The three men hurried out of the room, keen
to obey their precious dictator’s command, leaving Kara alone to enjoy the
rest of her breakfast in unexpected peace. The silence of the dining room
broke with a slight buzz that sounded distinctively like a phone vibrating
with an incoming notification. Kara’s heart stuttered for a moment,
overwhelmed with what was certainly false hope because there was no way
in hell that one of her captors had left a phone within her reach. Already
braced for disappointment, Kara searched her surroundings for the source of
the buzzing, freezing when her eyes fell on Declan’s spot at the table. Lying
forgotten on the table beside an unfinished glass of orange juice, there was a
phone.
Declan had left his phone. And perhaps given her a chance at freedom in
return.
Kara ran to the black device, not sure how much time she had before the
men came back. She knew that she might have only minutes and needed to
think quickly. After turning the phone on, there was a password prompt
when face recognition obviously failed. Without unlocking the phone, she
could still make an emergency call to the police, but that option didn’t offer
much chance of success. The manor was gated and monitored by security.
Cade would have more than enough warning before the police set foot on
the property, he had enough men and resources to keep her hidden or move
her to another location, and when he finally dismissed the police’s concerns,
Cade would be fucking pissed at her. And since she didn’t have any other
numbers memorized, the call option was basically useless. She would have
to try to crack Declan’s code, knowing full well that the statistical chances
of her success were slim at best. Just for the hell of it, Kara started with the
easiest combination she could think of.
1-2-3-4-5-6.
 Holy shit.
Against all fucking odds, the phone unlocked. What the hell was Cade
doing with a kid who protected his phone with a password based on
numerical order? With a sense of urgency, Kara considered the best use of
the lifeline in her hand. She wasn’t sure if she was in a position to escape
Cade completely; he was too powerful, and the manor was too secure for
her to be able to slip away again. Evading Cade’s clutches would take far
more strategy and advantage than a mere phone could provide. In fact, the
more she thought of it, the less convinced she was that the phone would be
able to offer any form of escape. The best she could do was to ensure the
safety of others threatened by Cade and his illicit affairs with Avery Reed.
She first sent a quick email to her sister to tell her that she was alright and
warned her to be careful about anything shady or out of the ordinary in her
life. She couldn’t be too careful about mercenary bastards using her sister as
a weakness against her to retrieve the Chaucer text. Next, Kara drafted an
email to Anne, her closest associate at the university library.

Dear Anne,
I am sorry to have not corresponded sooner. The literary conference in
Canada has been very full-on. I recently became aware of a threat to our
archived texts. As a precaution, I would like to implement extra nightly
security and have identification checked before admittance to the library
during opening hours. Also, please rescind Mr. Avery Reed’s access until
further notice. Thank you for your diligence, and I hope to see you soon.
Kind regards,
Dr. Caine
As soon as Kara sent the illicit email, there was a rustle from the kitchens.
Startled, she threw the contraband phone on the table and moved back
toward her seat. She settled down just in time as Mrs. Hughes bustled into
the room to clear the breakfast plates.
“Where has everyone run off to?” Mrs. Hughes asked, more in
conversation than surprise.
“Work emergency, apparently,” Kara responded, resisting the urge to roll
her eyes at what Cade considered work.
“Och, it’s too bad they’ve left ye all alone. Would you like to join me in
the kitchen? I can teach you how to make those scones you sneak up to your
room after breakfast,” Mrs. Hughes offered with a kind smile.
Kara’s face reddened slightly at having been caught sneaking extras of
her favorite treat at the manor. “How did you know that? I thought I was
being careful,” Kara answered with a laugh.
“Not much gets past me, even if I am getting to be an old lady.”
And Kara was pretty sure that was true. “Well come on, old lady,” Kara
joked as she rose from the table. “Teach me how to make those magic
scones of yours.”

THE guilt of having gone behind Cade’s back left Kara on edge all day.
Technically, she knew that she’d done nothing wrong. She had merely done
what was reasonable, but she couldn’t get rid of that nagging voice in her
head that said Cade trusted her, and she had betrayed him. Conflicted and
frustrated, Kara found herself in the library trying to drown out the nettling
guilt with Hardy, like an addict turning to their poison of choice. It felt good
to wallow in misery amongst literary characters who were best acquainted
with its bitter taste.
Suddenly, the library doors slammed open so violently that Kara literally
jumped from the sofa she was lying on. Cade stormed toward her, flinging
the doors shut behind him with such force that the room seemed to tremble.
She wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen Cade so discomposed; his hair was
disheveled as though he’d run his fingers through it one too many times, his
typically perfect attire was slightly askew as though he’d actually run to
library to find her, his face was darkened with fury, and his eyes bored into
her like twin flames bent on her destruction. Clearly, Cade was fucking
pissed.
Shit. Shit. SHIT.
He knew. Somehow, the fucking omniscient bastard knew what she’d
done that morning. And he looked about ready to murder her for it. Cade
halted his steps a short distance away from Kara. He wasn’t quite close
enough to touch her, his hands flexing viciously like he was seriously
considering throttling her and just barely kept his antsy fingers from
wrapping tightly around her delicate neck.
“Kara,” Cade greeted her coldly, his voice soft and deadly. “Can you
explain why I received a call from Avery Reed today saying he knew I was
keeping you at Ashford Manor and demanding that I turn you over to him
immediately?”
How the fuck did Avery know?
“No?” Kara answered hesitantly, the word coming out as a question as
she shifted anxiously on the couch. She probably had a good idea of how
Avery found out, but she wasn’t about to give Cade a reason to punish her.
If he was asking her, maybe he didn’t know exactly what happened. She
could work with that.
“No?” Cade repeated, his tone dangerous. “Care to take any guesses? I’ll
give you a hint—apparently the university library changed their protocol for
admittance, under guidance from their chief librarian regarding a threat to
library property.” Cade threw her a glare that sent her insides liquifying
with fear. “The chief librarian would be you, would it not, Dr. Caine?”
“Y-yes,” Kara answered, a nervous tremor in her voice. It wasn’t like she
could deny blatantly obvious facts.
“So tell me, Kara, did you contact someone outside of the manor?”
Cade’s resolved expression made it clear that she was doomed regardless of
her answer.
“Obviously not. You have me under fucking lock and key. I don’t even
have my phone,” Kara lied convincingly. There was no way he could prove
that she had done it.
“I’m going to ask you one more time,” Cade threatened as he stalked
toward her, stopping directly in front of Kara and grabbing her hair tightly
in one hand as he made her look at him. “If you lie to me again, I guarantee
you will not like the result.” In warning, he pulled sharply on her hair,
causing her to wince. “Did you talk to someone outside of the manor?”
“No,” Kara answered spitefully. She was sick of his threats and his
demands and the way both made her traitorous pussy slick with misguided
desire and need.
“Wrong fucking answer, Kara.” Using his hold on her hair, Cade flipped
her onto her stomach, her knees landing roughly on the hard floor. Before
she could think or protest or catch her breath, Cade picked up the novel
beside her, threw her dress up over her hips, and slammed the hardcover
book against her nearly bare arse.
Kara writhed beneath him, shrieking in shock and discomfort.
Surprisingly, being hit with a book really fucking hurt.
“Now let’s try this again. Did you contact someone?” Cade asked sternly,
his hand poised to deliver another swat with his weapon of choice should he
not approve of Kara’s answer.
“Y-yes,” Kara admitted, flinching in preparation for his reaction.
“Very good. That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Cade answered agreeably,
staying his hand as long as she cooperated. “How did you do it?”
“What do you mean?” Kara asked in confusion, the humbling situation of
being bared and bent over the couch causing her concentration to scatter.
“How exactly did you manage to contact someone? As you said, I
confiscated your phone as a precaution. So how did you message the
university?”
Kara bit her lip as she contemplated the best way to approach Cade’s
question. She didn’t want Declan to get in trouble. She’d already brought
Cade’s wrath against the kid once before, and she didn’t want to make a
habit of using Declan as a scapegoat for her actions. So she conjured the
most reasonable explanation she could think of without selling out Declan
for leaving his phone within reach. “Your work computer. I snuck into your
office and sent an email.” She whimpered when she felt the hard smack of
the book against her ass.
“My office is locked and my computer is password protected. You never
would have managed to access one, let alone both. Would you like to try
again, or should I spank you until you remember?” Cade asked,
emphasizing his words with another firm slap on Kara’s arse.
 “A phone!” Kara cried out, desperate to escape another punishment. “It
was a phone.”
“Good girl,” Cade praised, soothingly rubbing his palm over her stinging
backside. “Whose phone?”
Hoping to protect Declan, Kara remained silent.
Smack! “Whose phone, Kara?” Cade demanded impatiently. He needed to
know if one of his employees had betrayed him and willingly aided Kara.
“Answer me.” Smack!
“It was Declan’s phone,” Kara admitted miserably. The bastard was going
to beat the answer out of her sooner or later, so there wasn’t much use in
fighting him. “It wasn’t his fault. He left the dining room in a hurry and
forgot his phone on the table.” Kara felt herself growing angry that she even
had to justify her actions to the man holding her prisoner. “You can’t
exactly blame me for taking it when I had a chance,” she muttered bitterly
with her face still pressed against the couch.
“I can’t blame you?” Cade reiterated angrily, his voice growing fierce.
Smack! “Can I blame you for putting your safety at risk, again?” Smack!
“Can I blame your blatant stupidity for essentially gifting your location to
Reed on a silver platter because every message you send is traceable?”
Smack! “Can I blame you for going behind my back and lying about it?”
Smack! Smack! “It seems as though there is a great deal I should be blaming
you for. You and Declan, but I’ll deal with him later.”
“No, please don’t,” Kara begged, her voice breathless and choked with
tears. “Please don’t punish Declan. It wasn’t his fault. He was distracted
and worried after you stormed out at breakfast.” Kara trembled with
remorse and dread. “He’s just a kid.”
 “Yes, a kid you seem to take great pleasure in exploiting. This is his last
strike. I need to do something about his constant lapses in judgment before
he endangers himself or my business.”
Kara gasped at the thought of Cade doing something drastic to handle
Declan. She couldn’t bear to be the cause of his suffering. “Please, Cade, it
was my fault. I’ll…I’ll take the punishment. I deserve it.”
“You certainly do, but that doesn’t mean Declan is off the hook.”
“Just don’t hurt him. Please,” Kara pleaded as convincingly as she could
while still bent over.
“Fine, for now, I won’t do anything to him. I’ll send him to Prague with
Jace and let him handle the little bastard. I’ll let you decide if that’s mercy
or not.”
Since Jace was involved, Kara assumed it was probably the furthest thing
from mercy. Cade was terrifying, but he was reasonable. Jace was an
entirely different type of monster. Kara braced herself when she felt Cade
sit down on the couch beside her; he grasped her wrist and gently pulled her
over his knee. She had agreed to accept her punishment, and she would try
to suffer it with as much decorum as possible.
“When you are careless and irresponsible, you put yourself and everyone
around you at risk,” Cade lectured as he pulled Kara’s knickers down to her
ankles, admiring the faint bloom of pink already spread across her naked
arse. “I refuse to allow that kind of immature behavior. Maybe this will help
remind you to think before you act,” he finished ominously.
The sickeningly familiar sound of Cade’s belt sliding free from his pants
squelched Kara’s ten seconds of submission. She fought him as though her
life depended on it, wildly flailing her legs to break free from his hold and
digging her nails into the arms holding her down until she was almost
certain she drew blood. Cade fought her just as hard, though his
overwhelming strength put a quick end to her struggles. He viciously dug
his fingers into the bare skin of her hips and dragged her back over his
knee, trapping her beneath him with one of his legs as he pinned her down.
His hand snaked out and snatched her wrist, twisting her arm painfully
behind her back to keep her still. His other hand tangled in her hair and
pulled sharply, causing prickles of pain across her scalp. Kara whimpered
against the roughness of Cade’s hands; she was truly, terrifyingly helpless
beneath him.
“Do not. Fucking. Move,” Cade growled angrily, twisting the fingers in
her hair tighter for emphasis, causing her to cry out.
“Wait, please,” she begged frantically, breathless from their struggle and
ensuing panic.
“This isn’t a negotiation, Kara. You knew your actions would have
consequences. You knew you would be punished. Remorse won’t save you
now, love,” Cade answered mercilessly, releasing her arm and reaching for
his belt again.
“Stop, please!” Kara pleaded desperately as she felt the brush of leather
against her skin. “I know that I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have taken
Declan’s phone. I’m sorry.”
“Saying sorry isn’t enough,” Cade reprimanded sternly before drawing
back his arm to deliver the first blow of the belt.
“Please,” Kara sobbed pitifully, distantly aware that tears had begun to
fall, but too intent on escaping Cade’s wrath to feel ashamed of them.
“Please, Cade, I’m begging you. Please don’t use the belt.”
Startled by the anguish in her voice, Cade stayed his hand. Gently
reaching for her shoulders, he lifted Kara up until she was sitting on his
knee, grasping her face with both hands to search her expression intently for
signs of manipulation or truth. His thumb moved to brush a stray tear from
her cheek before slipping down to stroke her full bottom lip. “What’s this,
Kara? You’re brave enough to go behind my back, defy my orders, and lie
about it, but you’re not brave enough to accept the punishment you
deserve?”
“I-I know I deserve punishment,” Kara admitted quietly, stumbling
slightly over the words as she tried and failed to avoid his gaze. “But not
with the belt, please.”
“I see,” Cade answered thoughtfully, nodding his head as though mulling
it over. A ruthless smile crept across his features as he happened upon an
intriguing enhancement to Kara’s suffering. “In my experience, begging is
most impactful when done on your knees, wouldn’t you agree?” he
challenged with a raised brow and a pointed glance at the floor in front of
him.
Feeling tears of frustration invade her eyes at the humbling insinuation,
Kara swallowed her pride, slipped from Cade’s lap, and slid down to her
knees between his open legs. She stared down at the floor, twining her
fingers together anxiously as she awaited Cade’s next command. She felt
his fingers grasp her jaw and lift her head upward to look at him. His gaze
was imperious and almost cruel. Involuntarily, she shivered beneath him.
“Well, Kara?” Cade asked expectantly, his tone harsh. “Beg for mercy.”
He stared at her with eyes of ice and stone, cold and impenetrable. “If you
dare.”
“Please don’t whip me, Cade,” Kara implored, her voice trembling as she
gazed at him with large, pleading eyes.
 “You look so pretty in tears, love,” Cade admitted with indiscernible
emotion roughening his tone, his features softening barely as he captured a
tear from Kara’s heavy lashes and rubbed the wetness across his lips,
savoring the taste of salt and fear. “So pretty on your knees to please me.”
Cade stroked her cheek, and Kara couldn’t help but lean into the caress,
lulled by the tenderness in his voice and touch. Couldn’t he forget about the
punishment and allow her to quell his anger with pleasure rather than pain?
Sensing her thoughts, Cade deprived her of his touch and reached for his
belt, laying it threateningly across his lap in front of her. Kara eyed the
implement nervously.
“Now, why should you be allowed to escape your punishment?”
“I’m not asking to escape punishment. I’m just asking you not to use your
belt on me.”
“And why is that?” Cade asked, genuinely interested in why such an
unassuming item could inspire such fear in his unshakeable librarian. Sure,
he wielded the accessory in more instructive ways than its intended
purpose. Sure, it temporarily hurt like the fucking blazes. But certainly it
wasn’t more than she could handle? She risked death for a goddamn book,
for fuck’s sake. She could handle having her arse warmed a little after the
shit she pulled that morning.
“The last time you…” Kara paused to swallow the mortification of
having to dredge up the memory of her first punishment, “whipped me, it
was too much. Too much pain. Too much emotion. You wrecked me, Cade.
And that’s exactly what you meant to do. One lash more than my limit,
remember? You used your belt to break me, and not just physically either—
no, that would have been too easy.” Kara heaved a heavy sigh before
continuing. “I have a feeling you went easy on me the first time compared
to what you want to do to me now.” She took a moment to glance at him
accusingly. “I’m not sure I can trust you not to fucking kill me this time.”
“Kara, I have no desire to harm you. You should understand that by now,”
Cade answered reproachfully, hurt by her lack of trust.
“Oh, so beating me is just for giggles, then?”
Cade grabbed her jaw firmly, growing increasingly irritated with her
attitude. “I don’t punish you to aimlessly entertain myself, I punish you to
correct destructive behavior before you cause yourself harm,” Cade
answered sharply, inadvertently digging his fingers deeper into her skin.
“I’m sorry, you must have missed the part where I am a full-grown adult
capable of making my own fucking decisions,” Kara thundered back, her
anger at the ridiculousness of the situation growing rapidly. “I don’t need
your correction or your rules or your fucking punishments. I don’t need
someone to parent me, so go look elsewhere for someone with daddy issues
to exploit.”
“Careful, Kara. You’re meant to be talking your way out of a whipping,
not giving me a reason to hit you harder,” Cade warned, his voice deadly
calm while his eyes burned with fire.
“I’m sorry,” Kara apologized hastily, shrinking back from violent tension
in his body. She knew she wouldn’t be able to argue her way out of being
punished by Cade if he thought she deserved it. Hell, maybe she did deserve
it, but there was no way in fuck she was taking that shit laying down. If she
couldn’t appeal to his sense of reason—like he fucking had any—she would
appeal to his transactional side. Barter for mercy. Make him a deal he
couldn’t refuse.
“I’ll do anything,” Kara offered, three simple words that had the power to
destroy in the wrong hands. And Cade’s hands certainly weren’t the right
ones to endow with such limitless power, but she was desperate. Cade’s
eyes sparked with wicked curiosity, and Kara knew she might have a
chance of victory, at least momentarily. Until she was subjected to whatever
anything Cade devised.
“I’m intrigued,” Cade responded, trying to keep his features neutral, but
failing to hide his excitement as Kara upped the stakes in their game.
“Elaborate?”
“I’m willing to submit to anything, any form of punishment you deem
appropriate for my reckless behavior. Anything but your belt.”
Cade took a moment to ponder her proposal. It was tempting, he had to
admit, even if the belt in his hand begged to be reacquainted with her
backside. “Are other forms of physical punishment acceptable?”
“No,” Kara amended, trying to sound firm and unshakable, even though
she was afraid of demanding too much. “Nothing that hurts.”
“So no physical pain?” Cade asked in clarification.
The way he asked made Kara feel like she needed to be worried about
him hurting her in ways that weren’t physical. “Anything but physical
pain,” Kara answered in agreement.
“Well, I think I can work within those parameters,” Cade announced in a
tone of vengeful glee. “But, as this apparently is a negotiation, I have an
addendum. To soothe my need for prompt justice, you allow me one lash of
the belt. Then the remainder of your punishment can be deferred to another
time.”
“That sounds reasonable enough,” Kara accepted warily, body already
tense for the pain she’d just agreed to endure. Though she was relieved to
have escaped the brunt of his punishment for the moment, she seethed at the
idea of Cade sneaking in the belt just for a show of power and control.
She’d won, but he somehow made her feel like she hadn’t.
Fucking asshole.
Cade offered his hand, gently helping Kara to her feet; the gesture would
have appeared gallant if it weren’t for his next words. “Turn around and
grasp the side of the couch,” he commanded sharply.
Biting her lip anxiously at the knowledge of what was coming, Kara
faced the arm of the couch, digging her fingers into the leather to brace
herself against Cade’s vindictive intentions for her ass.
Cade stepped back to admire the view. There was very little beauty in the
world that superseded the delectable sight of Kara bared and bent over
before him. And his cock was in firm agreement. Since Kara’s bargaining
had swindled him out of every lash but one, Cade had every intention of
making that single lash count. He drew back his arm and put all of his
considerable weight into delivering the one blow. The belt hit Kara’s skin
with a thundering thwap, leaving an angry red welt in its wake.
Kara cried out, stunned by the sheer force of the belt slapping across her
ass. It felt as though all of Cade’s anger and frustration and disappointment
had been poured into a single blow, and her body protested the viciousness
of the assault. Incredibly grateful that she was only forced to endure one
lash, Kara stood up and attempted to gather her remnants of dignity as best
she could.
Unfortunately for her, Cade preferred her dignity in shambles.
Cade pulled her tightly against him, pressing his body firmly into the
contours of her own. They were close enough that Kara could feel the hard
bulge of his cock jutting into the softness of her belly. She gasped slightly at
the intrusion, her body instinctively reacting to his need, though she
wondered if he was hard from the feel of her body or from the punishment
he inflicted on her.
Cade captured her chin, forcing Kara to look at him—a mischievous glint
in his eyes. “Now say: thank you, daddy, for my spanking,” Cade ordered
with a sadistic smile, clearly not allowing her previous comment regarding
daddy issues to go unpunished.
“I hate you,” Kara whispered under her breath with an angry huff.
“What was that?” Cade asked scoldingly, raising a single eyebrow as
though daring her to challenge him and risk another punishment.
“Thank you, daddy, for my spanking,” she said through gritted teeth,
choking on the words as though they were barbed wire in her throat and
nearly perishing with mortification.
“You’re very welcome, baby girl,” Cade replied, pinching her cheek
indulgently, the act so infantilizing that Kara physically cringed. “Now, go
clean your face and get ready for dinner.”
Gritting her teeth, Kara turned to leave without another word, yelping as
Cade sent her off with a firm slap on her already stinging backside.
Fucking. Prick.
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 CHAPTER FOURTEEN

F EELING sore, horny, and thoroughly vexed in a way only Cade—in his
magnificent assholery—was capable of achieving, Kara slid into her
room and slammed the door a little louder than necessary. The resounding
bang of the door hitting the adjoining wall gave her some measure of
satisfaction as she replayed her recent humiliations at the hands of her
captor. A captor who she also had the ill-advised misfortune of fucking on a
somewhat regular basis. She was aware of her idiocy on that account and
had every intention of rectifying the situation as soon as another
opportunity presented itself. Another opportunity being a sizable cock
attached to a man in possession of at least adequate moral scruples and a
modicum of human decency. And perhaps less of a tendency to take out his
frustrations on her ass.
 Rubbing at her mistreated backside, Kara headed for the bed with every
intention of sleeping straight through dinner and avoiding Cade’s smug face
until at least the next day. She paused when she discovered that the bed
wasn’t entirely empty. A large, black box elegantly adorned with a black
satin bow lay at the foot of the bed, the package looking dreadfully out of
place as its darkness contrasted the rest of the bright and cheerful room.
Kara eyed the mysterious parcel warily. Her recent behavior was hardly
befitting a present, so she couldn’t begin to fathom what lay within the box
or who had left it. With a sigh of determination, Kara strode toward the
present and tore off the attached card, solving the mystery of the gifter
without actually mitigating any of her confusion regarding the gift.

Wear this tonight. Pair with black stilettos. Dinner is at eight. Don’t
be late.
-C

Still dubious of Cade’s intentions, Kara untied the silk bow and lifted the
top of the box. Inside, a gorgeous Dolce & Gabbana dress lay nestled in
layers of black tissue paper. She gasped audibly as she carefully pulled the
dress from its wrappings and held it against her body lovingly. The dress
was exquisite, certainly unlike anything she’d ever owned or worn before. It
didn’t escape her notice that, while everything else she wore had belonged
to someone else, this was the first item of clothing that Cade had purchased
specifically for her.
Her anger momentarily forgotten, Kara excitedly undressed and slipped
into the new dress. As she expected, it fit her perfectly. The dress offered
decidedly little coverage with sleeves of sheer black lace that dipped
slightly below her shoulders, a satin corseted bodice featuring a lacy see-
through panel in the middle, and a mere hint of eyelash lace at the hem that
just barely graced her mid thighs. It was without a doubt the most expensive
and exposing piece of clothing she had ever worn. Slipping out of the dress,
Kara eyed the clock on the bedside table. She had a few hours until dinner,
plenty of time to put in some extra effort into her makeup and hair than
usual.
Feeling refreshed, smooth, moisturized, and perfumed, Kara slid the new
dress back on. Inspired by the seductive black lace and the lingerie-esque
bodice, Kara lined and shadowed her eyes in smoky shades and painted her
lips a deep Bordeaux. A quick glance in the mirror revealed the faint
shadow of bruises peeking out from the black lace on her shoulders. Kara
traced the marks mindlessly, entranced by the brand of Cade on her skin.
For reasons she couldn’t logically explain, Kara pulled her sleeves down
her arms a little bit lower, finding an unusual satisfaction in seeing the dark
fingerprints against her pale skin. A sign that she was his.
As she entered the dining hall’s double doors, Kara’s cheerful stride came
to a sudden, horrified halt.
Cade was not alone.
Seated at his left was a man that Kara had never seen at the manor before.
He was tall, taller than even Cade, with deep, oceanic blue eyes and hair the
palest shade of blonde. He looked European, possibly Scandinavian. Both
men stopped mid-conversation and turned their attention to her as she
entered the room. Kara shifted uncomfortably beneath their appreciative
stares and anxiously fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, unsuccessfully
attempting to coax a few more centimeters of coverage over her practically
bare thighs. She never would have worn the damned dress if she’d known
Cade had company that night. What the fuck was he thinking? She felt
displayed, like an item for auction for the benefit of the mysterious guest
across the table. Hell, perhaps she was. Kara shot Cade a panicked look.
“Kara, please come in,” Cade greeted casually, ignoring her obvious
anguish. “This is my friend, Finnian,” he continued, with a gesture toward
the man beside him.
In uneasy silence, Kara remained where she stood. It was a surprising
disclosure that Cade was emotionally close enough to another individual to
consider them a friend. It was an even more confounding occurrence that
Cade would have invited said friend to an intimate dinner in which he had
personally dressed her in attire befitting a high-end escort. For someone as
private as Cade, the whole situation seemed out of character. Planning her
escape, Kara eyed the exit warily.
“Are you going to wait by the doors all night?” Cade asked, growing
slightly impatient. “Come here.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had company. I can come down after
you’ve finished with your friend,” Kara responded, turning toward the hall
in an attempt to excuse herself.
“Kara. Here,” Cade ordered firmly, punctuating the command with a snap
of his fingers.
Kara turned back sharply to balk at Cade’s astonishing arrogance. “I beg
your pardon?” she asked in disbelief. Had he really just snapped at her like
a dog to be beckoned to his side? If he wanted a pet, she’d get him a
fucking golden retriever.
“I am not going to ask you again, Kara. Come here. Now.”
Against her will, Kara’s body heeded Cade’s command, one footstep at a
time, until she found herself standing before him.
 “That’s better. Next time, you should do as you’re told immediately. I
don’t appreciate repeating myself. It looks bad for company,” Cade said in a
patronizing tone.
Kara scoffed aloud, but said nothing in response. The man, Finnian, gave
Cade a look that seemed to hold both a question and a challenge. From the
determined set of his features, Kara assumed that Cade had accepted the
unspoken challenge. When he turned his attention to Kara, Cade’s face was
that of a stranger’s. His eyes were cold and calculating, his mouth stern, his
expression merciless. Instinctively, Kara wanted to draw back, but she felt
frozen in place beneath his gaze.
“This afternoon, you and I came to an agreement,” Cade began.
Kara felt the blood in her veins turn cold with trepidation.
“Tonight is anything else.”
Kara could do little more than perish slowly with dread and hope that she
hadn’t been better off taking the whipping than whatever sadism Cade had
planned for the night.
“Kneel,” Cade commanded.
“I’m sorry, what?” Kara asked in confusion as though she didn’t
understand the context of the word.
“Get on your knees,” he elaborated patiently. He knew this would be
difficult for her; her stubbornness made him relish the moment even more.
She hesitated, pleading eyes searching his for any hint of mercy. She
found none. With a sigh of resignation, Kara awkwardly bent to the floor,
one knee at a time, struggling to achieve the act gracefully with the height
of her stilettos and the shortness of her hem. Her body quivering with
embarrassment as Cade and Finnian witnessed her humiliation, Kara sat on
her heels with her bare knees on the cold marble floor and waited.
 “Very nice,” Cade said, nodding in approval. “Now, as your behavior
recently has been recklessly immature, tonight will be an exercise in
obedience. You are not to speak unless spoken to, and you will address
Finnian and myself as sir. Do you understand?”
“Okay,” Kara agreed hesitantly.
“Disobeying already, Kara?” Cade reprimanded with a disapproving tsk.
“Try again.”
“Yes, sir,” Kara answered grudgingly through gritted teeth, mentally
contriving various, agonizing deaths for them both.
“Good. Mrs. Hughes left dinner prepared in the kitchen; you may go and
fetch it,” Cade ordered with a dismissive wave of his hand.
As much as she wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, Kara swallowed the
words and attempted to escape her position on the floor with as much
decorum as possible. She breathed a sigh of relief as the kitchen door closed
behind her. The interaction with Cade moments before had left her shaken
and anxious of what else he might have in store. She had never considered
him a cruel man, but tonight he seemed intent on shattering her pride into
pieces.
Finding a welcome, open bottle of white wine on the counter, Kara pulled
a glass from the cabinet, filled it generously, and drained every drop before
slamming the empty glass on the counter. It was possible Cade would detect
the unavoidable flush of the wine in her cheeks, but it was a risk she was
happy to take. There was no way she was walking back into that room
entirely at the mercy of a British sociopath without drinking something to
settle her nerves.
Finally remembering her required task, Kara looked for the dinner Mrs.
Hughes had prepared. The delicious scent of prosciutto and truffle led Kara
to the oven where everything was being kept warm. There was prosciutto
wrapped chicken, truffle risotto, and roasted asparagus beautifully laid out
on two plates. As her presence would make three, Kara bitterly assumed her
punishment for the night would include starvation. It was incredibly trusting
of Cade to have commissioned her with the task of procuring his dinner, for
if Mrs. Hughes happened to keep any poison on hand in the kitchen, there
was a great possibility Kara would have used it.
Carefully balancing a large plate on each hand, Kara reentered the dining
room with dread. Cade and Finnian looked at her expectantly, and she tried
not to falter as she brought the plates before them. After she set the food on
the table, Cade summoned her with an imperious snap and pointed down to
the floor beside him. Kara rolled her eyes as she followed his command and
stood at his side.
A single raise of his eyebrow suggested that she should not be standing.
Gritting her teeth to keep from saying anything that would earn her
further punishment, Kara kicked off the ridiculous stilettos and slipped into
position on bare knees and feet. This time, she was marginally more
comfortable. Cade looked amused at her dismissal of the formality of shoes
in the dining room, but he didn’t address her further.
The men conversed about art while Kara counted the number of streaks in
the marble floor to keep from focusing on the uncomfortable twinges of
pain in her knees. Cade was clearly well-versed in many, unconventional
forms of torture. It was almost enough to make her more receptive to his
rules and requests in the future.
Almost.
Her aimless mental tallying was interrupted when she heard her name
being called. Kara looked up from the floor to see Cade waving a forkful of
food in front of her face. She shook her head in refusal, any appetite she had
momentarily obliterated. There was no way she was going to let Cade hand
feed her in front of a stranger while she knelt at his feet. The act was too
infantilizing and embarrassing even without an audience.
“Kara, eat,” Cade commanded, bringing the food to her mouth.
“No thank you, sir,” Kara responded bitingly, turning her head away.
“It was not a request. Eat.”
Choking back repulsion and shame, Kara opened her mouth and allowed
Cade to feed her. She chewed, the food tasteless in her mouth, and
swallowed dutifully. Cade continued to feed her intermittently with himself,
taking great pleasure in watching her swallow her pride with every bite. He
noticed that she was very receptive to that corrective approach. Beating her
seemed only to stoke the fires of her anger and rebellion, but humiliation
left her silent and compliant. In the future, he would keep in mind that her
pride was more easily chastised than her body.
“More wine please, Kara,” Finnian requested in a slightly accented voice,
lifting an empty glass and gesturing toward the bottle on the table.
Kara looked at Cade, as if for permission, and he nodded his approval.
She rose and walked on bare feet to where Finnian sat. Keenly aware that
the man was scrutinizing her every move, she lifted the wine bottle gently
and filled his glass as carefully as she could. As she finished, a single drop
of red wine escaped the bottle and landed on the table.
“I’m sorry,” Kara apologized quickly, realizing too late that she had
forgotten Cade’s rules for speaking.
“It’s alright. Allow me,” Finnian responded chivalrously as he used the
napkin from his lap to dab at the spot before it stained.
 Kara stood in stunned silence, unsure if should apologize again for
breaking the rules or hope that no one noticed. Judging from the knowing
look on Finnian’s face, he was well aware of her misstep. Kara knew she
was at his mercy and prayed he was more forgiving than Cade.
“Thank you for the wine, Kara,” Finnian said, dismissing her without
reproach.
“You’re welcome, sir,” she replied softly, truly grateful to have escaped
unscathed.
As Kara walked back to return to her place on the floor, Cade seized her
arm firmly and turned her around to face him. She shifted uneasily as he
studied her face with stern, condemning eyes. He lifted his other hand to her
warm, reddened cheek, and Kara had the sinking sense that she had traded
one perilous situation for another.
“You are flushed tonight,” Cade commented in a tone of thinly veiled
accusation.
Fuck.
“Am I?” Kara answered nervously.
“Quite. Have you been drinking?”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Of course not, sir. It’s just uncommonly warm tonight,” Kara responded
in an attempt to sway him from his suspicions, however accurate they may
be.
“And yet, your hands are freezing,” Cade answered damningly, clearly
not persuaded by her evasion.
“I suppose the unexpected strains of this evening have left me feeling
overwhelmed and overheated,” Kara replied as she tried to pull away from
his touch, holding firm in her denial of the truth. She assumed she was safe,
in spite of the lie, wagering that Cade would not push her further in front of
his friend.
“I see,” Cade answered dangerously.
Had he not promised that afternoon to refrain from physical punishment,
Cade wouldn’t have had any reservations about bending Kara over the table
that instant and spanking the deception out of her while Finnian watched.
As it was, Cade would have to think of a more creative approach to remind
Kara that he was not a man to be trifled with. Cade stepped behind Kara,
moving his hand from her arm to firmly grasp the back of her neck. His
other hand traveled gently up her back, almost like a caress, until he
reached the top of her dress. He captured the zipper and pulled it down
slowly, leaving her dress completely unfastened and her back bare. Kara
gasped, frozen and powerless beneath his hands.
“Remove your dress,” Cade whispered softly in her ear.
“No,” Kara answered in shock, holding her dress tightly to her breasts so
it wouldn’t slip off her shoulders.
“If you’re so overheated that your cheeks are blazing, you should
welcome the relief of removing some of your clothing,” Cade explained
tauntingly.
Kara blanched at his words, knowing that her own deception left her with
little chance of escaping his command. She should never have
underestimated Cade. “Please, sir,” Kara pleaded desperately, the
embarrassment of what he suggested unfathomable.
“Did you have a drink, Kara?” Cade asked plainly, his lips still pressed
against her ear.
“Yes, sir,” she admitted weakly in defeat.
 “At last, we have the truth. You will not lie to me again, do you
understand?”
“Yes, sir,” she agreed sheepishly.
“Good girl. Now, take off your dress.”
Kara turned around sharply to look at him, aghast that Cade still made the
same request.
“The confession does not absolve the sin without penance, love,” Cade
instructed with the pretentious air of a man without fault. “Come now,
hesitation merely prolongs the discomfort of the situation.”
It was easy for him to say, having made it through the night without
degradation, reproach, or the removal of his clothes. Kara regarded him
hatefully as she contemplated her options, which were not plentiful.
Disregarding her dignity and pride for what felt like the hundredth time in
the span of an hour, she turned away from Cade and let go of the dress she
had been clutching tightly to her chest. The dress fell to the floor, leaving
Kara in only a revealing black bra and black lace panties. She cursed herself
for wearing the seductive pair for Cade’s pleasure, assuming she would
have an opportunity to reveal them in a far more intimate setting than in
front of company in the dining hall.
“You may return to position,” Cade dismissed with barely a glance in her
direction. Undressing her wasn’t about gratification or exploitation, it was
about power.
Using her arms to cover what she could of her exposed body, Kara
stepped out of the dress and made her way around the table to her
designated place at Cade’s right side. She sank to her knees, grateful for the
first time that night that her place on the floor might put her below their
notice or attention. She tried to tell herself that she was no more exposed
than she might be on a beach in front of throngs of strangers, but Kara
couldn’t seem to mitigate the humiliation she felt as she knelt practically
naked at the disposal of two fully clothed men. Hot tears of shame slipped
down her cheeks before she brushed them away in irritation.
Kara sat in abject misery as Cade and Finnian continued their discourse,
oblivious to her discomfort. Eventually, misery turned to anger. After a
time, anger fizzled into emotional indifference. No longer being
overwhelmed by emotions made way for the physical realization that she
was very cold, very hungry, and very tired. Kara wrapped her arms around
her chest for warmth and nestled her head in the curve of her shoulder,
allowing her eyes to close briefly as she waited to be released from the
purgatory of the evening.

A scrape of chairs against the floor startled Kara from her momentary
respite. Both men had risen from the table, apparently making their way to
Cade’s study to continue their discussion. Finnian headed for the doors, but
Cade remained in the dining room to address unfinished business. “I’ll be
there in a moment, Finn,” Cade called to his friend.
Finnian’s gaze lingered on Kara, his expression unreadable though
hinting at mischief, before turning from the room.
Kara waited in place expectantly, more than ready to be free of the
evening’s excruciating torture. Cade stood above her, but Kara kept her
eyes on the marble floor, avoiding his gaze with a sulkiness that
masqueraded, perhaps unbelievably, as subservience. Cade caught her chin
between his thumb and forefinger and gently forced her to look at him. His
eyes were warm and alit with something that very much resembled
adoration; Kara felt her irritation soften slightly in spite of herself.
 “Don’t move from this spot,” he commanded with a wicked smile before
turning to follow Finnian out of the room.
Any momentary feelings of congeniality toward Cade evaporated as Kara
found herself kneeling on the cold, hard floor. Alone. The minutes ticked by
slowly. Literally. The large, faceless clock mounted to one of the walls
obliterated the tranquil silence of the empty room, its shifting gears
sounding with a rhythmic auditory assault that tallied every second of
torment suffered. Cade knew exactly what he was doing when he allowed
her to escape the belt that afternoon. He no doubt relished the challenge of
contriving punishments not nearly as forthright and quickly concluded as a
whipping. Instead, Kara had been subjected to prolonged torture, one borne
of her own obedience to Cade’s commands. Something about her willing
participation in his punishment made the humiliation and discomfort sting a
bit more. Next time, she would forego the negotiations and simply submit
to the fucking beating. Which, now that she considered it, might have been
his exact intentions behind the whole theatrical production. Forcing her to
her knees. Treating her like some sort of pet or slave. It was so over the top
so ridiculous so entirely Cade. He’d forced her into ready compliance
without having to lay a finger on her. He could fuck her body like a pro, but
he could fuck her mind like a goddamn rockstar.
Well, fuck him.
And that was exactly what she wouldn’t be doing ever again, not while
she was in possession of her life and her sanity. That bastard had seen the
last he was ever going to see of her pussy, so she hoped he enjoyed the view
while he had it. And while she appreciated the adequately skilled
appendage between his legs, the world was full of cocks not attached to
psycho egomaniacs. She’d get over the loss.
 Three thousand, six hundred excruciating ticks later, Kara found herself
still sitting bare-kneed on the cold floor. A fucking hour had passed, and
Cade still hadn’t come to dismiss her. Did he plan on leaving her there
kneeling all night? Her heart stuttered in panic at the thought. Minute by
minute, Kara’s resolve faltered. After another thirty passed, she was willing
to submit to anything Cade could possibly imagine if it would get her off
the fucking floor. Forget abstinence, she’d take his cock any way he gave it
if he did it on a bed and let her sleep afterward. Slowly, the incessant din of
the clock grew quieter, fading alongside consciousness as slumber struggled
to overwhelm her senses. Her eyelids grew heavy. Her head lolled. And, at
last, she slipped into sleep.

"KARA,” a soft voice called through the void, disrupting the peaceful
darkness.
“Hmm?” she answered half-awake, begrudging the interruption.
“Kara,” the voice called again, this time louder—clearer.
Suddenly, Kara recognized the voice invading her dreams. Anxiously, her
eyes flashed open to find Cade staring down at her, his expression
surprisingly gentle as he stroked his knuckles against her cheek. Kara
straightened her posture quickly, casting her eyes downward in submission.
She hadn’t meant to fall asleep before Cade returned, and she was afraid of
what further discipline she may have brought upon herself. Cade’s fingers
traveled slowly down Kara’s cheek, curving under chin and gently pressing
her head upward. His eyes found hers, and there was nothing threatening or
malicious in his gaze. Cade’s golden-green eyes were warm and indulgent,
having lost the sadistic glimmer he sported earlier in the evening. Kara
couldn’t help but melt beneath him, relieved to be dealing with the familiar
side of Cade that she actually enjoyed rather than the cold bastard she’d
been subjected to all night.
Cade couldn’t help but smile as he watched Kara soften before him.
Instinctively, Kara nuzzled into Cade’s arm as he continued to stroke her
beneath her chin, unencumbered by the thought that she was behaving like a
good little pet. After allowing her a moment of tenderness, Cade grasped
Kara’s jaw firmly and demanded her attention. “Have you learned your
lesson, love?” he asked sternly.
“Yes, sir,” Kara responded obediently without a moment of hesitation.
“Are you going to lie and behave recklessly again?” Cade questioned as
his grip on her jaw tightened slightly.
“No, sir,” Kara answered somberly, and she’d never spoken two words
with more sincerity.
“Good girl,” Cade crooned, chucking her under the chin. “Now, come
here.” Cade offered his hand to help Kara escape the uncomfortable
position she’d been holding for over two hours. Kara accepted his
assistance gratefully, rising shakily and stumbling as she struggled to stand
on numb feet. Without a second thought, Cade swept Kara off of her aching
feet and into his arms, holding her tightly against his chest.
“Thank you,” she whispered into his chest as she nuzzled against him,
allowing herself a momentary weakness for which she could berate herself
to her heart’s content in the morning. Typically, Kara would have protested
such a masculine gesture that left her feeling weak and helpless, but at the
moment she was willing to accept any gallantry that would enable her to
make it up the stairs and into her welcome bed without using her abused
appendages or her last stores of energy. Bidding adieu to her last remnants
of dignity, Kara snuggled into the warmth of Cade’s body, burying her
cheek into his chest and welcoming the rhythmic beat of his heart against
her.
“Are you tired, sweetheart?” Cade asked softly as he pressed his lips to
Kara’s hair and inhaled the sweet scent of her.
Kara merely nodded against his chest, too physically and mentally worn
to form the words of a response.
“Well then, let’s get you in bed.”
Kara hoped she was imagining the hidden meaning in his words, an
insinuation that promised more than sleep.

Cade placed Kara gently on the bed. Having already deprived her of half
her clothing downstairs, Cade stripped Kara of her knickers and unhooked
and removed her bra, his pace languid and savoring. Reverently devouring
the sight of her nakedness as though it wasn’t a view she afforded him on a
daily basis, Cade brushed his fingertips over the curves of her breasts,
claiming them as his own. “So beautiful,” he murmured to himself as
though the merits of her body still astounded him. Because they did. Kara
was, undeniably, the most tantalizing creature he’d ever entangled with, and
he had every aim to keep her. Leaving her on the bed, Cade vanished into
the adjoining bathroom.
“Don’t lay down yet,” he ordered with a raised voice from the other
room.
Obediently, Kara sat on the edge of the bed and tried not to close her
eyes. It was a difficult feat. Quickly, Cade returned from the bathroom with
a cloth in hand. A makeup wipe, Kara noted with surprise.
“Close your eyes,” Cade commanded gently, smoothing the cloth over
Kara’s features and starting to wipe her face clean.
Cade’s hands were skilled as though he’d taken care of a girl in this
capacity before. He probably had, Kara noted with a flicker of irritation.
“You did so well tonight, love,” Cade commended as he stroked the cloth
across her eyelids and removed the dark, heavy makeup.
“I-I did?” Kara stuttered in surprise, his words of praise catching her off
guard. She’d only suffered through a night of his torture—a punishment that
she’d earned—and not very graciously at that.
“You did. Such a good girl,” Cade answered, softly pressing a kiss against
each eyelid.
Kara didn’t respond, but his words warmed her straight to her core.
Embarrassingly, she felt the heat of arousal pooling between her clenched
thighs as Cade stroked her face and called her a good girl. God, the man
made her weak in every sense of the word.
“Lie down on your back,” Cade instructed as he went to dispose of the
cloth and retrieve something else from the bathroom.
Kara obeyed hesitantly, excitement rapidly overcoming her fatigue as
adrenaline coursed through her veins at the thought of what Cade might do
next. Fear and anticipation battled for dominance as Kara lay on her back
and stared at the ceiling, waiting for Cade’s return. After some minor clatter
and sounds of rummaging, Cade walked into Kara’s bedroom entirely
naked and holding a small bottle of oil. Kara shot Cade a dark look. There
was no fucking way she was doing that tonight.
“It’s not what you think,” Cade said with a laugh as he correctly
interpreted the source of Kara’s glare. “It’s massage oil.”
 “Oh,” Kara answered blandly, her face awash with relief. “You want a
massage?” She wasn’t exactly in the mood to be rubbing him down when
all she wanted to do was sleep, but she’d happily accept it as an alternative
to having anything shoved in her ass.
“No, the massage is for you,” Cade explained, sitting down on the bed,
reaching for one of Kara’s sore feet, and laying it across his thighs.
“Why are you taking care of me?” Kara asked with a suspicious raise of
her brow. “I thought I was being punished? Shouldn’t I be left to suffer the
consequences of my disobedience or something?”
“You’ve already been disciplined, Kara. I’m not going to continue
punishing you; I’m not a complete bastard. I told you before that aftercare
is an important part of the process,” Cade explained as he poured a small
amount of oil into his palm and warmed it between his hands.
“So really you get some sort of sick satisfaction out of breaking me just
so that you can put me back together?”
“I suppose that’s one way to look at it,” Cade answered with a grin,
unperturbed by her attempt to make him question or feel guilty about his
methods. He knew he was perverse, and he was completely unencumbered
by the knowledge. “Do you want the massage or not?”
Kara took a quick moment to weigh her pride versus the ache in her feet.
Her choice was simple. “Yes, please,” she pleaded, closing her eyes in bliss
with the first delicious stroke of Cade’s skilled thumbs across her heel.
Cade worked out the tension in her muscles dexterously, applying the
perfect amount of pressure to have Kara moaning in ecstasy. After tending
to her feet, Cade moved to her legs, deeply digging his palms into her
calves, balancing on the edge of pleasure and pain. Kara writhed beneath
him, the excruciating euphoria of his touch almost too much to bear. She
couldn’t withhold a whimper of desire as Cade’s hands stroked and kneaded
up her thighs and over her hips.
“Does that feel good, love?” Cade asked smugly, continuing to rub his
fingers along her hips as he bent to place a kiss on her inner thigh.
“Uh-huh,” Kara agreed breathlessly, her eyes closed in rapture as she
gave in to the sensations overwhelming her body.
“Spread your pussy for me,” Cade commanded softly, pressing another
kiss higher up on her thigh.
“What?” Kara asked, confused and half-lucid thanks to his tantalizing
attentions. A chastising slap landed directly on the sensitive spot between
Kara’s thighs, eliciting a sharp shriek of surprise as she moved a hand to
cover the tender, stinging flesh.
“I said: open your legs wide, spread apart your pussy lips, and let me see
that needy, wet cunt like a good little slut,” Cade ordered, each word even
and controlled as though he weren’t saying the dirtiest, most demoralizing
words Kara had ever heard spoken aloud.
And the worst part? She absolutely loved it.
Instant, liquid hot need overcoming any remnants of shame or self-
consciousness, Kara did as she was told. She raised her knees, bringing her
heels up toward her ass and opening her legs as wide as she could. Slowly,
she slid her hands down her stomach, her fingers trembling as they rested
against the throbbing mound between her thighs. She slipped her thumbs
between the folds of velvety flesh and parted them, revealing the most
private parts of herself for Cade’s hungry perusal. The act was so
deliciously deplorable that Kara already felt her arousal dripping from her
entrance and sliding down between her ass cheeks.
 “Goddamn, if that isn’t the loveliest sight I’ve ever seen,” Cade declared
as he devoured the view of Kara spread out before him, his eyes dark and
ravenous. “Makes me want to have a little taste.”
Kara squealed as she felt his hot mouth latch onto her, his tongue sliding
up from her entrance to her clit, swirling over the aching bundle of nerves
and sending shocks of electricity through her entire body. Kara arched into
his mouth, begging for more. Cade was more than willing to concede, his
tongue conquering as he thrust inside her, relishing the clench of her
muscles around him as she spasmed with need and arousal. Feeling her
body tense as her climax approached rapidly, Cade moved his mouth to her
clit, sucking the nub into his mouth as he replaced his tongue with his
fingers. He thrust two fingers deep inside her, relishing her uncensored
moans as they pierced the silence of the room.
“Are you close, baby?” Cade asked as his fingers slammed inside her
deeper, harder.
Kara could only nod breathlessly in response, her teeth digging into her
bottom lip in an effort to contain the unbecoming shriek of ecstasy that was
threatening to spill from her lips, torn from her body unwillingly with the
excruciating bliss of Cade’s fingers and mouth on her body.
“Come for me, Kara,” Cade growled in command, his words vibrating
against her clit before he took the nub into his mouth and sucked hard, his
teeth scraping against the delicate bundle of nerves as Kara writhed beneath
him in agony and pleasure.
Kara screamed as the orgasm exploded through her, wave upon wave of
pure pleasure rippling through her body as she spasmed around Cade’s
fingers still thrusting inside of her. She shuddered against his tongue as he
continued to lap at her pussy and wring every drop of ecstasy from her
sensitive clit.
When her orgasm subsided, Cade slid on top of her, straddling her thighs
as he swiped a thumb over his mouth to wipe his face clean of her lingering
arousal. Then he put his finger to his lips and sucked her juices off as
though they were the remnants of a delicious meal. “Such a good girl,
coming so prettily on my fingers,” Cade whispered in approval as he
stroked her swollen bottom lip. “Would you like to come on my cock now?”
Kara nodded eagerly, desperate to be filled with his cock and his cum as
he used her for his own release. Wasting little time, Cade lined himself with
her entrance and slammed his cock inside her, burying himself to the hilt in
a single, merciless thrust. Kara cried out as he stretched her tight, still
spasming pussy, forcing her to accept his entire length. Having Cade inside
her was equal parts torture and rapture, and she was desperate for more.
“You’re so tight, love. Can you take it?” he asked, thrusting into her
slowly. “Can you take all of me?”
“Yes,” Kara answered fervently, meeting his thrusts and willing him to
take her harder. “Fuck me. Make me come, please.”
“Since you beg so nicely,” Cade answered roughly, a dangerous glint in
his eye.
Abandoning all pretense of gentleness, Cade hammered into her with a
force that was near violent. Digging his fingers into her hips deep enough to
bruise, he dragged her down onto his cock, thrusting into her over and over
at a punishing pace. Needing to penetrate even deeper, desperate to be
further inside her than any man had ever been, Cade grabbed her ankle and
draped her leg over his shoulder. He continued his rhythmic assault of
thrusts before throwing Kara’s other leg over his shoulder and impaling her
so deeply she screamed.
“That’s it sweetheart, scream for me. I want to hear as my cock tears you
apart.” Cade slammed inside her over and over, feeling her body begin to
tense again with need. “Who owns this pussy?” he demanded, his voice
rough with arousal.
Kara didn’t respond, too overcome with the sensation of him moving
inside of her and another orgasm cresting. Cade commanded her attention
with a light slap of his palm against her cheek. Her gaze darted immediately
to his, her eyes wide in shock but not pain.
“Who does this pussy belong to, Kara?” Cade reiterated, punctuating each
word with a sharp thrust of his hips.
“You!” Kara almost screamed, her voice breathless and hoarse as her
orgasm hovered just out reach.
“Give it to me, baby,” Cade growled, all rhythm lost in his all-consuming
need to tear her climax from her body and lay claim to it like a conquest.
Left with nothing but primal instinct, he rammed into Kara frantically,
demanding her pleasure as much as he did her surrender. That time, she
came silently, her very breath stolen by the overpowering sensation of
complete, full-body ecstasy. Cade climaxed alongside her, shuddering as he
pumped inside her, filling her with his cum before pulling out and shooting
the rest of his release across her stomach in thick ribbons of white. Marking
her. Claiming her.
“You’re mine,” Cade said harshly, his voice thick with passion as he spent
the last of his orgasm and heaved breathlessly above her. “Say it.” He
nipped at Kara’s ankle, her legs still hiked over his shoulders.
 “I’m yours,” Kara agreed, her voice equally breathless as she basked in
the afterglow of her second orgasm.
And, to her utter bewilderment, she meant it.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER FIFTEEN

A crushing weight on her thighs and an urgent need to pee woke Kara
from her near coma. Cade’s leg was wrapped around her waist, his
arm thrown over chest and holding her close to his body. And Kara could
not move an inch beneath his weight, the predicament suffocating and
endearing at the same time. Who knew Caden Ashford was a cuddler?
Although, he probably just considered it using his body to keep her
imprisoned while he slept—for the sake of preserving his reputation as a
heartless bastard.
Kara struggled to displace Cade’s wayward appendages, her body
protesting as she used abused muscles. She felt as though she’d been torn
apart from the inside out. Her back, legs, and neck were stiff from enduring
her lengthy punishment on the floor. Her pussy felt tender and raw, her
womb ached as though it had been split open. Cade seemed hell bent on
fucking her into an early grave or dying while trying. Not that Kara minded;
she could think of worse ways to die.
Finally, Kara was able to dislodge Cade’s arm, enjoying a deep breath
from her liberated lungs. Moaning with the slight disruption of his sleep,
Cade turned over on his side and removed his leg from Kara’s waist. Free at
last, Kara stretched out on the bed, groaning as her body revolted at the
exercise.
Fuck, last night had been brutal, and that wasn’t even considering the
torture she endured before Cade had taken her to bed. Not that having her
pussy licked, finger fucked, and thoroughly filled by a British lord’s
magnificently formed cock was anywhere near torturous. Last night just felt
different—heavier, deeper, overwhelming in ways that weren’t entirely
physical. Cade gave her a lot last night, but he also took more than she felt
comfortable relinquishing. He demanded more than just her body. He
demanded her submission. And, for some baffling, logic-defying, earth-
shattering reason, she gave it.
In her sex-addled state, she had allowed Cade to claim ownership of her
body; she had begged and pleaded to come and to be fucked, and she told
him that her goddamn pussy belonged to him. A tsunami of embarrassment
washed over her, drowning her in her own humiliation. And honestly, she
might have preferred drowning to beholding Cade’s smug face when he
woke up next to the woman he purportedly owned.
I’m yours.
God, hearing those words, her words reverberating through her memory
made her want to reach over and smother Cade’s delectable face with a
fluffy pillow and be done with it. Technically, she was still his prisoner, so
she could chalk it up to self-defense, get off scot-free, and never have to
face the humiliating repercussions of whatever idiocy last night had been.
Truthfully, she was considering it.
With a loud sigh, Kara opted for breakfast rather than murder, sliding out
of bed carefully so as not to wake sleeping beauty. At least he would wake
up alone. The thought gave her a measure of satisfaction. Kara rifled
through the closet until she found a silk nightgown and matching robe. She
wasn’t sure why Cade had even bothered to purchase nightwear since the
only thing she seemed to have on her at night was him. She dressed quickly,
throwing on a pair of slippers to protect her feet from the cold, and snuck
out of the room.
The house was pleasantly empty as Kara made her way to the kitchen.
The guys were still working on a job, the details of which she was left
entirely uninformed. On that account, she supposed ignorance truly was
bliss. Surprisingly, she also found the kitchen abandoned. She was happy
Cade had actually given Mrs. Hughes a day off; she deserved it after having
to deal with his pampered ass for so long. Kara took a moment to appreciate
the peaceful tranquility of being entirely alone. For someone so accustomed
to solitude, that might have been her first moment unencumbered by
mandatory company or watchful eyes since Cade had taken her. Kidnapped
her, she reminded herself. How was it that damning transgression seemed
less and less atrocious the more time she spent in Cade’s presence?
Must be the magical qualities of his massive cock.
Refusing to focus on the alarming emotional attachments forming
between them, Kara reduced their relationship to simply a good, albeit
confusing, fuck and trudged to pantry in search of the ingredients for
pancakes. Because she needed the distraction of actually doing something
for herself for a change—something as simple as cooking breakfast—and
damnit, pancakes made everything better.
Kara was on her tiptoes, reaching for the flour at the top shelf of the
pantry, when something hit her hard from behind. There was barely a
moment to register the pain of the assault before the room started to shift
and blackness overtook her vision.
And then…nothing.

THE unmistakable vibration and jostle of being in a moving vehicle

slowly dragged Kara into unwelcome consciousness. Her head throbbed
like a bitch, and a coppery tang that she recognized as blood lingered in her
mouth. She felt disoriented, possibly concussed, as she tried to blink open
her eyes and gauge her surroundings. It was dim, the dark tint of the
windows blocking the sunlight and distorting the view of any passing cars.
Even if she tried to signal for help, no one would see. Trying to sit up, Kara
groaned as gravity further assaulted her already injured head. Looking
around, Kara noticed that she was, thankfully, alone in the backseat of what
was obviously a luxury car. There was a divider blocking her view of the
front seat, so Kara couldn’t see the driver. She gathered enough strength to
bang on the black screen, desperate to get through to whoever was on the
other side.
“Hey, asshole! Let me out!” Kara shouted angrily. There was only
silence, much as she expected. She tried the doors, but they were locked.
Again, no surprise there. She doubted her kidnappers would have gone
through the trouble to take her from the manor and then make escape a
viable option, but she would have felt stupid not trying something.
Seriously, she was a little over being taken hostage. Once was an honest
mistake of fate. Twice made her feel like she’d done something to piss fate
the fuck off.
Kara looked out the window for any clues of where they may be headed.
The scenery still looked like Illinois, but she wasn’t sure how long they’d
been driving. They could be in fucking Canada for all she knew. Had Cade
noticed she was missing, yet? Would he think she’d run away again? Would
he hate her, thinking she’d betrayed him after the meaningful night they
shared together? She was seriously deranged if she was worried about
hurting her captor’s feelings by inadvertently being kidnapped by another
fucking psycho. Apparently, Cade had fucked her up exquisitely, but she’d
think about the massive amounts of therapy she needed later. At that
moment, she needed a plan of escape.

She was dozing when she felt the car slow and then stop in front of large,
iron wrought gates. The ornate, gold inlaid flourishes of hand crafted metal
and the ostentatious R initial in the middle looked eerily familiar, but Kara
couldn’t place where she’d seen it before, her head still cloudy from being
bludgeoned. The gates opened automatically, ushering them in, and Kara
felt a little more panicked as she heard them screech to a close behind her.
The car traveled down a long, winding drive, surrounded by perfectly
manicured trees before coming upon a large, Colonial-style mansion that
definitely looked familiar. Her sense of foreboding grew as the car pulled
around to the spacious, multi-car garage and parked. Adrenaline thumped in
her blood as Kara waited for the only thing that could happen next: her door
opening. She was prepared when she finally heard the click of the locks
releasing, rearing back and kicking with all her might against the
unassuming assailant opening the car door.
“Fuck! Fucking bitch!” the man gasped in surprise, recovering himself
quickly and grabbing her ankle viciously before she could land another
blow. He twisted her ankle brutally, flipping her onto her stomach before
dragging her out of the car by her legs. Pinning her against the leather seats,
the man pulled her up by her hair and forced her against his body. “Stop
fucking fighting, or I’ll dose you again,” he ordered harshly, his spit landing
on her check as he spat out the words.
Swallowing her panic and revulsion, Kara stopped struggling, the threat
having its desired effect. Dose her again? Had she been drugged? That
would explain the mental haze, although her head injury definitely
contributed to that as well. Fucking hell, she was getting sick of being
drugged and kidnapped.
“Get going,” the stranger ordered, pushing her forward and causing her to
stumble slightly before regaining her balance.
“Where are we?” Kara couldn’t stop herself from asking, even though she
doubted she’d receive an answer.
“No questions,” the man barked out as he shoved her forward again.
Kara walked up some steps and exited through a door at the back of the
garage, the unknown man close behind. He pushed her down a well-lit hall
and then up toward a huge staircase that reminded her of the manor. Not
that the house was anything like Cade’s. Where Ashford Manor was all
dramatic hues, history and art, golden fixtures, and intentionally obnoxious
opulence, the mansion in which she was currently being held prisoner was
stark. Everything was bright and white, so much so that it hurt Kara’s eyes
to take it all in. At that moment, she missed Cade’s garish taste, even his
fucking chandeliers. In spite of everything, the manor had started to feel
like something more than a prison. And, as Kara looked around her, she had
a feeling she would fare far worse in the new prison.
The gruff, un-talkative man forced her down the hall on the upper level,
all the way to a room at the very end. Opening the door, the man thrust Kara
inside and shut the door without another word, locking her in. Kidnapped,
drugged, held hostage, and no escape in sight—it was all starting to feel
very familiar.
Resolved not to make things easier for anyone by being a good little
prisoner, Kara immediately scoured the room for a chance of escape. Upon
closer inspection, her situation was growing more grim by the moment. The
room was nearly bare. All furniture had been removed save for the large
bed in the middle of the room. Heavy drapes obscured windows that were
sealed shut, offering no way of escape. The adjoining bathroom housed the
bare necessities: a toilet, a large bathtub, and a sink with empty cupboards
underneath. There was nothing that could be fashioned into a weapon.
Nothing that could serve as any sort of protection or defense. Nothing that
could help her evade her entrapment. Kara could do nothing more than sit
in silence and wait for whatever dreadful fate loomed in the distance.

She wasn’t kept waiting long. A demanding knock sounded from the door,
disrupting Kara’s fixation on the textured patterns in the ceiling while she
sprawled out on the bed. Clearly, the knock was more a warning than a
courtesy as the door swung open with no admittance from her. Cautiously,
Kara rose from the bed to look at her kidnapper. Her brows rose in surprise
at the man haughtily filling the space of the doorway.
 Avery Reed.
Of course, that’s why the sprawling mansion felt familiar. She’d attended
an academic fundraising event held by Mr. Reed and his wife at their home.
Though she hadn’t been occupying an isolated bedroom clearly fitted for
suspicious purposes the last time she was there, Kara remembered seeing
the lower levels at the charity function. But why had he personally overseen
her abduction and captivity? He certainly didn’t seem like the type to soil
his own hands with such matters; that’s why he had hordes of money to buy
off criminals to do the dirty work for him. Criminals like Cade. The thought
gave her a chill.
Kara tried to summon what she had gleaned of the man’s character from
social events at the university. Avery Reed was intelligent—or at least well-
educated, as the two traits didn’t always go hand in hand—charismatic, and
a pleasant conversationalist. He was quite indulgent with his wife, a bit
overzealous with his alcohol, and incredibly wealthy. Though Kara didn’t
have an encyclopedia on the man, perhaps she had intuited enough
information to negotiate with him rationally. Hoping to appeal to the
congeniality she had experienced with him many times before, Kara
decided on an approach that was friendly and conversational, playing into
the farce that this was all just an unfortunate misunderstanding.
“Mr. Reed, this is a surprise,” Kara greeted with an ease she didn’t feel.
“Call me Avery, please,” he answered, all charm and good manners. “I
believe we have been acquainted quite long enough for the familiarity of
first names. I’ll extend you the same courtesy, Kara. I am slightly
disappointed that you didn’t recognize my estate when you arrived.”
“Oh, I definitely recognized your estate when we reached the gilded gates
emblazoned with your initials,” Kara retorted, voice dripping with sarcasm.
“I was merely surprised that a man of such prominence would involve
himself in criminal activities and kidnapping.”
“Desperate times call for desperate measures, I’m afraid,” Avery
responded without remorse. “It is not yet common knowledge, but my wife
of twelve years is endeavoring to divorce me.”
“My condolences to Mrs. Reed on having been married to you for so
long. I expect a rectification of that unhappy union was long overdue,” Kara
responded in contempt.
“Yes, well, it’s Mrs. Hall-Reed, actually. And I wouldn’t cast your pity
too quickly if I were you. As it happens, the Halls are endowed with more
money than God or even I.”
“I am pleasantly surprised you’re still able to make the distinction
between yourself and divinity. I’ve found that unbecoming amounts of
wealth and over-inflated egos addle the mind in that regard.”
Exhibit A: Caden fucking Ashford.
Avery fixed her with an unattractive glare before continuing his self-
indulgent tirade. “All that Hall money will certainly be put to good use
ensuring their prenup is upheld and the divorce lawyer is able to rob me of
everything I have. Thanks to the meticulous prying of my soon-to-be ex-
wife’s private investigator, the accusations of my alleged infidelity got a
whole lot more provable. Video footage of prostitute solicitation is not a
great look for me, as I’m sure the judge will agree.”
“I bet that’s not the sex-tape release you’d envisioned for yourself,” Kara
responded with a laugh. “Also, in addition to being distinctly
compromising, isn’t soliciting sex also illegal?”
“So my wife tells me. Whores really should come with a disclaimer,
‘abandon hope all ye who enter here,’” he proclaimed theatrically.
 “That is a tragic misuse of Dante,” Kara retorted disparagingly.
“Oh yes, I forgot I was keeping company with Dr. Caine, the great
defender of academia,” Avery said with an air of mockery.
“Trust me, you wouldn’t be the first to forget,” Kara responded, fond
remembrance stirring at the thought of another man who seemed all too
keen to dismiss her earned title because he knew it pissed her off.
Cade.
Kara hoped against hope that he had discovered her missing and would
somehow happen upon the correct source of her disappearance. Had
Avery’s men been sloppy and left some trace of her being taken? If not,
would Cade think she’d run away from him again? She had already broken
his trust once, so he wouldn’t be unjustified if he suspected her treachery.
The thought of experiencing Cade’s wrath was almost as terrifying as
whatever plans Avery had in store for her. Avery may intend to kill her, but
if Cade thought she had betrayed him, he would destroy her in more ways
than one.
“Well, Dr. Caine, perhaps you can enlighten me as to the location of my
esteemed collection of The Canterbury Tales?”
“I believe you mean the university’s esteemed collection of The
Canterbury Tales, as you were so generous as to donate it to our library, in
your wife’s name I might add. Adds a certain touch of irony to the whole
situation, don’t you think?”
“I could do with a little less irony in this situation, as it were,” Avery bit
back spitefully.
“Why do you even need them? You obviously have more than enough
money.”
 “I don’t believe you comprehend the direness of my predicament.
Everything you see around you isn’t solely mine; it is equity shared with
my bitch of a wife who is determined to take everything in a messy, public
divorce just because I screwed a few whores.” Avery began to pace the
room, his frustration starting to put cracks in his composed facade.
“Oh yes, poor little rich boy who can’t keep his cock in his pants,” Kara
taunted, earning her a hateful glare as Avery’s frantic movements stilled.
“I’ve been donating numerous historical items—across a vast range of
regions and institutions, of course—with the distinct intention of having
them all back in my possession in due time. My wife thinks I’m engaging in
a futile attempt to win her back—as you realized with the university’s
collection, all donations are made in her name—but really I’m establishing
a portable fortune that my wife will have no claim to once the divorce is
finalized. The pieces will discretely disappear over time, the talents of men
such as Caden Ashford allowing them to make their way into the hands of
collectors more than willing to pay a generous sum, and I will have some
capital to rebuild my life amid the ruins. The plan is infallible.”
“Apparently not,” Kara responded scathingly, finding the grand reveal of
his master plan a little underwhelming. All that scheming so that a
privileged man wouldn’t have to endure the full consequences of his sins.
Maybe the cheating bastard shouldn’t have been as quick to violate his
vows as he was to sign a prenup.
“Yes,” Avery said with a pause to consider the full extent of his failure. “I
must admit, I hadn’t expected a librarian to impede a simple operation that
had already proven to be successful. The Chaucer text was not the first to be
extracted; others have already been re-acquired. I must say, your
institution’s system is flawed if you are the only individual capable of
summoning a rare text. Whatever would happen if, heaven forbid, you were
to disappear indefinitely? All would be lost.”
“Of course we have taken the necessary precautions to maintain the safety
of the texts, but I don’t see the necessity of discussing backup procedure
with you.”
“Not to sound desperate, but I really must attain that book. A buyer has
already been selected, and I fear they grow restless with the delay. Perhaps I
would make more headway with your replacement on the occasion that the
department of rare books had a sudden vacancy,” Avery commented darkly,
watching as Kara carefully considered her response to the inferred threat.
“I’m afraid you’ll find most individuals of my profession possess a
certain inherent protectiveness regarding historically rare texts. And you
needn’t bother kidnapping yet another librarian as your donated edition of
The Canterbury Tales is no longer housed on university grounds.”
“What? Where is it?” Avery asked impatiently, panic flickering across his
face at the new information.
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Kara answered flippantly, inspecting her
nails as though she wasn’t bothered by his threats in the least.
“Perhaps your memory needs rousing,” he said dangerously as he stalked
toward where she sat primly on the bed.
“You may try, of course, though I doubt you’ll have any more progress on
that account than your predecessor. And he possesses more impressive
methods of persuasion than you could ever dream of having,” Kara taunted
suggestively with a pointed look at the space between Avery’s thighs. She
knew it was dangerous to toy with an already desperate man, but Kara
couldn’t help herself. It was one of the great flaws of her nature to lash out
when she was cornered and helpless.
 “I tried to handle this situation civilly, Dr. Caine,” Avery addressed
formally, his eyes turning hard and cold. “But you refuse to act reasonably.
Whatever happens next is on your conscience, not mine.” With those
ominous last words, Avery walked out of the room and locked the door
behind him.
Once again, Kara found herself enveloped in the silence of solitude.

Hours passed. Truthfully, whatever her captor had planned for her would be
far less agonizing than slowly waiting for it to happen. The delay was likely
just another layer of torture. And she thought Cade was the only man in her
life obsessed with punishment. Clearly, Avery was just as sadistic as he
was. “Get the fuck on with it!” Kara shouted into the emptiness of the
room, prepared for whatever Avery might throw at her if only it would end
the mind-numbing purgatory of waiting.
Pointlessly, she threw her fists into the door, relishing the way the loud
bang ungraciously disrupted the silence and the sharpness that flooded her
nerves when her flesh met with the wood. Kara continued her assault on the
unrelenting door, throwing her whole body into the barrier to her freedom.
She slammed herself into the door until her shoulder burned, protesting the
useless violence. Stepping back, Kara heard the unmistakable sound of
footsteps descending toward her room. Finally, Avery would put her out of
her misery. Kara stood dispassionate and resolved as she eyed the door
expectantly, a key rattling as someone unlocked the door. There was no
knock this time, signaling the time for pleasantries at an end. Swiftly, the
door swung open, announcing Kara’s doom.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

A T the sight of the dark figure looming in the doorway, Kara had to
resist the urge to lean over and spill the sparse contents of her stomach
onto the floor. She’d spent the better part of the day in hell, but now she
beheld the devil himself.
Jace.
The room echoed with a dark laugh as Jace devoured the horror in her
eyes. “Not who you were expecting, sweetheart? Pleasant surprise, I hope,”
he taunted cruelly.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Kara asked angrily once her initial
surprise waned and she regained her ability to speak.
“Come now Kara, I thought you were supposed to be intelligent. What do
you think I’m doing here?”
 “It was you,” Kara gasped as realization dawned.
The sickeningly familiar scent of cologne that she couldn’t quite place—
it had been him. Jace was the one who had knocked her out and taken her
from the manor. And it made sense, really. How else would an intruder have
made it past Cade’s heavy security without any warning? Because the
intruder wasn’t an intruder; he was a resident. But Jace was Cade’s closest
companion and business partner. What reason would he have to cross Cade?
“Why? Why betray Cade to align yourself with an incompetent bastard like
Avery? What’s in it for you?”
“Quite simply—you. You, Kara, are the answer to all of your questions.”
Kara stared at him quizzically, the sense of his riddling answer eluding
her.
“Again, your powers of deduction disappoint, Dr. Caine. Must I spell it
out for you?”
“Please,” Kara requested through gritted teeth, irritated to be so invested
in his explanation.
“Oh, I do like it when you beg,” Jace acquiesced, a cruel smile spreading
across his face as he inched closer to her. “You are the reason I left Cade. I
could no longer stomach his weakness concerning you. He was willing to
jeopardize our business, our clients, our livelihood just so he could fuck
around with a high-strung bitch with more morality than common sense.”
Jace stalked toward her slowly, a barely concealed threat of danger hidden
within the predatory movement.
Warily, Kara retreated until she felt the bed brush against the back of her
legs.
Shit.
 Left with little alternative in the enclosed room, Kara jolted away from
the bed as Jace’s approach pressed her toward the corner of the room. A
soft thud emanated as her back collided with the far wall, announcing that
she had run out of room to hide. Jace drew nearer, closing the space
between them until he hovered above her, the searing warmth of his body
assaulting hers. His light blue eyes smoldered with passion, though whether
it was based in violence or lust or greed she couldn’t ascertain. Kara stood
frozen, unnaturally deprived of the ability to fight or flee, as Jace’s hand
shot out, his fingers entangling themselves in her hair. He tugged sharply,
forcing her head up to look at him. Unable to disobey the unspoken
command, Kara met his gaze with all of the hatred and loathing and
revulsion that had begun to boil within her. Jace merely laughed at her
disdain, amused that someone so weak and inconsequential could even
presume to feel powerful in their emotions.
Very soon, he would instruct her on just how powerless she was, and he
would immensely enjoy putting the bitch in her place. “As for your last
question,” Jace continued, bending low till his lips brushed against her ear.
“You are what’s in it for me. You are my reward for helping Avery.” Jace
waited for his words to sink in, enjoying the delicious scent of fear seeping
from her pores as she began to realize how he would be claiming his
reward. “I am going to fuck you until everyone in this fucking house can
hear you scream, and no one will do a damn thing to stop me. This time,
Ashford won’t be here to interrupt. This time, you’re mine,” Jace threatened
in a tone of violence that masqueraded as seduction, his teeth grazing her
earlobe.
In equal parts rage and terror, Kara slapped Jace as hard as she could and
attempted to make a run for the door. She only made it a few feet before
Jace jerked her back toward him, his face the very picture of rage, as he
viciously pulled on her hair as though it were a leash tethering her to him.
His fingers twisted brutally at her scalp, punishing her for the red imprint of
her hand that marred his bristled cheek.
“You’ll regret that, bitch,” Jace hissed.
“Whatever regrets I may have in my life, I can safely say, hitting a
bastard like you will never be one of them.”
Cruel fingers wrapped around Kara’s throat, pressing dangerously tight as
she felt herself being forced backward. She staggered back awkwardly,
Jace’s unforgiving hold on her neck the only thing that kept her upright.
When the backs of her knees hit the bed, Jace lowered his hands to her hips,
his thumbs digging into her tender skin bruisingly. In one swift move, Jace
lifted Kara and threw her unceremoniously onto the plush, white bed.
Kara gasped in panic, trying to drag herself away, desperate to escape
Jace and whatever hateful fate awaited her amid the stark white sheets of a
stranger’s bed. Jace grabbed her ankle and flipped her onto her stomach.
There was a muffled screech of terror as Jace rolled on top of her, crushing
her beneath his full weight and effectively smothering her within the stifling
fullness of the duvet. Kara kicked uselessly beneath him, unable to throw
him from his position on top of her. Her lungs begged for air.
“If you stop struggling, I’ll allow you to breathe,” Jace negotiated calmly
as though he were the level headed one between the two of them.
Fucking bastard. Heavy as fuck, fucking bastard.
Try as she might, Kara couldn’t seem to override her body’s instinctual
need to resist suffocation. Her body warred against her mind for survival.
She knew giving in would save her, she screamed at her limbs to stop
fighting, but they couldn’t welcome Jace’s assault peacefully. Gradually,
numbness spread, a blanketing darkness that felt different from the
blackness evoked by having her eyes covered. Then, there was nothing.

Kara awoke to a sharp stinginess in her cheek, her lungs hungrily devouring
the precious oxygen they had been denied. Jace hovered above her, his
knees tightly encasing her hips, his hand raised should she require another
slap to rouse her. She bucked beneath him, trying to dismount him from her
body, but he held firm, knees digging into the nearly naked flesh of her hips
painfully.
“Get the fuck off of me!” Kara screamed in frustration.
“Come now, Kara. Didn’t you learn your lesson earlier? Do not fight me,”
Jace scolded.
Kara screamed. Not for help. Not for mercy. Not out of fear. But out of a
completely overwhelming, mind shattering, soul fracturing sense of futility.
“Save your breath, sweetheart. I haven’t given you a reason to scream.
Yet,” Jace cautioned darkly.
Slowly, the will to fight for her freedom faded, replaced by the bleak
acceptance that she was at the mercy of whatever destruction Jace intended.
Kara stopped fighting, relaxing into the softness of the bed as it welcomed
her surrender with open arms. A noxious glint of satisfaction filled Jace’s
eyes as he felt Kara submit beneath him. Warm hands seared her skin as
they traveled down the length of her body, assessing every curve with
lascivious scrutiny. Jace relished the foreplay of heightening fear before an
act of violence. With Kara in particular, he was more than happy to savor
the buildup. He had waited weeks for that moment, and he had every
intention of enjoying himself to the fullest extent.
 “We enjoyed a night like this once before, didn’t we Kara?” Jace
reminisced fondly, the venomous words as sweet as honey on his lips.
“Ashford had no right to stop me from claiming what was rightfully mine,”
Jace continued, traces of unresolved anger in his voice.
His hands moved to the top of her nightgown, tracing his finger along the
low cut neckline but not dipping below. Kara held her breath, bracing
herself for violence, but it didn’t come. Jace ran his knuckles down her
neck, across her collar bones, and over the exposure of her chest, as light as
any caress Cade had offered. The gentleness surprised Kara, leaving her
more uneasy than any of Jace’s characteristic roughness might have.
“I saw you first, you know, so small and helpless as you carried a stack of
books almost the size of yourself. I told Ashford, when the time came, you
wouldn’t give us any trouble. You took me by surprise, Kara. Such
determination. No fear,” he said, sounding almost reverent, as he slipped his
hand slightly beneath the top of her nightgown.
Kara shivered in dread.
“Then the boss in all his gallantry stormed in before I had a chance to
crack the dauntless exterior and compel your surrender. But I bided my
time, waited for you to come to me willingly, and you did.”
Kara shut her eyes tighter against the haunting memory of her naivety as
she felt Jace’s hand slide further down her nightgown.
“And there Ashford was again, stealing you from beneath me where you
belong. That night, he took you for himself didn’t he?”
Kara made no move to answer or look at Jace, but he could read the truth
on her face. Though they had not been intimate that first night, she had
shared Cade’s bed. It had been the contrast of Cade’s protection and
empathy to Jace’s violence that had opened Kara to the prospect of falling
for him. Whether or not Kara had been aware of it before the moment of
Jace’s question, she knew that the night Cade had saved her was the night
that he had taken her heart as well.
“He must not have been man enough to keep you because you ran not
long after. And who came after you and escorted your return to the manor?
Him? No, he had more important things to do. I knew you well enough to
guess where you’d gone, and I was the one who brought you back. He
didn’t take your escape very well did he?”
Kara blushed at the memory. Though she cared for Cade deeply, he had
his own collection of flaws. His affinity for corporal punishment made the
top of the list, right beneath criminal entrepreneurship and kidnapping. She
had to admit, it was a rather daunting combination of vices.
“You see, Ashford likes his companions kept in line. Docile creatures
ready to do his bidding. Unlike him, I prefer my women with a little more
fight,” Jace said as he cupped her breast beneath the thin silk of her dress.
Tightly shut lids startled open as the indecent caress awoke the fighter
slumbering beneath the surface of Kara’s detached existence. She pulled
away sharply from Jace’s touch, no longer resigned to stoically suffer his
advances. Kara was offered a gratified smile in return as Jace grabbed her
and continued groping beneath her clothes.
“There’s my girl,” he commended proudly, his voice husky with arousal
as she fought against him. “I was afraid Ashford had extinguished that fight
I was so drawn to from the moment we met. Glad to see the fire can still be
roused.”
Struggling against him as fiercely as she could, Kara got in a few good
blows that were more nail than strength before Jace climbed on top of her
and straddled her hips, the weight of his body rendering her immobile. She
struggled to keep tears of frustration at bay as Jace took hold of both her
wrists, holding her down as he bent low to take his fill of her mouth. Unable
to pull away or resist, her protests were smothered beneath the vile kiss that
nauseated her every sense.
“That’s it baby, make me work for it,” he said when he finally freed her
lips, feeling the rush of adrenaline as her struggling made the conquest all
the sweeter.
Kara aimed for his face as she spat the taste of him from her mouth in
disgust. Jace seemed to relish her hatred as he calmly wiped her saliva from
his face before administering a punishing backhanded blow to her right
cheek. Kara gasped in pain and shock, turning her reddened cheek into the
pillow and willing herself not to give Jace the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
Jace grasped her jaw in one hand and turned her to face him.
“Do you like it rough, Kara? Is that why you like to provoke people who
hold all the power over you? Because you enjoy feeling the brunt of their
anger?”
With a glare of animosity, Kara kept silent, though she knew there was
some truth to his words. That was not the first time that she had found a
sense of power in acting out when she felt powerless, regardless of the
consequences, and she prayed it would not be the last. Kara searched the
depths of her being to find some minuscule semblance of submission that
might save her from inciting Jace’s anger to the point of destruction. But as
she met the arrogance of his challenging gaze, she felt any pretense of
subservience vanish as a wave of resolute defiance took its place.
“I will take that as a yes. Now, would you care to see if your initial
assessment of my kinks was correct? See, I am able to fuck just fine without
tying up girls and beating them, but it makes it a hell of a lot more fun when
I do,” Jace stated threateningly as he momentarily released Kara’s arms and
grasped the top of her nightgown.
In one swift move, he ripped the dress all the way down the middle, fully
exposing the nakedness of Kara’s body beneath. As she struggled to
conceal her most intimate areas, Jace ripped a strip from the nightdress,
caught one of Kara’s arms, tied the cloth tightly around her wrist, and
knotted the ends around one of the bedposts. Quickly, Jace ripped another
piece from her dress and subjected her other wrist to the same treatment.
Kara found herself naked, restrained, and stretched to the point of
discomfort beneath Jace, completely at the mercy of the man’s twisted
desires. She had never in her life felt quite so powerless, and the
vulnerability she felt in that moment was like a crushing weight.
With his task half complete, Jace removed himself momentarily to admire
the full view of his work. He wasn’t sure if he had seen anything quite so
enticing as Kara—naked, tied, teary-eyed, mere moments from breaking
beneath his will. Yes, she was a gorgeous sight to behold. And at that
moment, she was all his. “Just like when we first met,” Jace said in a tone
that bore a resemblance to nostalgia, stroking the makeshift bonds holding
her wrists high above her head. How many times had he imagined ripping
off her dress and tying her up like he had when he interrogated her in that
basement before Caden fucking Ashford saved the day? He’d never kept
count, but it could safely be considered a fair amount. Lost to his own
fantasies, Jace trailed eager fingers along Kara’s thigh, inching his way
higher.
Pleased that her legs had full functionality even if her hands did not, Kara
waited for the opportune moment to make use of the last weapon at her
disposal. As Jace’s invasive exploration met with the apex of Kara’s thighs,
her foot made forceful contact with the delicate, organ-housing region of his
abdomen.
“Fucking bitch!” Jace swore in surprise as he clutched his aching
stomach.
Taking advantage of his distraction, Kara attempted to land a second kick.
Prepared for her offensive strike, he caught her foot in the air before it
reached her intended target. In retribution, Jace held her with a punishing
grip that felt as though it crushed bone, lowered his mouth to Kara’s ankle,
and bit deeply. Her resistance temporarily subdued, Kara cried out at the
shock of pain radiating from the tender curve of her ankle. Jace grabbed
what was left of Kara’s gown and tore two more strips of silk as she
struggled beneath him. Grasping her ankle tightly, he pulled her leg toward
the edge of the bed and latched her to the bottom post.
Taking his time as he walked around to the other side of the bed, Jace
appreciated her helplessness with cruel satisfaction. She panicked when he
mounted the bed and reached for her other ankle, fighting against him like a
trapped animal. In spite of her final attempt to delay the inevitable, Jace
captured her foot easily, digging his fingers into her heel as he spread her
open as wide as possible before tying her to the bedpost. Crawling toward
her, Jace knelt between Kara’s thighs, reached for her panties, and
impatiently ripped off the last, thin piece of protection that kept her from
full exposure under his salacious gaze.
Kara felt the hot tears of fury, frustration, and futility roll down her
cheeks as she stared at the despicable man forcefully situated between her
legs with a loathing that was immeasurable. Even if she spent every breath
of the rest of her life cursing him, she knew the expression of her hatred
would never be satisfied.
 Evaluating her restraints, nakedness, and tears, Jace determined that he
was sufficiently satisfied to proceed to the main event. Kara grunted
beneath the crushing weight of him as he mounted her, jean sheathed legs
straddling her bare hips. He rather enjoyed the view of Kara trembling
beneath him like a timid virgin; he would take it slow with her and savor
the experience. She flinched from his touch as he stroked his finger along
her jaw, instinctively keeping her eyes downcast as though she could ignore
his advances if she didn’t see them. A stinging slap to her left cheek drew
her shocked attention once again.
“Look at me,” Jace commanded. “I want you to be fully aware of who is
fucking you.”
Kara met Jace’s gaze with a look of determined opposition and watched
as he resolved to deprive her of her last remnants of stubborn pride. Strong,
bruising hands moved to Kara’s upper arms, still suspended from each
bedpost, and found the most tender point of exposed flesh. Jace’s grip
tightened cruelly. Kara let out a whimper of pained protest, but did not avert
her gaze.
“I am going to mark you, Kara.” Jace moved his mouth to her shoulder
and bit down, hard. “I want you to see my handiwork on your body when
you look in the mirror.” He marked her other shoulder with the deep imprint
of his teeth. Kara bucked beneath him, longing to escape the torture. “I will
brand you—body, mind, and soul.”
Jace took to her bare breasts and dealt each a punishing blow. Kara let out
a sharp gasp. Jace moved his hands lower to Kara’s hips and dug his fingers
into the hallows. Kara looked upward to avoid spilling the traitorous tears
that had begun to pool. The break of eye contact drew another reprimanding
blow to her already stinging cheek. Jace grabbed her jaw violently and
captured Kara’s gaze once again. “When I finally deliver you to Cade, I
want him to know every place I touched you.” Jace clawed his way down
her inner thigh. “Used you.” He marred the other thigh with the mark of his
teeth. “Fucked you.” And, as if to emphasize his meaning, Jace lowered his
jeans and boxers and entered her suddenly with all the force of his body.
Kara cried out in protest, but could do nothing more than lie prostrate
beneath his weight. She looked at Jace through shimmering eyes of
unadulterated hate as he maintained a steady onslaught of thrusts. Jace
lowered his lips to hers and delivered what resembled more of a punishing
assault than a kiss. Vengeful lips crushed her own, his tongue claimed her
mouth as unwilling territory, and his teeth drew blood from her bottom lip.
Kara’s teeth found their own easy target and bit down on his unwelcome
tongue as hard as she could.
Jace gasped in shock and rage as he wiped the stain of red from his lips
and wrapped a firm hand around Kara’s neck in retaliation. His thumb
pressured her windpipe until she was at the brink of passing out. Kara
looked into Jace’s eyes and dared him to press harder. She’d rather he
amused himself with her unconscious body than be aware and awake for the
festivities. Jace understood her longing for oblivion and cruelly kept her
just at the edge of pain without tipping over into unconsciousness. His pace
quickened as he continued his assault, pounding into her weakened body
eagerly. Finally his release neared, and he lowered his mouth to her breast,
biting with a violent force equal to his punishing thrusts as he finished
inside her. Kara cringed inwardly as she felt his essence fill and merge with
her body. She didn’t know if she would ever be free of his scent on her
body. Even if she peeled flesh from bone, Kara felt her spirit would always
bear the dark mark of Jace, like he possessed a piece of her soul.
 Finally finished with his task, Jace removed his body from hers, cleaned
himself on the sheets of the bed, and walked out of the room without
another word, shutting the door behind him. Kara tugged hopelessly on the
restraints Jace hadn’t bothered to remove, finally giving in to exhaustion
after a few minutes of struggling. She liberated the desolation that had taken
root in her core and allowed it to consume her. Kara wept away her endless
grief until her body had no more tears to give and then slipped into the
welcoming oblivion of sleep.

Kara startled into consciousness with the sound of fabric tearing and the
sickening scent of cologne. Jace hovered above her, his hands on her wrists
as he freed them from his makeshift restraints. Wishing she had the strength
to pull away from Jace’s touch, Kara trembled beneath him, fearful that he
was merely giving her the false hope of freedom before continuing his
assault. Without a word, Jace dropped her abused wrists on the bed,
removed himself from his position on top of her, and moved to her ankles.
Free at last, Kara attempted to rub the life back into her deathly cold hands,
watching disinterestedly as crimson rings blossomed on her wrists in the
wake of the tight ties. The marks were merely another memento of her night
spent in hell.
As soon as her ankles were unfastened, Kara closed her legs and drew
them up toward her chest, her aching muscles protesting the swift change of
position. Kara’s eyes filled with tears of relief as she relished the first
chance she’d had at comfort or privacy in countless hours. Jace watched her
stoically, making no move to touch her or talk to her. Slowly, Jace’s hands
drifted to the front of his shirt, unfastening the buttons one at a time as he
kept his eyes locked on her. Cowering with dread, Kara wrapped her arms
tighter around her knees, rocking slightly back and forth in an attempt to
calm her nerves as she watched Jace undress. She flinched as Jace walked
toward her, his chest and abdomen bare and the top of his boxers visible
from the low rise of his jeans. Keeping a slight distance, Jace stopped in
front of her and offered his shirt with an outstretched hand.
“Here,” he said coldly, the harshness of his tone eliminating any gallantry
that his actions might have portrayed.
Kara looked at the proffered article of clothing and shook her head, not
trusting herself to say anything to Jace without sobbing after what he’d
done to her. No matter how cold she was, there was no fucking way she was
wearing his shirt.
“I suggest you swallow your pride and take it, sweetheart,” Jace retorted
cruelly. “Unless you want to walk out of here completely naked. Trust me,
you’ll get no complaints from me. And I’m sure Avery’s men wouldn’t
mind a nice show either. The choice is entirely yours.”
Jolting with equal parts horror and hope at the announcement that she was
being released from the room, Kara summoned her strength, sat up, and
reached for Jace’s shirt, being very careful not to touch him in the process.
She cringed as the material made contact with her skin, still warm from
Jace’s body. The lingering smell of his essence and cologne on the pale blue
fabric made her want to wretch as she held the shirt in front of her to shield
her body from Jace’s gaze.
“We’re leaving. You have five minutes to be ready,” Jace ordered before
walking out of the room and locking the door behind him.
Jace’s shirt still clutched tightly to her chest, Kara exhaled shakily. They
were leaving. Perhaps, she still had a chance at freedom. The hopeful
thought granted her enough motivation to pull herself from the bed and
head for the adjoining bathroom she hadn’t had the privilege of using in god
knows how many hours.
Five minutes.
She used her few minutes of freedom to attempt to gather the shattered
pieces of her soul and rearrange them in such a way that she would be able
to survive whatever trials came next. Swallowing her revulsion, Kara
slipped into Jace’s shirt, thankful to at least have some form of covering.
She had no undergarments, but the shirt was long enough to cover her mid
thighs and provide some level of modesty. The sleeves were far too large,
so Kara rolled them until they hung at her wrists. Though she had no
underwear or shoes and was dressed in merely a shirt, Kara exited the
bathroom feeling a little more human. She’d avoided the mirror entirely;
she had no desire to see Jace’s handiwork reflected back at her. In fact, she
wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to stomach looking at herself again.
Far too quickly, the door opened again revealing Jace dressed in a new shirt,
jacket, overcoat, scarf, and boots. If Kara wasn’t already feeling
underdressed to be venturing out into the winter weather, she definitely was
at that moment.
Jace eyed Kara appraisingly, taking a keen satisfaction in seeing her
dressed only in his shirt, knowing Cade would be forced to smell himself on
her. His marks were all over her body, his shirt doing very little to cover the
bruises and bite marks. Jace’s cock hardened at thought of the agony Cade
would feel in discovering each and every one. The bastard would be able to
see every place he touched his little whore. Every spot he used her and hurt
her. Jace only wished he could keep her longer and fuck her more before
disposing of her, but he had to stick to the plan.
 There was no way Cade would risk Kara’s safety again. He would know
Kara would never be free from danger unless the book was in Avery’s
possession. Kara was more than willing to sacrifice herself for the stupid
fucking book, but Cade absolutely would not allow that to happen, not with
how far gone he was for the bitch. So they’d borrowed Kara, briefly, to give
Cade a little taste of what would happen if he didn’t cooperate and get the
librarian to hand over Avery’s book. After delivering his girlfriend in her
current state, Jace had little doubt of Cade’s assistance in acquiring the text.
Avery would get the book. Jace would get the commission. And Cade
would get to keep his slut in one piece. Win-win for everyone without a bit
of bloodshed. Of course, the violence was the fun part, but their plan was
one of convenience not amusement. As long as he got the money, Jace was
happy.
“We are going on a little trip, sweetheart. Time to pay the boss a visit,” he
announced darkly.
Kara blanched. Though Cade was the one person in the world she longed
to see, the thought of him seeing her in that state had the chilling effect of
ice in her veins. Jace looked at her with sadistic glee, and Kara remembered
that Cade was the exact audience for which her body had been destroyed.
Jace may have used her for his pleasure, but the marks he had ensured
would remain afterward like a receipt for services rendered were
specifically for Cade’s perusal.
“The car is waiting outside.” He took a moment to admire the view, and
Kara wrapped the shirt around her body even tighter, hoping to conceal as
much as inadequately possible. Jace noticed her tension and endeavored to
increase it, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, pressing his body
against hers, and very physically escorting her from the room down to
where the garage was housed.
“Is the manhandling really necessary? I am perfectly capable of walking
to the car without your assistance,” Kara complained, trying to escape
Jace’s hold.
His forceful embrace tightened as he lowered his head to hers, his breath
chilling her heart as it warmed her skin. “Where is the fun in that,
sweetheart? And we need to be keeping up appearances. Can’t have the
hostage escorting herself to the getaway car, now can we?”
Kara scowled but said nothing as Jace continued to physically push her
toward their destination. Avery Reed’s estate was nearly as grand as Cade’s,
and they walked for some time. Finally, Jace stopped in front of a door in
the middle of the hall and a large garage full of black vehicles of various
sizes awaited on the other side. Leading her down the stairs, Jace pulled
Kara to an SUV with the headlights already on and ready to go. As a driver
was being utilized, Kara assumed Jace would be keeping her company in
the back.
Lovely.
“Ladies first,” he said as he opened the side door and ushered her in.
Kara took a steadying breath and stepped up into the car, sliding as far to
the other side as she could. After signaling the driver on, Jace entered
behind her and shut the door. Kara looked around the car and was both
revolted and relieved to find herself alone with Jace. “Was Mr. Reed not
interested in seeing his endeavor come to fruition?” she asked warily,
cautious of Avery’s absence.
“Were you disappointed not to have received a farewell from my client? I
believe he thought it best not to implicate himself further in the situation.”
 “He didn’t seem to have any trouble implicating himself last night,” Kara
couldn’t resist retorting with tart sarcasm.
Jace laughed with tainted amusement as he stroked the bruises on her
neck, then his fingers trailed suggestively lower to the button of the shirt
over her chest. “Care for round two?” he asked as a single finger slipped
beneath the thin material and found the mark he left on her upper breast.
Kara shivered, her fear palpable. Jace relished her terror; he inhaled the
scent of it hungrily as if he could feed on it. To savor that feeling, he
claimed her mouth in a kiss that was neither passion nor violence, just a
final expression of power and control. Kara sat frozen to the point of empty
surrender until at last Jace withdrew his lips.
“Lucky for you, I don’t enjoy having an audience,” he said, gesturing to
the driver ahead. “I’ll have to save it for next time.” Her safety momentarily
assured, Kara relaxed slightly in her seat and observed from the window as
the barren trees of winter passed in a blur.

Kara had no account of the time elapsed, but she eventually found herself in
familiar territory. They would be nearing Ashford Manor soon. The cold
silence of the car was filled with the incessant patter of water droplets upon
the roof and windows as a sudden rain covered the outside world in a
blanket of bleakness. Kara wrapped the thin material of Jace’s shirt tighter
around her chest, but it aided little against the internal chill that threatened
to consume her. Finally, Kara saw the welcome gates of Cade’s estate come
into view, and a thankful sigh escaped her lips. She was home.
The driver pulled up to the speaker at the gates, and Jace lowered the
window to announce their arrival. “Special delivery for Caden Ashford.”
 Kara didn’t hear the response coming from the intercom, but the gates
began to open.
Jace leaned over Kara, too close for comfort, and opened her door. “Out
you go, sweetheart,” he said nastily, beckoning her into the mist of rain that
waited outside the car.
Kara looked at him incredulously. The distance from the gates to the
actual house was quite vast, and she was keenly aware of having no proper
clothes or shoes. “Forcing me to risk pneumonia on top of your other
offenses is a little passive aggressive, don’t you think?”
“I think you’ll survive. And I have no intention of being within shooting
distance when Ashford discovers how you were entertained in his absence.”
Kara shot him a dark look in response to his cavalier attitude regarding
the atrocities she’d endured at his hands. “Fine,” she said sullenly as she
headed for the exit and braced herself for the chilly downpour.
“Until next time, Kara,” he said threateningly, shutting the door behind
her. Kara watched as the car drove off, afraid to turn away until it was
finally out of sight, and then proceeded down the muddy trail toward
sanctuary. Finally alone with her thoughts, Kara surrendered to self pity and
felt warm tears mingle with the rain.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

A T last, the beacons of Ashford Manor illuminated through the misty

haze, a specter of a man adorning the entry steps. Cade. The darkened
figure, having caught sight of Kara on the road, hastened down the steps
and ran the remaining distance to her side without a care for the mud or
rain. Kara found herself engulfed in a strong embrace, the warmth and
security of which had never been equaled until that moment. Kara inhaled
the crisp and refreshing scent of the man whom, twenty-four hours earlier,
she had feared she may never see again.
Cade’s embrace was pure bliss, until Kara’s nerve endings at last awoke
and screamed for a reprieve from the crushing grasp. Unwillingly, she
groaned in discomfort. The sound broke the spell of happiness that had been
prematurely cast. Cade stiffened, pushing Kara away from the warmth of
his body as his countenance morphed from relief into something that very
much resembled fury. But why on earth would he be angry at her?
“Where in the fucking hell have you been?” Cade thundered at her
furiously, his gladness at her return overwhelmed by the reminder that she
had left without a single goddamn word.
Kara looked at Cade in astonishment, the vitriol in his words crushing the
sense of joy and safety she’d felt at seeing him come running down the
drive like a beacon of salvation. Her eyes brimmed with the unwelcome
sting of tears at the accusation in his words and the furious glimmer in his
eyes, but she took a shuddering breath and stood tall beneath the hurtful
iciness of his glare. “I-I can explain,” Kara answered shakily, longing for
Cade to know the true reason for her disappearance, but also dreading the
thought of having to speak her torture with Jace into being. To reopen the
scars now painfully etched into her mind and body.
“Oh really?” Cade scoffed, a sharp bitterness in his tone. “You can
explain why I woke up yesterday morning to find my bed empty and you
gone without a trace? Were you plotting your escape the entire time we
were fucking the night before, or did you do me the courtesy of making a
decision rashly when you found me with my guard down—unconscious and
naked in bed beside you? You bolted the moment an opportunity presented
itself, for the second time I might add.”
“It’s not what it looks like,” Kara defended, insulted that Cade didn’t
think any better of her.
She had thought the night they shared together before Jace took her had
meant something more than just a convenient fuck. Their connection had
felt stronger, deeper, bordering on something she didn’t dare consider at the
moment. Cade thought she had used sex to manipulate him as a means of
escape? If she had a single speck of intelligence or self-preservation or
rationality, that was exactly what she should have done. But no, where he
was concerned, she was completely and utterly fucked.
“Is that so? Because it looks like you betrayed me, again,” Cade seethed,
barely resisting the urge to start shouting as he grabbed her arms and pulled
her toward him. Though his grip was firm rather than harsh, Kara
whimpered beneath his touch. Startled, Cade released her, his brows
furrowed in sudden concern. That was the second time a pained sound had
escaped her lips since he’d discovered her walking down the drive.
Momentarily sheathing his anger, Cade took a moment to assess the state in
which Kara had returned to him. It took a mere moment for Cade’s initial
fury to morph into horror. Kara was barely clothed, enduring the cold,
winter rain in only a shirt, a man’s shirt, that had turned transparent with
wetness and revealed disturbing dark blotches on the pale skin beneath. She
wore no shoes, her feet filthy and bare. Cade growled in rage as he looked
at her face and discovered a large bruise prominently displayed on her left
cheek.
Whether Kara had left of her own free will or not, she had clearly been
through the worst sort of hell, and the thought of Kara in pain shook him to
his stone cold core. “What the fuck happened?” Cade asked, his voice low
and rough as he allowed the anxiety of the past twenty four hours to seep
into his words.
“J-Jace,” Kara answered, her voice trembling from the cold and from
having to speak the detestable monster’s name into existence.
Cade’s face contorted with confusion. “What does Jace have to do with
this? He’s meant to be in Prague working on an acquisition.” Cade’s
expression darkened with rage as he realized exactly what she was
insinuating, anger setting the blood in his veins ablaze. “Did Jace do this to
you?”
Kara nodded miserably, her teeth beginning to clatter together so
painfully that she couldn’t form a response as the freezing rain wracked her
body with shivers.
Overwhelmed by the pure, unadulterated hatred coursing through his
bloodstream like venom aimed straight for his heart, Cade’s eyes fluttered
shut for the briefest of moments. When they opened, the green and gold
orbs blazed with intensity, glittering with a fiery need to raze the whole
goddamn earth. “I swear on everything that is holy and unholy, that
motherfucker will regret the day that his bitch of a mother brought him into
existence.”
Kara shuddered from the sheer animosity of his words. She knew, without
a single doubt, that Cade would make good on his threat, and that level of
violence and passion on her behalf thrilled her as much as it frightened her.
Her shivering startled Cade from his darker thoughts as a wave of guilt
washed over him; he’d negligently kept her out in the rain for far too long.
“Come here, you must be freezing.” He reached for her, longing to warm
her against his body and chase away all the pain she’d endured. Pain that
was his fucking fault.
“I can manage,” Kara declined stubbornly as she pushed away from
Cade’s attempt to lift her into his arms. “I don’t need to be coddled.” She
already felt weak and broken; allowing him to carry her down the drive like
a child would merely affirm her helplessness. As usual, she preferred her
pride over her comfort.
“I don’t recall asking for your opinion on the matter. You’ve just been
through hell and are hardly a reliable authority on your coping capacity
right now,” Cade scolded as he bent to take her frail, shivering frame into
his arms.
“Cade, please,” Kara pleaded as she pushed him away again, realizing
that she was probably fighting a losing battle at that moment. “I’ll get you
all wet.”
“It’s raining, love. I’m already soaked.” And with that, Cade swept her
off her feet and into his arms, cradling her to his chest like she was the most
precious thing in the world as he carried her toward the house.
The moment Cade carried her over the threshold, they were bombarded
by Ortega, Brax, and Mrs. Hughes all wearing various expressions of
concern. Cade barely even noticed the swarm of people, his gaze fixed
solely on Kara as he set her down gently on a plush, green settee in the
foyer.
“Ortega, track that fucking car. Braxton, get ahold of Declan and Randall.
Mrs. Hughes, tea. Now.” Cade never took his eyes from Kara as he shouted
his orders like a man on the brink of detonation. The others raced out of the
room to meet his decrees, leaving the two of them in heavy, somber silence.
“Now,” Cade said, his voice rough as he got down on one knee before her
and placed a tender hand on her cheek. Closing her eyes, Kara instinctively
leaned into his touch, and he stroked the backs of his knuckles along her
jaw before cupping her face with both hands and gently coaxing her eyes to
meet his. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
Kara took a deep breath, searching for a way to unravel the events of the
past day and a half. “I woke up before you yesterday morning—an unusual
occurrence, I know—and snuck downstairs to make you a stupid surprise
breakfast in bed. I couldn’t find everything I needed in the kitchen, so I
went to look in the pantry. Someone came up behind me. I thought it was
you being a prick like usual, but…” She trailed off, remembering the shock
of the experience. “It was Jace,” she finished after a moment of hesitation.
Cade’s expression darkened beyond recognition, and Kara hastened to
continue her story before he called an intermission to go kill someone.
“Anyway, Jace knocked me out with something; I’m still not sure what.
When I woke up, we were in a car. They hadn’t taken any precautions to
blindfold me, so I started to assume the worst. I don’t know how long we
drove, but I eventually recognized the destination. Avery Reed had
commissioned my kidnapping in the hopes of attaining the Chaucer text and
as what he thought would be a personal slight to you for screwing him over.
Jace, apparently, was all too happy to oblige him.”
“So you were taken against your will and brutalized because of some
personal vendetta against me?” Cade asked in utter shock, viciously raking
his fingers through his dark hair as he began to feel his control slipping
away. “Fuck, I should have made sure Reed was handled. I knew he was
pissed about how everything played out. But I let myself get distracted. My
guard was down, betrayal found its way into my own home, and I nearly
lost something that I value most highly.” A glimmer of sorrow mingled with
the fury in his green-gold eyes as Cade gazed into Kara’s tear filled eyes
and implored her to read the utter remorse in his own.
“It’s not your fault, Cade,” she said in earnest, desperate to erase the self-
loathing marring his features.
“Like fuck it isn’t,” Cade retorted angrily, disgusted with himself and his
inability to keep her safe. Hell, he’d practically thrown her into a cage full
of wolves and allowed them to do their fucking worst. Suddenly, he realized
that Kara had completely glossed over the details of Jace’s involvement,
never explaining just how far the bastard’s assault had gone. A sickening
sense of dread leadened his stomach as he considered a horrifying
possibility. “Did he—” Cade paused, searching for the words to a question
he never, ever wanted to ask. But he had to know. “Did Jace rape you?”
Kara looked away, unable to bear the painful mixture of fear and despair
in his eyes. She wanted to lie. She wished with every atom in her body that
she could lie. But Cade would know; he could probably already read the
dark truth in her eyes. She already felt crushed beneath the suffocating
weight of knowing exactly what Jace did to her. What he took from her.
And sharing that knowledge with Cade wouldn’t lighten the load, it would
double it. But he deserved to know, and she deserved to not feel ashamed of
voicing something that had been done without her consent. Slowly, Kara
raised her head, peeking up at Cade from a veil of long, dark lashes. “Yes,”
she answered finally, managing to mostly keep the tremble from her voice.
Cade’s composure shattered, his face contorting into an expression so
dark it made devastation appear ecstatic by comparison. “Kara,” Cade
uttered bleakly, putting all the anguish and guilt that the human voice was
capable of conveying into a single word. Aching to touch her, to soothe
away every detestable detail of the past day, Cade pulled her from the settee
and into his arms. They sat in a wet puddle of limbs and despair as Kara
allowed herself to fall apart and give in to the tears that had been building
since Jace had walked into that goddamn room and left with a shard of her
soul. Cade stroked her damp hair softly, quietly whispering apologies like
chanted prayers for repentance.
“What if he broke me?” Kara asked softly as she burrowed into the
warmth of his chest, soothed by the comforting melody of his heartbeat.
“He didn’t,” Cade answered with certainty, knowing the truth of his
words in the very depths of his being. “Even Jace cannot accomplish the
impossible.”
“How can you be so sure?” Kara questioned timidly as she looked up at
Cade’s face.
“Because you’re the strongest person I know,” Cade assured her as he
moved his hand from her hair and brushed his fingers over the bruises on
her face. “Because even when I tried my hardest to break you, you ended up
breaking me instead.”
“I didn’t break you,” Kara replied, her brows twisted in confusion at his
words.
“Oh, you most certainly did,” Cade answered with an indescribable
sadness in his tone.

For what might have been seconds or minutes or hours, they huddled in
silence, wrapped in an embrace of sadness and surrender. “Would you like
to go upstairs?” Cade asked softly, his words reverberating through the
emptiness of the room.
Kara couldn’t respond. She lacked the energy, the strength, the fucking
will to make her lips move and her vocal chords distribute sound. She
merely nodded, the small action sorrowful and broken in itself.
Without waiting for her objections, Cade lifted her into his arms once
more and headed for the stairs. “I’m sorry,” he breathed with his lips against
her wet hair, kissing her head tenderly as he held her tightly against his
chest. “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.” Cade continued to whisper
apologies as he carried Kara to his room. By that point, his words were less
meant for her and more an unconscious attempt to quell the nauseating
barrage of guilt overwhelming his senses. It was his fault. Everything that
fucking happened to her was his fault. And he needed some way to assuage
the guilt before it poisoned him from the inside out.
When he reached his bathroom, Cade set Kara down gingerly on the edge
of the tub before moving to draw a bath. Kara shivered with the contrast of
heat against her frozen skin as the room started to fill with a warm haze of
steam. Slowly, Cade turned toward her, his eyes clouded with a darkness
that begged to be unleashed. With sheer force, he kept the darkness
contained, but barely.
“Take off that damn shirt,” Cade ordered, his voice more harsh than he
intended as he stared at the dreadful reminder of Jace clinging to her wet
body. He hated her subtle flinch at the sharpness of his tone. He hated to
hurt her even more than she already had been, but there was a fury coursing
through his veins, begging to seep from his body and attach itself to the first
available victim. He wouldn’t allow that victim to be her. Briefly, Cade
closed his eyes, caging in the anger, subduing it like every other thing that
threatened his control. When he opened his eyes, they were lighter, the
storminess subsiding slightly. “Please,” he amended, brushing her damp
hair from her cheek.
“Can you do it?” Kara asked softly, her eyes pleading. Her whole body
felt numb; she wasn’t sure she could lift her hands to remove Jace’s shirt if
she tried.
Wordlessly answering her plea, Cade’s fingers found the buttons on the
shirt, carefully undoing them one by one. An unearthly growl escaped his
throat when the shirt opened enough to reveal the bruises on Kara’s neck
and chest. She hadn’t seen them, but she knew they were there. She could
feel the soreness of them with every breath of her body.
 “What the fuck did he do to you?” Cade asked in horror, his voice so
black and abysmal Kara wasn’t sure if she’d ever hear light in his words
again.
“I’m sure it looks worse than it is,” Kara brushed off, uncomfortable with
the all-consuming violence of his gaze.
“I’m sure it looks as bad as it feels,” Cade retorted angrily as he undid the
rest of the buttons hastily and threw the abhorrent piece of clothing on the
floor. If possible, Cade’s expression darkened even further as he scrutinized
her bare skin.
Slowly circling her, Cade took inventory of her injuries, painstakingly
categorizing the bruises and bites and scratches etched into her skin—a map
of Jace’s violence on her body. Cade brushed aside her hair and found the
handprint left against her throat. He moved lower and touched the matching
set of bite marks on each shoulder. His fingers grazed her bruised breasts,
found the tender spots along her hips, stroked the markings on her inner
thighs. Finally, his hand settled on the mark above her heart, covering the
abomination of deep, bloodied crescents left unmistakably by a bite of brute
force. Something about that hateful mark felt even more personal than the
rest.
“Step in,” Cade ordered gently, taking her hand and carefully helping her
into the bathtub.
Kara flinched as the hot water burned her chilled skin, but she delighted
in the painful warmth as it spread throughout her body and thawed the
iciness of her limbs. Still holding onto Cade’s hand, Kara pulled him toward
her, begging him to join her. Needing to feel the hardened strength of his
body against hers. Needing to re-memorize his delicious scent so she could
banish the stench of Jace’s musk from the furthest recesses of her mind.
Needing the reaffirmation of his feelings for her after everything that
happened. Needing something that was real and true and good and him. She
needed him. That was the first time she had allowed herself to admit how
much Cade had imprinted himself upon her soul. She cared about Cade with
an ardor that had seeped into the blood in her veins, melded with the very
marrow of her bones, wrapped itself violently around her heart and
squeezed until the rhythm of its beats were in tune with his own.
Unexpectedly, Cade pulled away, disrupting Kara’s sudden, awful
realization that she might actually love the bastard. Fuck, she was almost
certain she loved him. The idea was terrifying and exhilarating and
everything in between.
“Please get in,” Kara pleaded, her voice unfamiliar with sheer
desperation. “I need to feel you.”
Cade studied her for a moment, his expression conflicted, before shaking
his head. “Not this time, love,” he answered sadly, his eyes guarded. He
turned off the water before bringing over a washcloth and bottles of body
wash, shampoo, and conditioner. Silently, Cade knelt in front of the tub,
poured some soap smelling of citrus and clove on the cloth, and began to
bathe her. His strokes were gentle as he brushed the cloth over bruises and
tender skin with the utmost care. Kara squirmed uncomfortably as he lifted
her arms to clean underneath them. He washed her breasts, but, unlike
usual, his touch didn’t linger. In fact, he didn’t touch her at all, being very
careful to use the cloth as a barrier between his hands and her bare skin.
Kara longed to feel his touch so much that it physically ached.
“You know, you could do that easier if you were in the bath with me,” she
suggested softly, the breathy hoarseness of her voice coming across
seductively.
 “I’m not getting in there, Kara,” Cade answered tensely, his voice rough.
The sadness in her eyes was whittling away at his hardened resolve, but he
steeled himself and his heart. If he got in that bath, if he touched her, he
wouldn’t have the strength to do what he needed to do. He would hold onto
her and never let her go.
“But, why?” Kara asked, trying not to sound as though her heart were
shattering into pieces. She was fairly sure it was.
“Because I can’t touch you.” As much as he desperately wanted to hold
her and kiss her and wipe away every disgusting, vile thing Jace had done
to her body, he didn’t deserve that privilege. She deserved freedom from
him. And he deserved a life of purgatory without her.
Kara gasped, unable to silently contain the pain of his words directed at
her like tiny blades aimed to draw blood. “Is it…because of what happened
with Jace?” she asked hesitantly, agonizing with every word.
“In part,” Cade responded vaguely.
“I thought that wouldn’t matter to you,” Kara answered softly as she
avoided his gaze.
“Of course, it fucking matters!” Cade shouted, his anger cracking through
the control he tried so desperately to erect. If he had to keep talking about
what Jace had done, he was going to obliterate something—anything.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice choked with pain as she felt tears of
helplessness and anguish flood her eyes.
Cade remained silent as he continued to wash Kara’s body. If he allowed
himself anywhere near that, he’d strangle the fucking apology from her
fucking throat. She had always been too quick to blame herself. The fact
that she felt guilty for the abhorrent situation he’d practically thrust her into
left him feeling emotionally disemboweled. “Lay your head back,” Cade
commanded softly as he poured shampoo into his hands and began to work
it into her silky blonde strands.
Kara’s eyes fluttered shut as she allowed herself to be enveloped by the
intoxicating scent of mint and cedar as he rubbed his shampoo into her hair.
His fingers massaged her scalp, pulling moans from her lips at the blissful
strength of his hands. For a moment, she allowed herself to forget Jace’s
violence and simply enjoy the feel of Cade’s rough hands in her hair. The
moment was far too fleeting.
“I’ll handle Reed,” Cade explained as he rinsed the soap from Kara’s hair.
“A man like that is simple and easily bought. I should have taken care of
him earlier when things became…complicated.” He wrung the water from
Kara’s hair before applying conditioner. “Jace will be more difficult, but
I’m certain I can appeal to his mercenary side.”
Cade rinsed the conditioner from Kara’s hair and then motioned for her to
sit up in the tub. With painstaking tenderness, he towel dried her hair before
combing through the strands to remove the tangles. When he’d deemed his
task of tending to her finished, Cade rose to his feet and turned toward the
door, clutching the handle so hard his knuckles whitened beneath the force.
When he finally looked at Kara, he wore a mask of resolve, though slivers
of anguish still cracked through. “When both men have been taken care of
and your safety is secured, you are free to go,” Cade announced as
dispassionately as he could—as though the words didn’t obliterate every
small fraction of hope and happiness he possessed.
As though those weren’t the very words Kara had been begging to hear
since he’d taken her to Ashford Manor.
As though those words didn’t rip out her heart and tear it into bloody,
mangled shreds of flesh and gore.
 “Why are you doing this?” Kara choked out when she’d finally gathered
the composure to speak.
“What do you mean why? Do you not want your freedom?” Cade
answered, a note of frustration seeping into his voice.
“Of course I do,” Kara responded, somehow sounding defensive and
desolate at the same time. “But why now?”
“I think I’ve kept you long enough, Miss Caine. Don’t you?” Cade said
bleakly, the words intertwined with utter desolation. Before he could allow
himself to beg her to stay, Cade walked out of the room, shutting the door
behind him.
Alone, Kara tried to breath through the panic and despair, but her lungs
seemed to have abandoned their sacred duty the moment Cade walked out
on her. Deciding to say fuck you to the unruly organs, she held onto a
shallow breath and disappeared beneath the surface, allowing the warm,
inviting water to swallow her whole.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
Slowly, Kara counted as she willed calmness into her body.
Thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three, thirty-four, thirty-five.
Slowly, calmness came, though it was an uneasy sort of peace in which
total decimation resided on the boundary’s edge. If there was one thing of
which Kara was absolutely certain, she was completely and unequivocally
fucked. Cade had fatally embedded himself in her heart like an arrow to the
chest, and she feared there would be no removing him without bleeding to
death in the process.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

I T had been days since her return to the manor. Days since Jace had
kidnapped and destroyed her. Days since Cade had touched her or looked
her in the eye or given her more than a passing greeting. Everyone else in
the house couldn’t seem to leave her alone. Mrs. Hughes pestered her with
tea and biscuits literally every waking moment; apparently, that was the
British way of combating irreparable physical and emotional trauma. The
morning after her return, a get well soon card was slid under her bedroom
door, where she’d woken up alone. The card was signed by Declan, Brax,
and Ortega; she wasn’t exactly sure that the card was the most socially
appropriate gesture for a sexual assault victim, but she was touched by the
thoughtful sentiment. The men of the house may not be well-versed in the
emotional side of things, but they were trying their best.
 Later that day, Brax had come to her room to deliver the phone she hadn’t
seen since Jace confiscated it at the library. After checking it for any bugs
Jace might have planted and giving the device the all clear, Brax installed
tracking apps of his own. For the sake of her privacy, Kara had strongly
refuted any need to have her whereabouts monitored, but he brushed aside
her objections with a firm “Ashford’s orders.” Cade couldn’t fucking talk to
her, but he’d send his minions to install spyware on her private property.
Fucking typical, control freak.
Though she was happy to have the privilege of a phone for the first time
in weeks, Kara couldn’t be sure if the offer of more freedom from Cade was
actually a good sign.
The next afternoon, Kara had received an unexpected visit from Ortega.
He’d come with a dainty black box tied with a pretty silver ribbon. To her
surprise, it looked suspiciously like a jewelry box. And it had been—a
delicate gold bracelet with a lovely little gold heart charm, so pretty and
entirely her taste that she happily put it on immediately. But, because no
one in the house was fucking normal, Ortega explained that the lovely little
heart inconspicuously housed a goddamn tracking device. Very seriously,
Ortega asked her never to take it off, and she had been surprised by the
tender concern in his eyes. Then, he threw her for a loop by saying that the
bracelet had been a compromise because “Ashford suggested we give you a
tracking implant while you slept.”
What in the ever loving fuck, Cade?
Kara rubbed at her wrist, the small bracelet somehow uncomfortably
heavy now that she knew it was merely a fashionable ball and chain. What
the hell was going on in Cade’s fucked up head? He went through all the
motions of safeguarding her safety, of keeping her monitored and within his
vicinity, but he hadn’t actually engaged with her in any meaningful way
since Jace had kidnapped her. In fact, he avoided her like the goddamn
bubonic plague. And Kara was fucking sick of it. She was over Cade acting
as though she didn’t exist.
So why didn’t he just end it? Why keep her suspended in perpetual
purgatory? Sleeping alone in rooms down the hall from one another.
Sharing meals in quiet silence, though Kara rarely had enough of an
appetite to venture into the dinning hall. Cade busied himself with work. He
allowed her the undisturbed sanctuary of the library. Life seemed to
stagnate—never changing, never progressing. An un-altering, meaningless
existence.
Fuck it.
Kara preferred to burn in the fiery flames of the demise of her
relationship than be smothered by the smoke of lingering embers that
slowly extinguished into nothingness. She would confront Cade, if only for
a moment, and force him to admit the truth of his feelings. If he was
through with her, she would end things. Right that fucking minute. Even if
it hurt. Fuck, she knew it would hurt. But she had enough self-respect not to
linger for scraps of affection from a man who lacked the capacity to offer
her anything more. She just hoped, when the time came, she had the
strength to walk out the door and not look back.
Kara walked toward his office slowly, her steps weighed down by dread
and uncertainty. Cade had been barricaded in his office all day, even
neglecting his usual, distant appearance at breakfast. As much as she hated
to intrude upon his inner sanctum, Kara was done waiting for the bastard to
give her the time of day. She knocked on the office door twice, the sound of
her knuckles against the hardwood making a far more assertive impression
than she personally felt.
“Come in,” Cade answered, his voice curt and his words short. He was
stressed and not in the mood for interruptions.
Trembling ever so slightly, Kara opened the doors, appreciating the scent
of leather and parchment mingled with the hints of wood and mint that
assaulted her senses. It smelled like Cade. God, she’d missed him. The
warmth of his hands on her body, his lips on her skin. The richness of his
laugh when she said something moderately clever. The fiery wit of his
retorts. His stupidly perpetual insistence on calling her Miss Caine because
he knew it drove her to insanity. The way his eyes darkened with need when
she fought him. The way they melted into warm pools of desire when she
didn’t. She was ardently, irrevocably intoxicated by every facet of Cade’s
composition. Unbidden, her heart had dared to falter for the bastard.
And he was going to fucking break it.
“Kara,” Cade said with a startle when he finally glanced up from the
reports consuming his attention. There was a note of irritation in the way he
said her name that had Kara’s face falling in disappointment.
“I’m sorry to disturb you,” Kara apologized hesitantly, the emotional part
of her consciousness begging her to run before her feelings endured
irreparable damage. “Can we talk?”
Cade’s expression twisted with unease as he heard those three little words
no one ever wanted to hear. “I’m very busy at the moment, Kara,” Cade
answered dismissively, though not unkindly. “Perhaps another time?”
“Another time? And when exactly would that be?” Kara asked, her voice
heating with an anger that had remained buried under hurt feelings and
insecurities. “You are never around! We never talk. You haven’t touched me
since…before. Fuck, you barely even look at me. It’s like I don’t even
exist.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Cade questioned in frustration,
feeling very underprepared for the fight she had clearly walked into his
office with the intention of instigating. He’d given her space for her own
good. He wasn’t so cruel as to continue sleeping with her when he knew he
needed to let her go. His days had been spent tirelessly ensuring her future
safety. He’d placated Avery Reed—at great personal cost to himself.
Although, whatever the price, he would have happily paid it.
“I’m talking about you treating me like spoiled goods ever since Jace
dropped me off at your doorstep bruised and used.”
“I have done no such thing,” Cade replied indignantly, habitually raising
his hand to run his fingers aggressively through his hair.
“Yes, you have,” Kara answered firmly, noticing as Cade shifted
restlessly in his seat. “You can’t even stand to be in the same room as me.”
Kara wrapped her arms around her chest in an effort to protect herself
against the chill of his apparent distaste. Kara felt the sting of tears, but she
held them back—barely. “Please, don’t hate me for what happened.”
That had Cade abruptly abandoning his chair as he stood and slammed his
fists on the desk, his features contorted with fury. “You think I hate you?”
he asked in sheer disbelief, his voice rising in anger.
“I know you do,” Kara answered with a shrug of her shoulders as though
her observation was entirely obvious.
“Your absurdity never ceases to astonish me. I do not fucking hate you,”
Cade spat back, his eyes narrowed as though he could glare Kara into
seeing reason. He took a deep breath as he wrestled with how much of his
inner turmoil he should share with her. “I hate myself.”
 Kara’s brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?” she asked,
truly baffled as she tried to understand his confession and how it related to
his recent treatment of her. But it simply didn’t make sense. “Why?” Kara
questioned finally. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“Yes, it goddamn was my fault,” Cade thundered back, his voice a
mixture of anger and self-loathing. “I took you from your life. I kept you
here. I promised you protection while housing you with a man I knew was a
murderer and attempted rapist. He attacked you in the library, and I made
excuses for his behavior. I allowed him to stay. I fucking sent him out to
drag you back when you’d successfully escaped me instead of letting you
go.”
Cade scrubbed a hand over his face, wearing the expression of a man
unaccustomed to regret. “I should have fucking let you go, and none of this
would have happened. But I was a selfish, arrogant bastard, and—in trying
to keep you—I damned you to this.” Cade glanced at her briefly before
looking away, his hands flexing at his sides as though maybe he wanted to
reach for her. But he didn’t. He just stood there, his face composed of
anguish as an unconquerable sea of distance lay between them. “Fuck,
Kara, I would carve my own heart out of my chest and lay the bloody,
beating thing at your feet if it would offer even the slightest atonement for
what you have endured because of me.”
Kara stood in stunned silence, not quite sure how to respond to that
declaration, though she could appreciate the romantically morbid imagery.
“So…you don’t hate me?”
Cade exhaled a huff of vexation as he mindlessly rustled the papers on his
desk. “No, love, I don’t hate you.”
 “Then look at me, Cade, for fuck’s sake,” Kara demanded, equally
exasperated.
“I can’t!” Cade shouted, violently swiping all the papers on his desk to
the floor. “I can’t stomach the fucking sight of his marks on you! The
nauseating reminder of what he did to you. The damning proof that I failed
to protect you.”
“Then wipe them away,” Kara suggested, Cade’s confession sparking an
idea—an absolutely deranged idea.
“What the fuck do you mean?” Cade asked in irritation, hardly in the
mood for riddles, as he stared at the mess of papers on the floor.
“Rewrite the pain that he carved into my body. Make it your own,” Kara
continued, her voice taking on a darkly seductive quality she hadn’t
intended.
Cade looked at her then, for the first time since what happened with Jace,
he truly looked at her. And his eyes held something indescribable and
hungry and terrifying. He stalked toward her, closing that gaping sea of
distance in what seemed to be a few strides. He stopped in front of Kara, his
chest nearly brushing her forehead if not for the few inches of space
between them. He was so close Kara could feel the warmth of his body
radiating against her. She ached to touch him, to close the space between
them and wrap her arms around the familiar breadth of his chest. But she
couldn’t, not until they had resolved the issue at hand. And she had an
inkling that resolution would come at a cost.
“And how am I supposed to do that?” Cade asked, his deep voice intense
as he tilted her chin up to meet his gaze.
“Hurt me. Like he did,” Kara said softly, averting her gaze as she felt an
irrational wave of mortification at the suggestion. Her heart fluttered
anxiously, her skin flushed with the heat of embarrassment as she awaited
his answer, the room filling with a tense silence.
“You want me to hurt you?” Cade asked dangerously slowly, enunciating
each word carefully as though talking to a delusional child.
“Yes,” Kara answered calmly, her voice quiet but assured.
“You’re fucking insane. I’m not going to hurt you, especially not in your
goddamn condition. You don’t know what you’re asking.”
“Do not presume to tell me what I know, Caden Ashford. I know what I
want. What I need. What we both might need if you actually took a moment
to consider it instead of immediately stooping to insults and belittling.”
Kara was getting angry. He had the audacity to throw her vulnerability in
her face and declare it ignorance.
“Alright, let me consider the asininity you’re suggesting. You want me to
what? Hit you? Violate you? Paint your body in bruises and violence?
Why? Why the fuck would you want that?”
“Because it would be my choice, Cade. You think the worst thing Jace did
was violate my body? No. He stole my freedom. He took away my ability
to choose what happened to me. I want that power back. I want you to help
me find it again.”
Cade’s body vibrated with fury at her suggestion, but the blood in his
veins also sung with the need to fulfill her violent desires. His face was a
collage of conflict between the two as he stared at Kara in wordless
indecision. Could he do it; could he hurt her? Would he be able to live with
himself after? Would she?
“What’s wrong, Ashford? Scared to hit a girl? Lost the taste for it since
the last time you hit me with your belt?” Kara goaded, resorting to
desperate measures if it would get her the reaction that she wanted. And she
wanted him angry. Angry enough to fight back. Angry enough to prove that
he wanted it just as much as she did.
“Careful, love,” Cade growled, seething with anger at her dangerous
attempts to rile his darkness. “You’re taunting a monster, and I don’t think
you’ll like it when he unsheathes his claws and comes out to play.”
“Fucking try me.”
An eerie stillness pervaded the room, like standing in the tranquil eye of a
hurricane before total chaos and destruction came to obliterate everything in
its path.
“As you wish,” Cade said ominously. Without another word of
explanation, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the room.
Kara tripped over her own feet as she tried to keep up with Cade’s furious
strides, his crushing hold on her wrist the only thing keeping her upright as
they stormed down the hall. Prickles of fear danced along her spine as she
realized she’d provoked a menacing man who’s limitations she didn’t really
know. Was he capable of actually harming her? Had she just made the
stupidest mistake of her life? Her head screamed at her to escape while she
still could, while her heart knew that she could trust him, even as he hauled
her through the manor with a fiery glint in his eye.
Kara was puzzled when Cade came to a sudden halt in front of the library
doors, swiftly dug out his keys from his coat pocket, and unlocked the door.
He forcefully pulled her inside the room and left her standing alone and
confused as he turned toward the doors and locked them, the scrape of the
key sounding sinister and foreboding. Returning to her side, Cade reclaimed
her wrist and pulled her toward the bookshelves at the far end of the library.
He stopped in front of a particular shelf that housed navy rows of
identically bound, numerically organized texts on nautical law; it was one
of the few areas in the library that Kara had never taken any interest in.
“Are you sure you want this, Kara?” Cade asked seriously, his back
pressed against the shelf as he loomed over her, studying her with the
intensity of a predator about to go in for the kill.
Trembling from head to toe as fear and anticipation wracked her body,
Kara could only summon the strength to nod.
“I am going to need verbal consent,” he demanded sternly.
“Yes, I want this,” Kara answered, surprised by the strength and
determination in her voice.
His eyes alight with excitement mingled with resignation, Cade turned
toward the bookshelf and tinkered with something on one of the higher
levels. Instantly, the wall gave way to reveal a hidden passage with a
staircase leading down into dark, unknown depths.
What. The. Fuck.
Instinctively, Kara took a step back, that alarmed voice of reason in her
head screaming at the top of its lungs for her to get the fuck out while she
still could because nothing about that dark, secret passage looked safe. Cade
noticed her hesitation and allowed her a moment to adjust to the situation,
his hands kept non-threateningly at his sides.
What the hell was she doing? She knew Cade was dangerous; she knew
he was a criminal. Technically she still was his fucking prisoner. Maybe she
wasn’t the first. Maybe there had been others. Maybe he had a bluebeard
complex, and this was where he lured his victims and stored the fucking
bodies. Had she really succumbed to Stockholm Syndrome so completely
that she was willing to follow a man she truly knew very little about into a
hidden chasm, tucked away from the rest of the world with no visible
escape? Absolutely everything about the situation said run, and yet, there
she stood, contemplating if her curiosity outweighed her fear.
Cade watched as Kara’s internal conflict played itself out before offering
his own encouragement. “Do you trust me, Kara?” he asked in earnest,
extending his hand as he walked through the opening in the wall and settled
on the first step of the darkened staircase.
Kara’s brow furrowed as she considered his question, her teeth tugging on
her bottom lip anxiously as she pondered her answer as though it
encapsulated her very fate. And perhaps it did. “Yes,” she answered finally.
And whether or not it was folly, she meant it. With a sigh of finality, Kara
took Cade’s hand and began her descent.
With the library door closed behind them, the way down on black steps
was dimly illuminated by small, antique sconces along the wall. The
aesthetic was very dungeon-esque, and Kara had to suppress a shiver as she
slowly walked further down. She relied on Cade’s guidance, holding his
hand close to her chest as they navigated the enclosed tunnel of steps until
they finally reached level ground. Through a shroud of shadows, Kara
attempted to discern the purpose of the secret room as Cade left her side,
presumably to locate a light source. With a click, the space ignited beneath
the radiant gleam of an exquisite black chandelier adorning the center of the
room. And the huge chandelier was not the most conspicuous item in the
room, which was saying a lot.
Black wallpaper with elegant silver patterns decorated walls lined with
racks upon racks of torture implements. These weren’t the toys of someone
who dabbled in deviance. These were the tools of a professional. Terrifying
whips, canes, paddles, and other sinister weapons she couldn’t even begin
to describe draped down in organized rows. Other racks held ropes and
cuffs and chains. There was a black leather bed with dark sheets and no
pillows, a matching leather couch, a black bench that seemed designed for
something other than sitting, an imposing desk in one corner that seemed to
be a replica of the one in Cade’s office, and a monstrous wooden X looming
in the other corner.
What the fuck had she gotten herself into?
“So...you do have a sex dungeon,” Kara commented blandly after the
shock of the room had finally dissipated enough to allow her the ability to
speak. She supposed his remark the first time she was in his room hadn’t
been a joke after all.
Fucking fantastic.
“I do have a sex dungeon,” Cade answered, his expression amused. He’d
expected some sort of panic or outburst when she saw the dirty secret that
had been hiding beneath her precious library all along. What he hadn’t
expected was stoicism. She did have quite the knack for surprising him.
“Although, I prefer to call it the Hideaway.”
“Well, it’s better than the alternative I’d imagined.”
“And what exactly were you imagining?” he asked, thoroughly intrigued.
“A kidnapping criminal with a hidden door leading down to a mysterious
room? I was starting to assume your hobbies were of the murderous
variety,” Kara answered with an expression that was deadly serious.
Cade laughed as he realized that Kara was taking the sex room so well
because she had been entertaining far worse alternatives. A little hardcore
sex looked harmless when compared to fucking murder. “Well, if that’s
what you thought of me, I’m surprised you followed me down into my den
of horrors. It really exhibits a terrible lack of judgment on your part,” he
scolded as he moved to caress the back of her neck. “I would expect a
woman of your education to be more prudent, Dr. Caine.”
Kara gasped at the use of her proper title. It was perhaps the first time he
had ever called her Dr. Caine, and he was doing so merely to call into
question her intelligence.
Fucking. Bastard.
“Besides, we’ve yet to rule out the murder bit. Perhaps I merely like to
play with my victims first,” Cade whispered ominously in her ear. His
mockery was met with a hard jab in the ribs as Kara punched him with all
her might. “Ow!” he exclaimed in surprise, rubbing at the tender spot where
her fist made contact. It was probably the first time he had received a bruise
in the Hideaway rather than delivered it. The thought amused him; she
clearly had no idea who she was playing with. That sort of behavior from
any of the women in his previous relationships would never have been
tolerated. Clearly, the situation with Kara was singular in that she wasn’t
aware of the conditions that preceded involvement with him. It was a lapse
that Cade planned to rectify immediately. “Careful, love. You don’t want to
provoke me in this room. In here, I have all the power.”
Kara shrank back slightly at the warning. “Sorry,” she apologized quickly
as she looked about the room and considered all the ways Cade could
retaliate. Pulling her eyes away from the intensity of his stare, Kara studied
the imposing room before her, overcome with a sense of fear mingled with
something she couldn’t quite place. Curiosity? Excitement? The fear
seemed appropriate, but she was unsettled by the thought of other feelings
inspiring the adrenaline rushing through her veins.
Hoping to find something amid the madness to placate her need for
rationality, Kara examined the walls and racks lined with implements and
toys, some familiar and others a complete mystery as to name and function.
There was something about the overall organization of the room that
slightly quelled her uneasiness. It was precise, everything in its place
according to a specific code, much like the texts on her archival shelves.
She could appreciate that. Kara walked toward the far side of the room,
drawn to where a row of canes lined the wall in succession from largest to
smallest. She glanced at Cade as if to ask his permission before touching his
implements of pain. He nodded in consent, seeming pleased that she
recognized his authority. Kara lifted one of the thinner canes from its place
on the wall, stroking the smooth edge with a single, curious finger.
“It’s so light,” she said in surprise as she turned the cane in her hand.
“It is. But don’t let that fool you; it’s got a wicked bite,” he said with a
soft laugh. He was surprised that Kara had gravitated toward that particular
area of the room. Perhaps she was naive enough to assume, incorrectly, that
the simple rod was one of the tamer objects housed in the Hideaway. Kara
seemed inadvertently drawn to danger, himself included. He could only
hope that her infatuation with danger survived the night.
Cade reached a hand to cover one of Kara’s own, a tender embrace that
encircled one of the cruelest of implements. “Canes leave the loveliest lines
on the skin,” he said in a silky, seductive tone, tracing a pattern along her
inner arm with the tip of his finger. “It’s the kinky embodiment of art;
someone with a skilled hand can paint perfectly symmetrical marks that are
an exact imprint of each blow that falls. Canes happen to be one of my
favorite implements to play with,” he said, reaching for a thicker cane two
down from the top. “Try this,” he said, handing her a cane that looked
formidable enough to make her stir anxiously at the thought of it touching
her skin. She returned the thin cane to the wall and took the other from
Cade’s hand. The dark, flexible rod felt as vicious as it looked.
“I can’t imagine using something like this to play with. Wouldn’t it cause
a lot of damage?” she asked with a furrowed brow, questioning whether she
would be able to endure the pain that she had practically begged Cade to
administer. If she’d had any idea that she was fucking some kind of sadist,
she wouldn’t have made the request so lightly. Her breath quickened in
panic as she held the cane, imagining Cade’s use of it on her. Her eyes
darted to Cade and found his face full of calm reassurance. His certainty
was like a balm to her fears, and she felt a portion of her panic fade away.
“I am not going to harm you, Kara. And I am not going to hurt you any
more than you want me to. In all honesty, this cane, along with many of the
tools in this room, can cause irreparable damage if not handled properly. I
am highly skilled at delivering pain, and it is not an act that I take lightly. It
takes some practice to be able to withstand the strokes of a cane without
anguish,” he commented with professional certainty, taking the implement
from Kara’s willingly relinquishing hands.
Having secured her trust, at least for the moment, Cade paused to assess
how to best proceed with Kara. She appreciated facts; she liked to be made
aware of all aspects of a subject so that she was able to make an informed
decision or opinion. He could imagine it was difficult for a woman used to
being one of the smartest in the room to be placed in an unfamiliar situation
where she had almost no knowledge or experience. Provided she was
willing, Cade could offer both. “With a light hand, this cane delivers a sharp
sting and leaves red welts that turn to bruises. With a firm hand, it will
break the skin easily. It is one of the harshest tools that I am willing to play
with. Some opt for much harder impact play, others aren’t comfortable
using anything harder than a crop. It is all a matter of preference between
partners,” he elaborated as he moved to reunite the cane with the others on
the wall.
Kara remained silent, her expression dark and troubled as she absorbed
the information. Cade waited patiently in accompanying silence as Kara
gathered enough bravery to formulate a question. “So, do all of your
relationships involve BDSM?” she asked as evenly as possible.
Cade arched his brow in surprise at her use of the specific terminology for
his kinks. Maybe she wasn’t quite as naive as he thought. “Personally, I find
that bondage always enhances the sexual experience, but it’s not a
requirement. We’ve fucked countless times, and I haven’t tied you down,
have I?”
“No,” Kara replied cautiously.
Not yet.
“On the other hand, discipline, along with dominance, serves a vital role
in maintaining the control I strive for in every relationship, sexual and
otherwise. I expect to have my orders obeyed by every person under my
command, whether it is you or someone in my employ. Disobedience incurs
disagreeable consequences, as you well know. Because we share an intimate
relationship, your consequences are far more physical and subject to my
creativity.” Cade’s face filled with malicious glee at the thought.
The thought of being punished by Cade with any of the menacing objects
in that room filled Kara with dread. The thought of him enjoying it was
even more troublesome. Cade sensed her fears and moved to ease the
furrowing of her brow with the gentlest caress. As the tension in her face
softened, Cade grasped her chin firmly and raised her eyes to his. He met
her gaze with an earnest sincerity, longing for her trust.
 “My relationships don’t require an SM aspect. I am not a sadist, and I
don’t need to hurt someone in order to achieve sexual gratification. That
being said, I do seek out relationships defined by an unequal balance of
power. I am undeniably dominant in all aspects of my life, and I crave
submission, most of all in the bedroom. I have found that, for women who
enjoy relinquishing power in a relationship, the experience is enhanced with
the inclusion of sadomasochism. Being driven to release through the
application of pain is an intimate and intense encounter for both
participants.”
A tumult of thoughts churned in Kara’s head. Cade’s words were
comforting and reasonable, and had she heard them with closed eyes, her
fears and insecurities would likely have evaporated. But hearing Cade
proclaim that he didn’t need to exact pain while standing in a literal sex
dungeon full of whips and canes was a bit like hearing an addict profess
that they didn’t need the drugs while standing in a crackhouse. Kara kept
her gaze focused on the damning proof, rather than the man with silken
words and smoldering eyes that could banish her reason to the farthest
reaches of her mind.
Cade addressed her unspoken accusations through gritted teeth. “Listen, I
am not some sort of predator who delights in beating women. A man like
that left those fucking marks on your body, so if that is what you think, we
are turning around and walking up those stairs right now.” Cade’s face was
full of seething anger at the unjust comparison. “It is a discredit to me and a
discredit to your sensibility for staying with me if you think I am anything
like that bastard.”
“You aren’t like him,” she admitted softly, sounding sincere, but her
lowered eyes still held hesitation.
 Patience nearly spent, Cade raked his fingers through his hair roughly.
There was nothing quite so taxing as attempting to make an educated
woman understand facts that go against their own sensibilities. In fact, the
success of such an endeavor was damned near impossible. “Close your
eyes, Kara,” he said firmly. She looked at him questioningly, but made no
move to comply. Cade was hardly surprised; it was a difficult task to
disadvantage yourself willingly, especially in a situation of tension. It was
much like asking a sub to hold still without the use of restraints. The body’s
natural response was to maintain control; sometimes compliance required
assistance. Cade walked away from Kara toward the desk at her back and
rifled through the top drawer.
“Cade,” she implored in a voice shaky with trepidation. She eyed the
point of escape, wary of his intentions, mind racing with images of what
horrifying objects could lurk within the confines of that drawer. Cade
walked back toward her carrying an unassuming piece of black cloth.
“May I?” he asked in polite request, holding up a silk blindfold. She was
so relieved that he hadn’t come bearing some instrument of torture that she
nodded her head in acquiescence. A blindfold was familiar, and she felt just
a little more at ease as he slipped it gently over her head and the view of
that terrifying room disappeared.
The darkness was comforting.
Cade moved to stand behind her. She inhaled the cool, familiar scent of
his cologne as intoxicating as the first time she’d breathed him in. She felt
the warmth of his body pressed against her back, the tingle of his touch as
his hands traced unfamiliar patterns along her bare arms, the pleasant burn
of his stubbled jaw grazing her neck as he leaned in to kiss her throat. He
rested his cheek on her shoulder, his lips by her ear.
 “I believe the sight of this room and all its unknowns has robbed you of
your ability to assess the situation with a level head,” he whispered in a low,
husky voice. “Perhaps if I take away one of your senses, your sense of
reason will heighten.
Kara felt herself being gently pulled across the room. Cade placed a hand
on top of hers and moved her fingertips to explore a diverse row of
implements hanging along the wall. The smoothness of the soft leather
strands caressed their joined hands with a feather light touch. Kara could
imagine the multiple strands being used on her body like silk against her
skin.
“I enjoy the extraction of pain to the extent that you enjoy it,” Cade
whispered against her ear.
He trailed her hands over firmer objects that were smooth and braided.
Perhaps they were whips? They felt so much less threatening when she
didn’t have sight to inspire fear.
“In the case of punishment, I enjoy the pain to the extent that you require
it. The pain is an extension of control. It is the act of taking possession of
your body and making you feel what I want you to feel. It is a similar type
of physical dominance as sex, just with a different sensation.”
Cade moved her fingertips along a row of ropes, some thick and coarse,
others thin and satiny. He brought her back to the collections of canes, and
they felt more like smooth twigs than instruments of destruction. He moved
her around the room and brushed her hands over the leather couch and silk
sheets and the cool, wooden surface of the desk.
“I reach the same high fucking you, demanding pleasure from your body,
as I would flogging you to demand your surrender to the pain. In both
situations, it is the power of control that fulfills me.”
 He spread her arms above her head, pressing her against what felt like the
wooden cross as he stroked his hands down her body from wrist to ankle.
She gasped as he placed a lingering kiss on the top of her foot, trembling as
her body begged for more of his touch.
“From personal experience, the most intimate, tender sex can follow the
most excruciating SM session.” Cade breathed against her skin as he
continued to brush his lips over her body, kissing his way up until he
reached the sensitive curve of her neck. Placing one hand possessively
across her throat, Cade moved to untie the blindfold nestled in her hair,
letting the black cloth fall to the floor.
Kara blinked in the newness of light, readjusting herself once again to her
surroundings with full senses. The room hadn’t changed form, but its
contents no longer inspired fear, the strangeness banished thanks to Cade’s
unorthodox introductions. More than that, Kara found herself intrigued by
the thought of submitting to Cade and the contents of his secret hideaway.
The overwhelming need she felt in that moment was startling. All the
rationality of her mind was fighting a losing war with the erogenous areas
of her body. She knew a single look from Cade would send her hurling over
the brink of surrender.
“If you don’t want this, we will leave the Hideaway and pretend that I
never showed you what lies below. If you do want this, own up to it. You
aren’t less of an independent woman or less of an academic or less of a
rational human being for consensually claiming what your body desires, no
matter how unconventional that desire may seem. The choice is yours
alone.”
Kara drew a deep, shaky breath, her eyes fixated on the exit. Escape was
hers if she truly wanted it. But the starling, nerve shattering truth was—she
wanted complete surrender with Cade more. “I want this. Please.”
“Brave girl,” Cade responded in a voice husky with emotion as he
breathed a deep sigh of relief. His eyes shone with the light of admiration
that she was willing to wade into the unknown, trusting that he would be
there to hold her and guide her. And he would be. Every step of the way.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER NINETEEN

C ADE looked at Kara with a mixture of admiration and hesitation. She

was offering herself to him so trustingly, and, as hard as it would be to
restrain his darker nature, he would need to keep himself in check. “You
need a safe-word. Something to use as a signal if you think I’ve given all
you can handle. It doesn’t need to be anything specific or significant, but it
should be memorable enough that it is easily recollected if you are at your
limit. As this is your first time, I intend on being cautiously receptive of
your tolerance and needs. You should have no need of a safe-word tonight,
but under normal circumstances, the safe-word serves as a precaution in
situations where stop is more of an encouragement than a deterrent.”
“O-okay,” Kara responded nervously. She felt a general sense of unease at
the thought of allowing a man who seemed to have an entirely different
definition of the word stop to have full control over her body, but the
indescribable need she felt outweighed her misgivings. The idea of two
consenting adults needing a code word to play safely seemed rather
juvenile, but Kara was willing to meet his conditions, whatever they may
be. “Thornfield,” she decided finally, paying homage to her favorite piece
of literature.
“I believe that is rather suiting,” Cade replied with a smile. “The Brontës
definitely had a robust understanding of the darker side of human nature,
and I am sure Mr. Rochester would find himself rather comfortable in a
BDSM setting,” he added with a wink.
A kinky Mr. Rochester?
In all her many readings of the text, Kara had never once considered that
possibility, but she supposed it wasn’t hard to imagine that the man who
kept his wife locked in an attic and emotionally tortured and manipulated
the woman he loved might have done so out of sadistic pleasure.
“Now, for my second condition,” Cade continued, reclaiming her
attention. “I would like you to address me as sir from this moment
forward.”
Kara giggled at the ridiculous suggestion, earning her a withering glare
from the imperious man before her. “You can’t be serious,” Kara demanded,
her expression horrified.
“I bloody well am serious,” Cade responded darkly, his eyes glittering
with a need to punish.
“That’s absurd! I’m not going to call you sir,” Kara argued, crossing her
arms angrily over her chest and very narrowly resisting the urge to stomp
her feet in protest.
 “Then leave,” Cade answered, his voice deadly calm as he nodded toward
the stairs. He knew that she needed his dominance more than she needed
her pride at that moment, and he was calling her bluff.
“Fine!” Kara shouted in exasperation, throwing her arms into the air in
surrender.
“Fine, what?” Cade questioned with a raised brow.
“I would like to stay,” Kara responded sullenly.
“Are you sure you can handle it, love?” Cade asked with false concern as
a taunting smile spread across his lips.
“Yes,” Kara replied curtly. With a chastising glance from Cade, she added
“sir.”
“Good girl,” he praised tenderly. “Remove your clothes,” he ordered, a
subtle change to the tone of his voice evoking pure dominance.
After a single moment of hesitance, Kara obeyed, trembling fingers
moving to undo the buttons of her dress before allowing it to slip off her
shoulders and fall to the floor. She stood before him in only her bra and
underwear and waited.
“Everything,” he corrected impatiently as though it had been inherently
implied in his first command.
Feeling suddenly modest in front of the man who had already seen her
naked on numerous occasions, Kara reluctantly reached behind her back to
unclasp her bra and let it fall to her feet. Her heart pounding with
anticipation, she brushed the lace of her panties and slowly slid them down
her legs, stepping out of them a foot at a time. Impulsively, Kara balled up
the panties and tossed them in Cade’s unsuspecting face. They landed at his
feet in a puddle of pink lace.
 “My, aren’t we cheeky today?” he chided, his face a picture of amused
shock. “For that, I think I’ll keep these,” he decided, stooping to pick up the
knickers and place them in his back pocket.
Pleased with her submissive nakedness, Cade walked toward her
purposefully, drew her mouth to his, and tasted her lips softly. Kara
accepted the gentle kiss eagerly, absorbing the warmth of his mouth as
though it could banish every chill that wracked her naked body. Cade
wrapped both of his hands in her hair and pulled her away so he could read
her expression with his next question. “I am going to cuff you. Are you
comfortable with that?” he asked, aware that such an activity might invoke
trauma of the past. Since the ultimate goal of their exercise was to allow
Kara to overcome the dreadful assault and gain some sort of normalcy
again, Cade was willing to take her as far as she was able to go.
“Yes, sir,” Kara answered shakily.
“Very good,” he said proudly, bending low to bestow a soft kiss to her
temple. “Come with me,” he ordered gently, offering his hand. Kara took it
and followed his lead across the room to where an assortment of cuffs hung
in a line against the wall. He pulled up a pair of black leather cuffs, each
adorned with a single loop of silver. “Wrists,” he ordered as he turned to
face Kara.
She complied quickly, presenting both wrists face up before him. The
posture felt a bit as though she were offering herself to be sacrificed, but the
inherent submission of the gesture left her feeling pleasantly tingly in all the
right places. With a steady concentration, Cade took her wrists one at a time
and set about fastening the cuffs, ensuring with professional caution that
they were tight enough to keep her safely in place, but not too tight to cause
harm. Satisfied with his work, Cade released her wrists and allowed her to
adjust to the new accessories. Kara eyed the cuffs curiously, feeling the
unfamiliar weight of them as she moved her arms. The smooth black leather
and silver details definitely had more class than Jace’s choice of restraint.
“Feel good?” Cade asked, watching in amusement as Kara adapted to
wearing real kink accessories for the first time. They looked damned good
on her.
“In a strange way, I believe they do, sir.”
“I am pleased to hear it. I could certainly get used to the sight of you in
cuffs,” he said, his voice husky.
“Is that so?” she inquired temptingly. She closed the small distance
between, placed one hand on his jaw and the other behind his head, and
pulled him down to her lips. The taste of his mouth was so intoxicating that
Kara was nearly ready to forego their whole endeavor, take him upstairs,
and enjoy a rather hard fucking. Cade broke off the kiss before she could
reach complete abandonment and set her a few spaces away from him.
“I don’t believe I gave you permission to kiss me, Kara,” he said with a
stern displeasure that she couldn’t classify as jest with any certainty.
“Do I need permission, sir?” she challenged.
“Tonight I will allow it, but don’t expect me to extend mercy the next
time you take liberties,” he replied darkly, but his eyes held the glint of a
smile.
Arrogant bastard.
“Don’t be expecting a next time,” she answered scathingly.
“I should hope you find yourself in a better state of humility by the end of
the night. I have a low tolerance for bratty behavior.”
Hooking a finger in the silver loop of one of the cuffs, Cade dragged Kara
to the center of the room. With her wrist still in his possession, he lifted her
right arm above her head and attached the cuff to a grate in the ceiling that
she hadn’t noticed until that exact moment. With the shocking display she
was presented with upon entering the room, Kara had never thought to look
up. Her wrist firmly locked in place, Cade moved to fasten the left cuff in a
similar manner. After both arms were restrained and suspended above her
head, Cade took a step back to appreciate the satisfying sight of submission
at its finest.
“You look lovely,” he praised, fairly certain he’d never seen a more
stunning view in his entire life. Cade had never considered approaching
Kara to participate in his lifestyle; he had thought her too uncomfortable
with exhibiting weakness, too stubborn to follow his lead, and yet, she was
in the Hideaway of her own accord. Even if one night of catharsis was all
Kara ever needed or wanted, Cade would cherish Kara’s submission as the
precious gift it was. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m a little anxious,” she answered, glancing up at her restraints
hesitantly. “Jace tied me up before—” She shut her eyes as though it could
shut out the memory of his hands on her. “Before it happened.”
“I know; I saw the marks,” Cade said softly, recalling the familiar
reddened burns on her skin. He often made those very marks on his own
willing participants. Cade reached to grasp Kara’s wrist as he bent to kiss
her neck. “Now it will be my marks left on your skin,” he whispered against
her ear. “Are you okay with that?”
“Yes, sir,” she responded breathily.
“Good. Are you ready to begin?”
“Yes, sir.”
Cade attempted to quell the excitement that began to build at her words.
Though he had continued to engage in sessions at his private club, Cade had
not used the Hideaway and his personal collection of toys and implements
in quite some time. Enticing options coursed through his head as he
contemplated which implement would be best used on his girl.
Unaccustomed to playing with someone so inexperienced, Cade decided it
would be sensible to establish some foundation as to Kara’s expectations
and tolerance.
“Have you ever engaged in pain play, Kara?”
“Not really, sir.”
“I am afraid I’ll need a more concise answer than not really.”
Kara blushed as she pushed through the embarrassment to be more
descriptive. “You know, standard sex stuff—light spanking, playful biting,
hair pulling. Nothing quite so professional as this.”
“I see,” Cade said with a smile. His sweet, vanilla girl was about to get an
education. “How would you rate your pain tolerance?”
Kara thought back to that night with Jace. Even with everything he put
her through, it was almost as though she had disappeared from her body.
She could hardly feel a thing until after he had left the room. That was
when she allowed herself to acknowledge the pain, when her tears would
belong to no one but her. The only other time she had experienced pain like
that was after the car accident. Kara had used the pain from her injuries to
keep herself from going numb after the loss of her parents. The doctors had
been baffled by her ability to persevere and recover without the use of pain
medication. Kara supposed she had always treated pain as a mental
obstacle; she could revel in it when she wanted to feel its power or she
could overcome it to keep from breaking.
“High,” she answered after a moment of self-reflection.
Cade’s brows lifted in surprise. “High? Are you certain?”
 “I’m sure, sir.”
“Well, you are full of surprises this evening. How far do you want me to
take you?”
Kara bit her lip as she contemplated his words. How far did she want to
go? “To the point where all I feel is you on my body. Erase the memory of
him on my skin. Write over the pain he left, the marks he made. Make them
yours. Make me yours. Please,” she begged almost desperately.
Cade had to wonder if she knew what she was asking for with such
determination, such trust. He moved his hand to tenderly caress the
smoothness of Kara’s bruised cheek. “Are you completely certain that you
want your entire body—every mark—to belong to me?”
“Yes, sir,” Kara answered with finality.
Before she had a moment to reconsider her decision, Cade drew back his
hand and slapped her across the face. Hard. Hard enough to bruise. Kara’s
wide eyes filled with tears of shock and pain at the brutality of the act as
she pressed her burning cheek into the cool skin of her shoulder. She
couldn’t believe that he had hit her. Kara understood the irony of her
infuriation, considering Cade had merely met her demands, but there was
something inherently degrading, something intrinsically barbaric about
hitting a woman in the face. Embarrassed and confused, Kara kept her eyes
lowered as she reconsidered what the hell she was doing.
Cade read the tension in Kara’s body as he held himself at a distance,
allowing her to process exactly what the session with him would entail. He
hadn’t wanted to hurt her, especially in a way so lacking in pleasure, but it
was what she needed. She deserved to own her body once again, and he
intended to give it back into her possession one piece at a time. Tentatively
grasping her chin and raising her head up to face him, Cade searched her
eyes as fresh tears pooled and spilled down her flushed cheeks. She was
breathtaking, perhaps more so than ever before, as she slowly shattered into
lovely, fractured pieces in front of him. Cade lowered his mouth to her
bright red cheek and softly brushed his lips over the dark mark of his hand
marring her pale skin. His tongue found a trail of her tears and licked her
from chin to cheek bone, savoring the saltiness mingled with the sweet taste
of her.
“Mine,” Cade declared roughly, looking deeply into her eyes and willing
the truth of his statement to penetrate the farthest recesses of her mind. She
had asked him to erase the memory of Jace from her mind and body. Cade
planned to be meticulously accommodating.
Kara looked at him incredulously as her conflicting emotions incited
inner turmoil. The burn of his blow mingled with the warmth of his kiss,
barbarism tempered with tenderness. The contrasting combination of the
two sent the blood in her veins singing with the sweetest sensation that
could only be likened to euphoria. Cade read the realization in her face and
couldn’t help but smile.
“Would you like more?” he asked knowingly.
“Yes, please, sir,” Kara answered, startled by how much she did.
Cade circled her, appraising the extent of the damage left behind by Jace.
The bastard had marked her thoroughly. Kara would have to withstand a
considerable amount of blows if Cade was to reclaim her body completely.
He contemplated the best choice of implement with a professional
prudence. “I think we can find something with a little more finesse than my
belt,” Cade remarked playfully as he walked around the room to survey his
vast collection.
 Kara followed his movements in suspense, growing a little anxious as he
disappeared beyond her sight. Considering it was Kara’s first time and the
application would cover much of her body, Cade needed something light.
Though he rarely used such a low impact tool in a typical scene, Cade
decided a flogger would best suit Kara’s needs in their particular situation.
Lifting the unthreatening instrument from where it hung on the wall, Cade
presented the item almost ceremoniously before Kara.
“A flogger,” he announced by definition, correctly assuming that Kara
would be unacquainted with its name.
As she eyed the mild looking tool in Cade’s hands, her face distorted into
an expression reminiscent of disappointment. From her unconventional tour
of Cade’s room, Kara remembered the feel of the flogger, soft strands that
emulated caresses. But a caress was not the sensation Kara ached for; she
needed more and was slightly hurt that Cade had determined she only had
the strength to endure softness.
“Is something wrong?” Cade asked in confusion, noticing the furrow of
her brow as she looked at the flogger in distaste.
“It’s just…well…I suppose I had been expecting something a little more
menacing than that,” Kara answered, gesturing with her head to the flogger
in his hands.
“I see,” Cade remarked dangerously. “So you take issue with my choice
of implement? Or perhaps with my ability to wield it?”
Shit.
As she heard the darkening of his tone, Kara felt the chill of panic wash
over her. “I am sure you are more than capable, sir,” Kara placated hastily.
“I just think I can handle something that hurts more than a flogger.”
 “Kara, I am skilled enough to inflict pain with even the most mundane of
objects. With an instrument that is specifically designed for both pleasure
and pain, I assure you, I can make it hurt.”
She believed him wholeheartedly, but she was willing to further risk his
displeasure with one more question. There was a single thing she hoped
most to gain from their endeavor, and she seriously doubted the flogger had
the potential to satisfy her desires. “Will it leave a lasting mark, sir?”
The question caught Cade off guard. He hadn’t chosen the flogger with
the intention of leaving a lasting imprint on her skin, and he hadn’t
considered that she would care. In his world, it was typically masochists
who relished the marks left by their Dominants, a way to savor and
remember the pain they’d received after a scene was finished. From their
previous encounters, Cade could safely assume that Kara was not a
masochist—at least not entirely—but he had failed to remember that she
had been intimately acquainted with a sadist in the worst possible way. With
slow, dawning awareness, Cade realized that Kara had been literal in her
request that he write over the pain Jace had left, and, in some singular way,
her need for physical proof that Jace was not the last person to touch her
made sense.
“You want me to mark you, Kara? Like he did?”
“Yes, sir,” she answered, aware that she sounded marginally insane.
“It will hurt,” he explained unnecessarily, wholly certain of what her
response would be.
“I know, sir.”
“As you wish, though I dare say you’ve quite removed any element of
dominance from this session,” Cade conceded moodily as he walked to
return the flogger to its appropriate place. “You merely have me playing the
sadist for your own personal needs. Truthfully, I feel quite used,” he
lamented with a tone of playfulness.
“Caden Ashford, exploited at the hands of a woman? My, what a novel
experience that must be for a man who gets off on dominating the weaker
sex.”
“Watch your tone, love. I have yet to determine my choice of weapon,
and your continued provocation ensures that you will not appreciate my
decision,” Cade threatened darkly as he continued to test and consider
multiple implements around the room.
“My apologies, consider me fully submissive and at your disposal, sir.
Happy?”
“As a matter of fact, I am, though you likely won’t be in such a cheeky
mood much longer,” Cade remarked as he came into view holding the first
item Kara touched upon entering the Hideaway—a thin, flexible cane.
Fucking. Shit.
“Satisfied, love?” he asked pointedly as he turned the cane in his hands,
gratified to see a glimmer of apprehension appear in her eyes.
“Terrified,” she answered truthfully. Kara knew that she’d asked for pain,
she’d asked for marks, but she had never asked for that.
“Finally, she shows some capacity for self-preservation,” Cade
commented with a sardonic roll of his eyes. Kara merely glared in response.
“Has your resolve faltered, or are you still intent on continuing?” he asked,
striking the cane against his thigh loudly for emphasis.
Kara flinched, both at the movement and at the thought of the cane on
bare skin. “Yes,” she answered softly after the smallest hesitation, her eyes
locked on his.
“To which question?”
 “Both? Yes, my resolve is slightly shaken as you brandish that weapon so
menacingly, but yes, I want to continue.”
“Do you remember your safe-word?”
“Thornfield,” she confirmed after a shaky breath, aware that she was now
past the point of no return.
“Good. I’ll remind you a final time that I am to be addressed as ‘sir.’ The
next time you experience a lapse in the appropriate respect you won’t enjoy
the outcome,” he responded firmly.
“Yes, sir,” Kara agreed hastily.
Cade traced the tip of the cane along her skin, sliding it down her neck,
circling her breasts, trailing across her abdomen, grazing the softness at the
junction of her thighs before continuing lower down her legs—adjusting her
senses to the feel of the rod. He hoped an introduction of intimacy before
pain would help to lessen her apprehension.
Slowly, Kara warmed to the sensation of the cane gliding across her skin,
welcoming it as an extension of Cade, caressing her body as he would with
his hands, and she opened herself to his exploration. Having thoroughly
christened the front of her body, Cade moved behind her to continue his
attentions. Kara felt the tip of the cane travel down her spine and shivered
as it skimmed the delicate nerves along the center of her naked back. Cade
paused when he reached the curve of her bottom, dragging the cane across
the fullest swell of her backside back and forth as though he held a bow and
her body was an instrument to be played.
“I am going to hit you here, Kara,” he warned, his voice rough and full of
emotion. “Take a deep breath, love.”
Racked with anticipation and dread, Kara inhaled shakily. As she exhaled,
the first searing strike of the cane sliced across the tender skin of her
backside, leaving a cruel, red stripe in its wake. Kara cried out. She hadn’t
meant to, possessing every intention of enduring the pain in silence, but she
could not contain her body’s instinctual reaction, her courage surmounted
by the overwhelming agony so new and unfamiliar. Kara had known pain in
her life, but somehow Cade’s version felt like an entirely new variety of
sensation.
“Are you okay?” he asked, a hint of concern in his tone.
Kara nodded, unsure if she could trust the strength of her voice to speak.
“Answer me,” he commanded, unsatisfied with the slight nod as proof of
her well being.
“I’m okay, sir,” she answered weakly.
Satisfied, Cade stroked her gently with the cane, perhaps an inch below
the first blow, as he prepared her skin for the next strike. When he hit her
the second time, Kara gasped sharply, clenching her teeth to keep any
louder reactions at bay. She felt more prepared when Cade aligned the cane
with her skin the third time. Biting her lip as the blow fell, she was able to
remain silent, much to her satisfaction. She whimpered softly as the fourth
strike took her by surprise. After Cade delivered the fifth cut of the cane to
the lowest spot on her backside, Kara felt tears on her cheeks. Every nerve
in her body cried out against the injustice of Cade’s assault, but her resolve
held firm. Tensing for the next blow, Kara was startled when she felt the
cool touch of Cade’s lips, rather than the cane, on her burning skin.
There were five lovely marks, perfectly spaced red lines against pale skin,
and Cade delivered a soft kiss to each. They belonged to him. With every
strike, every kiss, Cade felt as though he took complete possession of Kara
as well.
 After the brief reprieve, Kara once again felt the touch of the cane on her
skin, this time aligned with her upper thighs. Considering the introductory
period concluded, Cade made no attempt to ease the blows on her thighs,
bringing the cane down harshly and swiftly as he marked her with
consecutive stripes. Kara counted the blows silently, envisioning where the
next would fall. She preferred the rapid succession of strikes; it allowed her
to focus less on the point of pain and more on the culmination of stinginess
that spread through her legs. Transcending the previous agony, Kara
endured five cuts of the cane to the backs of her thighs with little more than
a whimper. She allowed herself to relax slightly as the strikes of the cane
subsided, assuming Cade had met his quota with a total of ten blows. The
sound of the cruel implement slicing through the air once more caught her
off guard, a belated warning of anguish to come. An unfamiliar shriek
escaped her lips as the cane landed diagonally across all five of the stripes
etched into the back of her thighs.
Fucking. Sadist.
Kara wrestled with feelings of hatred as Cade knelt behind her and
continued his ritual of kissing her new marks. He had hit her harder the
second round, and the feel of his lips burned as though he chafed an open
wound. If one thing was certain, Kara would no longer remember Jace
when she succumbed to agony with the smallest movement thanks to
Cade’s more than diligent torture. She supposed the vicious efficiency was
to be expected when you employed a professional.
Having atoned for his deeds with six kisses, Cade walked around to face
Kara, anxious to gauge her physical and emotional state. She had taken a
considerable amount of pain in near silence, a feat that was difficult to
accomplish when a cane was involved, even with experience and training.
Astonishingly, her assessment of her pain tolerance appeared to be accurate.
When he stood before her, Kara raised her eyes boldly to meet his gaze.
Accustomed to a version of Kara that was always perfectly composed, Cade
appreciated how vulnerable she looked in that moment with tear-dampened
cheeks, mascara smudged beneath her eyes, and her bottom lip unnaturally
red as though she’d bitten through the skin to keep silent. He doubted if
anyone had ever looked lovelier.
Cade searched her expression for any sign of devastation or surrender, but
he found only determination. There was a burgeoning sense of pride
blooming within his chest as he considered how the girl who appeared so
delicate could be so unbelievably strong. Kara had proved that tenacity over
and over from the moment they met. Cade lifted his thumb to her mouth
and lightly stroked her full bottom lip, denying every instinct that told him
to conquer that mouth and make it his that very instant. He read the
language of her body as she leaned into him, pleading for the embrace he
withheld, but satisfaction for the both of them would have to wait.
“I’ll continue here,” Cade informed brusquely as he pulled away from
her, using the cane to stroke up and down the fronts of her thighs marred by
the imprint of Jace’s hands. Kara swallowed anxiously. Her bruised thighs
already felt sensitive to the soft touch of the cane; she couldn’t imagine how
excruciating it would be to have the full force of Cade’s blows cutting into
the tender skin. Even worse, she would be able to anticipate the moment of
every strike and see the damage that was done.
“May I close my eyes, sir?” she asked timidly.
“You may,” Cade allowed, surprised that she was getting suddenly
squeamish after she’d already been hit quite a few times. He made a mental
note to implement a blindfold the next time they engaged in impact play. If
there was a next time.
Shutting her eyes tightly, Kara took a deep breath as she prepared for the
next onslaught. The first blow fell unexpectedly high, grazing her most
sensitive region, as she exhaled sharply. She hoped against reason she
would never feel the sting of the cane a couple inches higher. The next two
came quickly as Cade made his way down her legs. She groaned through
gritted teeth as the fourth landed on a particularly tender spot where Jace
had grabbed her, washing away the past violence with Cade’s variety of
brutality. Kara prepared for the worst after the fifth strike came. Never
failing to disappoint, Cade brought the cane down hard on top of the
preceding red welts. Kara sobbed softly in relief as the sixth brought with it
a brief intermission from the pain.
As Cade sank to his knees to administer his six caresses, Kara focused on
steadying her breathing and absorbing the sensations reverberating through
her body. More curious than courageous, Kara tentatively opened her eyes
to view the damage Cade had dealt. The sight of Cade knelt between her
legs with his mouth on her skin sent a thrill through her body that
momentarily wiped every other thought from her mind. She spread her legs
slightly wider, willing his lips to travel upward to where her most sensitive
region waited impatiently. If Cade had any inkling of Kara’s more than
obvious hint, he certainly didn’t show it, keeping his attention infuriatingly
focused on her thighs only. Resigned to remaining unsatisfied, Kara sought
out her initial point of focus.
Shockingly, the marks of the cane appeared to look even worse than they
sounded and felt. Angry red welts streaked symmetrically across her thighs,
the skin broken slightly at every point where the final blow had met with
the other five. She hadn’t expected Cade to draw blood; the sight of her
abused skin incited emotions she couldn’t quite describe. If she were
honest, she might admit that the marks of ownership inspired arousal, and
she could not tear her eyes away from the sight of those red lines.
“Are you ready?” he asked, startling her from a fascination with the new
adornment of her thighs.
“Yes, sir,” Kara answered almost eagerly, curious to see where he would
aim his attentions next. She blanched as he laid the cane across the tops of
her breasts in response to her silent inquiry.
Certainly he wouldn’t?
Kara had serious doubts about that particular part of the body being an
appropriate point of application for a cane, or any instrument really. After a
moment of stroking the cane against the skin of her breasts, he drew back to
deliver the first blow.
“Cade!” Kara shouted in horror, breaking her pretense of submission.
Cade stayed his hand as an expression of concern washed over his
features. “Are you okay?” he asked worriedly, gauging her breathing and
heart rate for signs of distress. Had he gone too far? “If you would like to
utilize your safe-word, do so now,” he instructed gently. He didn’t want to
push her past her breaking point, but he also was hesitant to stop until her
needs had been fully satiated. The choice was entirely up to her.
Kara remained silent, shamefully aware that she had attempted to stop
Cade without having reached a point where she was prepared to use a safe-
word.
“I see,” Cade commented with a hint of chastisement, his brows furrowed
in displeasure. “As you still consent to submit to my authority, that little
outburst has incurred an additional strike as punishment,” he said right
before bringing the cane down hard across the center of her ass and pulling
a whimper of pain from her lips. “Now, do you have any complaints of
which I need to be apprised?”
“No, sir,” she answered with heaving breaths, still reeling from the
discomfort of having her ass further assaulted.
“Good.” Without another word, Cade continued with his work at the top
of her breasts, delivering slightly lighter strikes to the delicate area. Though
the cane hit a new spot every time, Kara felt as though she was becoming
desensitized to the pain of it, the sensation morphing into something
entirely unfamiliar, almost akin to elation. Kara was aware of the pain, but
she found herself being pulled toward it, craving the next strike rather than
shrinking from it. Slowly, the pain that had threatened to overwhelm her
senses seemed to be driving her toward release. She lost count as the blows
fell in a haze, slicing across her skin with the sweetest sting. Cade layered a
final, brutal strike upon the imprint of Jace’s teeth on her breast before
concluding the caning.
When the pain ceased, Kara’s body ached in its absence, like cold-
numbed nerves upon their first, jarring introduction to warmth. As the dull
desensitization slowly faded, her skin burned like fire, but the heat felt
invigorating after so many days spent in numb desolation. Cade had
shocked her senses from the slumber of surrender, and they screamed in
agony and bliss.
Cade reverently bent his head to bestow kisses more tenderly than ever
upon the raw skin of her breasts. He began with the lowest stripes, kissing
and running his tongue along the entirety of the red lines. When he reached
the center of her breast, he took each nipple into his mouth and sucked
deeply. Kara moaned as the arousal traveled straight to the soaked slit
between her legs. Far too quickly, Cade moved his lips from her nipples to
the higher marks streaked across her chest. When his mouth found the twin
crescents left by Jace upon her upper breast, Cade bared his teeth and bit
down hard, hard enough to draw blood as Kara whimpered in both agony
and ecstasy. Having finished anointing her marks with his mouth, Cade
raised dark, smoldering eyes in search of hers, his body tense with passion
that seemed just barely enslaved by the bounds of self-control. Were she not
restrained herself, Kara would have extended every effort to set his passions
free, gladly reaping the consequences of both his ardor and his violence
unconstrained.
“One more to go,” Cade announced gruffly, forcing himself to draw back
when all he wanted to do was be inside her that very moment. With one
more spot to claim, she would be his in every sense of the word. “Spread
your legs, Kara.”
She hesitated merely a moment before opening herself for whatever
purpose Cade deigned, uncharacteristically willing to obey his command
without question. Perhaps she had been lulled into submission due to the
onset of pain induced delirium. The notion seemed plausible, but what
didn’t satisfy logic was the fact that she was covered in welts and bruises
and somehow felt nothing that remotely resembled pain. Somehow, Cade
had mended her spirit even as he destroyed her body. Perhaps there was
something to be said for the lifestyle of dominance that Cade was drawn to.
“Wider, love. I have a very specific target in mind.”
Kara complied instantly, spreading her legs as far apart as comfortably
possible, his words warming her insides in anticipation. Satisfied with her
stance, Cade touched the cane to the spot between her legs, gently sliding
the wooden rod along the folds of her pussy, stroking her from clit to slit.
Finally receiving the attention she’d been craving all night, Kara moaned as
the cane slipped easily back and forth, aided by her own, dripping wetness.
Cade allowed her to enjoy a moment of pleasure, appreciating the sounds
that escaped her lips every time the cane made contact with her clit,
imagining how she would sound when he replaced the cane with his cock.
As Kara neared release, Cade drew back the cane and delivered a final,
piercing blow to the most intimate part of her body. An unearthly scream
that encompassed all that was torment and euphoria and everything in
between rose from the depths of Kara’s being. Cade heard it like the call of
a siren, threw the cane to the floor, and made all haste to claim the reward
he had endeavored all night to earn. Without the patience to remove her
restraints or move her to a more comfortable position, he violently threw
himself against Kara. Fervent hands tangled in her hair; he pulled sharply,
forcing her mouth to his, devouring the taste of her as though he was at the
brink of starvation and Kara was all that could sustain him. Keeping a firm
grasp on her hair, Cade slipped one hand down Kara’s neck and wrapped
his fingers tightly around her throat, pressing hard where Jace had left his
fingerprints in bruises.
“You are mine,” Cade whispered harshly in her ear, appreciating the surge
of dominance he felt as he held her very consciousness in his possession.
As Kara felt her vision slowly start to darken, Cade loosened his grip on
her throat and moved his hands over her body greedily, tracing every inch
of her skin as though it was the first time he had ever touched her, the first
time she was truly his. And for the first time, Cade held nothing back. Kara
gasped as rough hands brushed against fresh bruises and welts, desperate
fingers clawed at raw skin, every sensation igniting the need for more. She
ached to touch Cade, pulling against the restraints that rendered her
powerless to unleash the raw passion that had been building inside her, like
a balloon about to burst. The feeling of being cuffed in place was
infuriating, and yet, she knew this was how Cade liked her—helpless,
exposed, entirely pliant to his demands.
Strong fingers dug painfully into her thighs as Kara felt herself being
hoisted high enough to meet Cade at eye level. Instinctively, she wrapped
her legs around his hips and tightened to draw him closer to her body.
Though she didn't have the use of her hands, Kara could certainly make due
with the lower half of her body. Cade growled appreciatively at Kara’s
eagerness, pleasantly surprised that the rather extensive caning had done
little to quell her carnal appetites.
“Fuck me, please, sir,” Kara pleaded between breathless kisses—
desperate, aching, and near death with a sheer, indescribable need to be
filled.
Cade groaned into her mouth, her begging and her submission sending an
electrifying shock of arousal straight to his cock. “Hold on tight, love,”
Cade instructed, releasing his hold on Kara as he frantically worked to undo
his belt and lower his pants beneath the grip of her legs around his waist.
Finally, his cock sprang free, the steel-like hardness jutting into the
painful lashes on the backs of Kara’s thighs. She whimpered at the feel of
him against her tender skin, both in pain and in the need for more. Cade’s
fingers savagely gripped the raw skin of her ass as he spread her open and
lined up his cock at her drenched pussy. In one brutal thrust, Cade impaled
her completely, drawing a scream from her open mouth as his cock stuffed
her full, almost too full as she struggled to accept his overwhelming size
without agony. It was impossible; sex with Cade would always mean a
mingling of pain and pleasure even if the only weapon he wielded was his
cock.
The room echoed with the sound of flesh violently meeting flesh as Cade
fucked her ruthlessly. With her arms restrained, Kara could do little more
than latch on with her legs as best as she could while her body was wrecked
and ravaged. Cade fucked her as though it was the last thing he would ever
do; Kara reveled in his punishing thrusts as though it was the first time she
had ever been fucked, truly and completely. She had never felt so
dominated, free, pleasured, and split entirely fucking open.
“You are mine. Do you fucking hear me? Every scream, every tear, every
breath,” Cade squeezed his fingers around Kara’s throat until he stifled the
very air in her lungs, “every fucking heartbeat is mine. Do you
understand?” His voice sounded violent and manic and unfamiliar to his
own ears. Kara had unleashed the ferocious beast that lurked beneath his
calm, calculated composure. The possessive demon whose thirst for
dominance and blood he had taken great pains to keep carefully satiated
instead of allowing the monster to devour at its pleasure. Now that the beast
had fed, had tasted the sweetness of Kara’s tears and pain and submission,
there would be no stopping it. Kara no longer had any hope of escape.
“Answer me,” Cade commanded harshly as his fingers pressed deeply into
her throat with bruising strength.
Kara nodded frantically, her ability to speak stolen by the delicious agony
of his hand constricted around her vocal cords.
“Say the fucking words, Kara,” Cade growled with his mouth against
hers, their lips nearly touching as though he meant to kiss her. Or bite her.
He loosened his hold enough for Kara to draw small gasps of breath. The
demon inside needed to hear her say she belonged to him.
 “I’m yours, Cade. I’m all yours. Take everything. Everything that I am
belongs to you,” Kara answered in heavy breaths, her pupils blown and her
lips quivering with the need to feel the warmth of his mouth on her.
“Fuck, baby,” Cade groaned in ecstasy at her surrender. His hand moved
to her hair and gripped painfully, dragging her lips to his as he devoured
and ravaged, his teeth drawing blood and his tongue lapping it away as
though it were the most intoxicating thing he had ever tasted. Because it
fucking was. His other hand dug into the welts on her backside, slamming
her onto his cock while she struggled to keep her legs wrapped around his
waist as he fucked her mercilessly, his rhythm vicious and unmatchable.
Kara felt the pleasure building deep in her core as Cade’s cock and hands
and lips tore unearthly moans from her body. The fire pulsing through her
veins was unlike anything she’d ever felt before. He was incinerating her
and creating her anew with every thrust of his body.
“Come for me, Kara. Fucking scream my name while you shatter on my
cock and soak me with your cum.” Cade slapped the angry red welts on her
arse so hard that she cried out in intertwined agony and bliss. “Show me
who fucking owns you.” Cade gripped her ass with both hands,
possessively digging his nails into the broken skin as he fucked her harder
than he had ever fucked in his life, as though he were trying to fuck her
very soul from her body.
“Cade!” Kara detonated, fracturing into a million shards of pleasure and
pain and every emotion in between. “Cade, Cade, Cade,” she breathed his
name over and over, like a prayer on her swollen, aching lips. Her arousal
flooded out of her, drenching his cock and thighs and the marble floor
below as he continued to savagely fuck her. The wet sound of their flesh
fervidly colliding was the most lasciviously entrancing symphony she’d
ever heard. She couldn’t help but stare at the beautifully obscene sight of
his hard cock entering her dripping pussy like it belonged there.
“Kiss me, Cade,” she pleaded, her voice half-dazed. “Please.” She
desperately needed to touch him, to show him just how much she possessed
him too. With his hands still on her ass, Cade crashed his lips into her.
There was nothing gentle about their kiss; it was a battle—a brutal, vicious
collision of lips and teeth and tongue. This time, rather than letting Cade
consume her, Kara matched his violence with her own. If he was out for
blood, if he was out to devour and conquer, then so was she. “You’re mine,
Caden Ashford,” Kara declared forcefully, her voice full of a power and
dominance she had never known existed before Cade. Her teeth tore into his
bottom lip and pulled as hard as she could, her tongue tasting copper as his
skin broke beneath the force. Cade groaned into her mouth, the sound
guttural and primal.
“Fuck me,” Cade growled as he came undone, his cock swelling as he
filled her with his cum. He felt Kara’s cunt convulse around him, strangling
his cock with spasm after spasm of pleasure as she came again, this time
wordlessly, breathlessly, her energy absolutely spent. Cade stayed inside of
her, not wanting a single drop of his cum to escape her still throbbing pussy.
When Kara seemed to be on the verge of passing out from exhaustion, Cade
finally withdrew his cock, using his fingers to capture the cum that dripped
down her thighs and fucked it back into her with his fingers.
Fucking. Mine.
Cade released Kara from the restraints, carrying her over to the bed and
laying her gently on the sheets. Her eyes fluttered as she tried to hold onto
consciousness, the lull of sleep begging to overtake her. Cade stroked her
cheek, sweeping aside her sweaty hair and brushing away tears she’d cried
in ecstasy. She looked absolutely wrecked and absolutely breathtaking.
“You have exceeded my every expectation, love,” Cade said in awe as he
trailed his fingers down the side of her neck, noting the bruises left by his
hands. “You are so much more than the meek little librarian I watched from
the windows at the university.”
Kara peeked open heavy eyes to glare at him. “The fact that you think
that’s a normal statement proves I’ve fallen for an absolute lunatic. I’ll add
stalking to your lengthy list of offenses.”
“You’ve fallen for me, have you?” Cade asked, a mischievous glint in his
eyes as he glossed over the rest of her insults and focused on that one,
weighty word.
Kara flinched when she realized he’d caught the slip of her tongue.
Whatever she felt for Cade, she wasn’t in an appropriate state of mind to
make that sort of declaration, not with his cum dripping down her thighs
and his bruises decorating her skin. Kara cleared her throat nervously. “Yes,
fallen, as in I’ve leapt from the edge of reason and plummeted into the
chasm of whatever blissful insanity this is.”
“What lovely evasion, my dear,” Cade teased playfully as he bent to steal
another kiss from her lips. “To think, all of this happened because you
wouldn’t hand over a fucking book. As much as it generally vexes me,
perhaps I should be thanking you for your stubbornness. I couldn’t bend
you to my will if I tried. And, as we both are intimately aware, I have tried.
Endlessly.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” Kara taunted with a mischievous smirk.
“Is that so? Meaning what, exactly?” Cade asked in confusion.
“Meaning, I wouldn’t be so sure of your failure to attain the Chaucer text.
And, if you were to currently peruse your library, you might find yourself in
possession of an extra first edition,” Kara elaborated smugly.
“You’ve hidden stolen contraband in my library?” Cade asked with
feigned outrage.
“Well, I’m sure it wouldn’t be the first time,” Kara replied with an eye
roll as she tried to swat at him before he darted out of reach.
“Really, though, however did you manage that?” Cade inquired in
astonishment.
“Remember that time I ran away from you?”
“How could I forget?” Cade answered fondly, the sadistic gleam in his
eyes hinting that the experience was memorable for entirely different
reasons than her own.
“Well, I had more than one reason for making a temporary trip to the
university. I wanted to make sure that The Canterbury Tales was secure, and
what better place to conceal it than the house of the man commissioned to
steal it? Even if Avery had managed to gain access to the archives, he
wouldn’t have found his generous donation among the texts.”
“That was surprisingly devious of you, love. I’m thoroughly impressed.”
“Now do you feel bad for beating me with a belt?”
“Not in the least,” Cade replied without a touch of remorse.
“Fucking sadist,” Kara huffed before closing her eyes and curling into the
warm safety of Cade’s embrace.
Cade wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his body as tightly as
he could without suffocating her. Barely. She fit against him perfectly,
filling all the empty spaces as though they were two jagged halves of the
same whole finally pieced together. One thing was certain, he’d never allow
her to fucking escape him again.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY

J ACE had vanished like a cockroach in the dark. As hard as Cade,

Braxton, and Ortega had tried to find the son of a bitch, he was gone
without a fucking trace. That was, until the prick found the opportune
moment to come crawling back. Cade stared grimly at the ominous text
he’d received the night before.

bring me the book…or the next time i take kara i’ll cut her up piece by
piece and leave her remains scattered for you like a goddamn scavenger
hunt. you like games don’t you ashford? give me what i want or we’ll see
how dangerous you like to play.

Cade would have offered the cunt any sum of money to keep him the fuck
away from Kara, but—as was goddamn typical—Jace was asking for
something far more costly than money. Cade had made the mistake of
allowing Kara to become his one weakness, and the fucking bastard was
more than willing to exploit it to his advantage. As much as Cade wanted to
tell Jace to go fuck himself, he knew he couldn’t risk Kara’s safety. Much
like himself, Jace wasn’t one to make idle threats.

meet me by the den of iniquity at 10pm tonight…come alone.

A second text had come in early that morning. The sound had startled both
of them awake, and Cade had turned over to shield his phone from the
sleepy, prying eyes of the beautiful woman lying naked beside him. The
fact that Jace’s threats had put a damper on his intent to have a lazy
morning fuck with Kara already had him storming around the house in a
fury. If Kara could tell he was being secretive, she didn’t let on. He’d
deleted the messages just to be safe, but he would only be half surprised if
Kara somehow manage to tail him and show up at the rendezvous that
night. As a precaution, Cade had arranged a distraction for her—courtesy of
Declan and Mrs. Hughes.
The guilt of having to betray Kara’s trust to protect her safety twisted in
his gut like a knife. She was wiling to give her life to protect that damn
book, but Cade no intention of allowing that to happen. He would do
everything in his power to keep her from harm, even if there would be hell
to pay later on. But he wouldn’t be the only one paying. It might not be that
day or that week or that year, but someday soon that traitorous piece of shit
was going to pay with his life. And Cade would be there to delight in every
scream, every beg for mercy, every drop of blood wrung painfully from his
miserable carcass. And the thought of torturing Jace into his reservation in
hell was the first thing to put a genuine smile on Cade’s face that day.

THE seedy streets of Chicago’s underbelly were sweaty and crowded.

Whores beckoned seductively with spread legs and red-painted lips. Junkies
chased their highs in a variety of ways. Everyone who came to that part of
town was seeking either release or profit. Or perhaps a bit of both.
It was a licentious playground where one’s wildest fantasies could be
granted, one’s darkest desires explored without prejudice. There was once a
time when Cade had been lured to those very streets, enticed by the promise
of freedom in all respects. He had since found more established venues for
his particular appetites, but the wanton abandon being experienced all
around still called to him like a soft, familiar hum. Cade ignored it and
continued toward Jace’s chosen meeting place.
Jace had picked the perfect location for their exchange. There were
hundreds of witnesses, all with eyes blind to the illicit, though some may
take offense if Cade decided to take Jace’s life rather than accepting his
cowardly extortion. Regardless of the consequences, Cade knew he would
be tempted to try as soon as he saw the traitorous cunt.

The cathedral stood out pristinely amongst the other decrepit buildings in a
state of disrepair due to overuse and neglect. It was a beacon to all sinners,
though with an entirely different message than eternal salvation. More like
delight in damnation. And hundreds flocked to the revamped kink club to
do just that.
Its facade was uncharacteristically gothic for a chapel built in a country of
such young architecture, reminiscent of thirteenth century cathedrals that
embellished the timeworn cities and countrysides of France and Germany.
The stained glass windows depicting biblical narratives were blacked out,
shrouding its internal activities in mystery. Crimson tinted spotlights
illuminated the stone spires, transforming the sanctuary into a hellish
palace. Music thumped entrancingly, like the call of a siren, from the open
doors. After his business was concluded, Cade had half a mind to return
with Kara and introduce her to Chicago’s sexual underworld. He had given
her a taste of depravity, and she hadn’t shied away. Perhaps, she was ready
for more.
Cade’s musings were disrupted when he spotted a familiar figure amongst
the throng. Jace. Cade felt like a daft twat for keeping such a deplorable
specimen in his confidence and on his payroll for years. Kara had revealed
Jace for who he truly was, and Cade would never recover from the
overwhelming guilt at what she had suffered at his hands. Jace would
receive his recompense for harming Kara. One day, when Jace was happy
and free and enjoying life, Cade would come to rip away everything Jace
held dear. And then he would take his miserable fucking life. And his death
would be as excruciatingly torturous as humanly possible, for pain was a
tool Cade wielded all too easily.
Jace signaled to Cade from among the crowd, unperturbed by the threats
of death and destruction written upon his face. He had chosen their location
for a strategic reason, knowing his safety was guaranteed among the mass
of witnesses, knowing Cade wouldn’t risk being caught regardless of
whatever indecencies Jace had committed against his precious little pet.
“Ashford,” Jace greeted causally as he had done nearly every day for
years, as though nothing had changed between them.
“Jace,” Cade answered cautiously, as though meeting a stranger wearing a
mask of the man with whom he had been so well acquainted. Cade toyed
with the idea of peeling flesh from bone to discover what truly lay beneath
—monster or man.
“How is dear Kara?” Jace asked, sounding deceptively conversational as
though commenting on the weather.
Cade knew the comment for what it really was—the stab of a knife aimed
straight at his heart. “Keep her name out of your vile, fucking mouth,” Cade
answered through gritted teeth, his eyes glittering with the dark fury of
death.
“Oh, I’ve had more than just her name in my mouth. I’ve tasted all of her.
Thoroughly,” Jace responded, running his tongue along his top lip at the
delicious memory.
Cade clenched his fists at his side, using all of his self-control to remain
stonily silent in spite of Jace’s taunts.
Jace took Cade’s silence as permission to continue his brutal assault. “Did
she tell you how she screamed when I thrust my cock inside her? How she
begged and cried for mercy as I fucked her within an inch of her sanity?
How sweet she tasted as I devoured her mouth and her breasts and licked
the saltiness of tears from her skin? How hot and tight her cunt was as I
poured my cum inside her?”
“You motherfucking piece of shit!” Cade shouted as he strode toward
Jace and punched him squarely in the jaw, his self-control losing a battle
with his body’s primal demand for vengeance and violence and blood.
“Damnit, Ashford,” Jace gasped in surprise as he clutched his smarting
face, spitting out the acrid taste of blood that filled his mouth. “Why so
fucking angry? Is some bitch really worth all this animosity between us?
You and I have been partners for five years. You’ve known this girl for all
of two months. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a great fuck, but she’s nothing
special.” Jace wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth,
glancing at the red stain on the back of his knuckles thoughtfully. “Tell me,
do you think of me when you fuck her?”
“Neither of us have given you a moment’s thought since you left,” Cade
bluffed, his hand twitching to deliver another blow.
“Oh, I highly doubt that. I marked her just for you. A memento to
remember me by. I bet some still linger on her skin even now,” Jace
tormented.
Cade flexed his jaw tightly at the reminder. Jace’s horrific marks on
Kara’s body had been dealt with rather drastically, effaced by his own form
of violence as Kara had requested. Cade’s bruises mingled with Jace’s, the
owner of each indecipherable. It was the only way he had been able to sleep
with Kara with a measure of his sanity still intact.
“This immature taunting is befitting a child, Jace. Not a grown man
supposedly in possession of both his balls. I believe an exchange is in
order? Stop stalling and get to it,” Cade demanded gruffly.
“So eager to barter away the sacred item your precious fucktoy was
willing to give her life to protect? Is she aware of our little deal, or are you
already keeping secrets from her?”
Cade glared at Jace; the evil bastard was fully aware of the shitty situation
he’d forced him into. Doubtless, it was why Jace had asked for the text
rather than extorting him for money. He knew that Cade’s betrayal would
devastate Kara and put their already shaky relationship at risk. Which was
why Cade had every intention of making sure she never found out. He
already had Braxton tracing any mention of a first edition Chaucer being
bought or sold in the hopes that Jace had already secured a buyer for the
text. He’d also put the word out with his international network of contacts,
asking for any information on The Canterbury Tales first edition. Cade was
a thief, for fuck’s sake; did Jace really think the book would be secure once
he had it in hand? Cade had every intention of restoring the priceless text to
his stubborn librarian, even if it meant relinquishing a large portion of his
time and wealth to do so. For the sake of his very selfish cock, Cade hoped
it was before Kara discovered the book missing from his library and
expressed her fury by revoking sex privileges. Repressing a cringe at that
unthinkable outcome, Cade made a mental note to commission a counterfeit
Chaucer as soon as possible just to be safe.
Jace took Cade’s silence as affirmation that his scheme had been executed
perfectly. “Well I do hope this little deception doesn’t get you into too much
trouble when she finds out. Because they always do.”
“Let me worry about Kara. You worry about keeping your end of the
bargain.”
“Of course. The book, if you please,” Jace requested amiably,
outstretching his hand.
Cade reached into his bag to pull out the heavy, parchment wrapped book
that had been the cause of so much trouble. And so much unexpected joy in
the form of the delectable, fearsome woman waiting for him at home. Not
one to simply take a man at his word, Jace tore open the brown paper and
inspected the book critically. Satisfied that it was indeed the original text,
Jace gave a nod of approval and thrust the book into his black bag without a
modicum of caution or gentleness. Cade involuntarily cringed at the thought
of how a certain librarian would react to seeing the fragile text treated so
indelicately.
“Are you satisfied?” Cade asked impatiently, his tolerance for being
within strangling distance of Kara’s rapist growing thinner by the minute,
his hands itching to steal Jace’s last breaths. He couldn’t squelch the
impulse to murder much longer, and it would be a great inconvenience for
him to take Jace’s wretched life amongst hundreds of witnesses. But
another couple minutes in Jace’s presence, and he would welcome the
inconvenience with open arms.
“Very satisfied,” Jace answered with a smug smile.
“And your end of the deal?”
“You have my word that you’ll both be left in peace,” Jace answered as
though he were the pinnacle of magnanimity.
Cade scoffed. “And what exactly is the word of a traitor worth?”
“I do admit, I’m getting the better end of the deal,” Jace said with a
humorless laugh. “You’ll just have to trust me.”
“And Kara? You have your bloody book, so you’ll have no need to be in
her vicinity ever again. Agreed?” Cade asked, his voice black and lethal.
“I give you my word as a gentleman, I will never again lay eyes upon
Kara Caine,” Jace promised, holding up his right hand as though making a
solemn oath.
“A gentleman?” Cade questioned incredulously. “Now that I trust even
less. Consider yourself forewarned, if you break your word, your eyes will
be forfeit, along with the rest of you.”
 “I would expect nothing less from a savage bastard such as yourself,”
Jace quipped breezily.
“Then we’re done here. I never want to see your goddamn face again.”
“Likewise,” Jace answered in parting, issuing a small nod of goodbye.
Both men turned and walked away in separate directions. Both men had
lied. Cade and Jace knew that unfinished business would draw them
together once again. They knew that, eventually, only one of them would
walk away. But both were resigned to bide their time until the opportune
moment for vengeance and destruction presented itself.
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

A FTER their time in the Hideaway, life had somehow acquired a

semblance of normalcy. Or rather, as normal as it could be under the
circumstances. Technically, Kara was no longer a prisoner, but she
continued to reside at Ashford Manor and spent her nights in Cade’s bed.
She had tried to explain that the most logical decision would be for her to
return to her Chicago residence, but she’d lost that argument in favor of her
safety. Sometimes she got a little sick of being protected. She’d finally
returned to work at the university library, an argument she had actually
won, provided she allowed Declan to drive her to and from work. The kid
stayed on campus the entire time, not necessarily spying on her, but not
letting her out of his sight either. Cade’s control issues were something she
hoped would soften in time.
 Then again, he hadn’t exactly been anything other than controlling in any
aspect of their relationship the entire time she’d know him. It was as if his
need to dominate was an inherent aspect of his very nature. And hell,
maybe it was. She didn’t mind when it came to sex. Who was she kidding,
she fucking loved his dominance in the bedroom, but she found it harder to
sacrifice her independence when it didn’t come with an orgasm. And Cade
wanted her submission every hour of the day.
In addition to agreeing to stay and explore whatever the fuck their twisted
relationship was, Kara had suggested that they try things Cade’s way—
which included making the Hideaway a regular part of their routine. She
still couldn’t believe she had spent so much time innocently lounging in the
library with a complete sex dungeon a few feet below. Cade had fought her
on the idea, suggesting that she perhaps wasn’t ready for the extremity of
his darker desires, but she told him to fuck off. If he could handle it, she
could fucking handle it too. He finally acquiesced with a mischievous smile
that suggested he would greatly enjoy proving her wrong.
And it was that salacious smile that haunted her when she entered the
library and found a suspicious, bow adorned box resting in her favorite
reading chair. She approached the package hesitantly as she remembered
the last time she’d been ambushed by one of Cade’s revenges wrapped in
ribbons. She read the inscription on the little black card.

Put this on and meet me in the Hideaway precisely at six o’clock. Do not be
late.
-C
Cautiously, Kara undid the bow and lifted the top of the box with a cringe
of apprehension. A gasp of mortification escaped her lips when she found a
fucking sexy schoolgirl outfit elegantly tucked between crisp layers of
tissue paper as though it was a luxurious present, not goddamn kink clothes.
Blushing with embarrassment, she removed the items from the box and held
them up for inspection. There was a very fucking short pleated red mini
skirt, a matching tie, a cropped white shirt that boasted an astonishing two
buttons to keep her tits barely covered, and plain white thigh-high
stockings. The ensemble was a goddamn monstrosity, and that wasn’t even
considering what it would look like on her. She understood the irony—
really, she did. She worked in academics, she was an avid learner, and she
considered herself a perpetual student in all things. However, the schoolgirl
outfit was taking it way too fucking far. She had PhD’s for fucks sake—
plural—and hated the idea of being boxed into an insulting, juvenile,
academic stereotype for the sake of Cade’s twisted sex games.
Professional and feminist outrage aside, Kara could not deny the aroused
quickening of her pulse and the damning wetness gathering between her
thighs. Dignity be damned, she was going to wear the damn sex outfit. She
had asked for Cade’s dominance, and, in return, she had promised to offer
as much an effort at submission as she could. Having spent her entire life
prioritizing independence, submission was not something that came
naturally to her by any means.
Frantically, Kara glanced at the clock, remembering that her sir had
demanded that she not be late.
Shit.
It was five minutes until six o’clock. Five minutes until she earned herself
some sort of excessive punishment in Cade’s Hideaway of horrors. The
thought frightened her as much as it soaked her panties, so much so that her
thighs slid together slickly with the overflowing dampness of her arousal.
For her own sake, she endeavored to obey Cade’s command, but opted to be
a few minutes late. Just to make things interesting.
Kara knew she would never be able to make it up to her room to change
without evoking severe consequences for disobedience. A few minutes
tardy might be fine, but the fifteen it would take her to travel up to her
room, switch her clothes, and then make it into the Hideaway and in the
appropriate position might be pushing it. Glancing about the library
anxiously and listening for anyone coming, Kara decided fuck it and started
to strip out of her clothes.
The pleated skirt fit her hips perfectly, accentuating her slim waist and
making her feel a bit like the cheerleader she never would have sacrificed
her self-respect to be in high school. The hem of the red plaid material
covered—literally—two thirds of her ass, leaving the bottom third of her
buttocks hanging out in the open. With her panties already unbearably
drenched, Kara decided to go without, slipping them down her legs quickly
and tossing them on the leather couch. Kara stared at the cropped shirt
indecisively, not sure whether it would look more slutty to have half of her
red bra hanging out of the see-through top, or to go without the bra entirely.
Since she was already sans panties, she went all the way and took off her
bra too. She was sure the bastard would be more than thrilled to find her so
underdressed for the occasion. Kara slipped on the tight shirt, groaning in
annoyance at the sight of her hardened nipples poking noticeably through
the white material. Taking off her black heels, Kara sat on the sofa and
pulled the stockings up over her thighs. They were by far the most innocent
part of the outfit, and she actually quite liked them. Rolling her eyes at the
ridiculousness, Kara lastly slipped the tie over her neck.
Nope. Too fucking stupid.
Deciding that the school uniform tie was too over the top, she ripped it off
and tossed it on the couch with her discarded undergarments. Unfortunately
left with no other option than going barefoot, Kara slipped her black heels
back on, hating how much more exposed they made her feel, as though her
bare pussy and ass were literally on display. As a finishing touch, Kara
slipped the red ribbon from her messy braid and gathered her hair into a
high ponytail, tying the ribbon into a bow at the top of her head. A mere
three minutes late, Kara headed for the secret entrance to the Hideaway
feeling nervous, excited, sexy, and horny as fuck.
The lights were already on, guiding her way down. Kara stopped on the
last step when she realized she wasn’t alone. Cade sat at the desk in the far
corner, dressed in his usual three piece suit and tie, his expression strict and
chastising as he glared at her with eyes darkened with disapproval mingled
with insatiable lust. In his hands, Cade twirled a twelve inch gold ruler.
“Miss Caine,” Cade greeted sharply, loving her small jolt of fear at the
sternness in his tone. “You’re late.”
“Only by three minutes, sir,” Kara argued in her own defense, her voice
sounding stronger than she felt.
“Excuses already, Miss Caine?” Cade asked with a condemning scowl.
“Come here and stand in front of my desk.”
Dragging her feet each step of the way, Kara sullenly walked the short
distance to the desk and obediently stood before him. She tried not to wither
beneath his reproachful eyes, but it was an impossible task. As an act of
self-preservation, she lowered her eyes to the floor and awaited Cade’s
judgment.
“Now, what time were you told to be ready and waiting in the
Hideaway?”
“Six, sir,” Kara answered petulantly, her eyes still downcast. It wasn’t
exactly her fault that she was given so little time to follow his orders.
“And what time did you make your way down those steps?”
“Three minutes after six, sir.”
“Look at me,” Cade ordered. She listened hesitantly, meeting his eyes
with an expression that could only be defined as defiance. Cheeky brat.
“Did you obey my instructions like a good girl?”
Kara smirked slightly before quickly covering it with a pliant expression.
“No, sir.”
“Indeed, you did not,” Cade agreed, momentarily pausing to rake his eyes
over Kara’s entire, incredibly exposed body. The delectably filthy sight of
her in the revealing school uniform—her tits nearly spilling out of the top,
her nipples so stiff they could practically cut through the thin material, her
exposed abdomen and hips that begged to be licked, and her just barely
covered pussy—sent all of the blood in his body straight to his throbbing
cock. It would take all of his self-restraint not to bend her over the desk, flip
up that fucking short skirt, and fuck her that very second. But he wanted to
play with her before he tore into her cunt and claimed her screams of
pleasure as she clamped down on his cock in ecstasy. Fucking could wait;
first, he wanted to make her writhe and beg.
“Do I need to teach you how to be a good girl?” Cade asked after he
finally finished eye-fucking her, his words weighted with the possibility for
punishment and pleasure.
 “Yes, sir,” Kara answered softly, biting her bottom lip to keep it from
trembling with anticipation and arousal.
Those two, sweet words had never come from a more delectable mouth.
A mouth that he had every intention of using very soon. Accepting her
surrender, a sinister grin spread across Cade’s lips before his expression
morphed into one of chastising displeasure. “Tell me, Miss Caine, do good
girls go to class without knickers?” Cade inquired sternly, judging her
reaction intently as he purposefully fidgeted with the metal ruler on the
desk.
Kara squeaked slightly in surprise, not sure how he could have known
that without so much as an inspection beneath her skirt. “No, sir,” Kara
answered dutifully, seriously second guessing her decision to taunt Cade
with a bare pussy.
“I see,” Cade responded, nodding his head in agreement as he continued
to play with the ruler, sliding it smoothly from one hand to another.
Kara had to smother a giggle as she shifted awkwardly beneath his stern
gaze. Cade had explained the concept of a scene to her—the idea that
sexual encounters would be staged to enhance the experience—but the play
acting and her ridiculous costume seemed like a bit much to suffer with a
straight face.
“Is something amusing, Miss Caine?” Cade asked deprecatingly, startling
Kara from her inner thoughts.
“No, sir,” Kara responded hastily, wiping the subtle grin from her face.
Perhaps she lacked the seriousness to participate in his games. The last time
they had used the Hideaway, everything had been so real. The emotions.
The pain. The need. This time, under contrived circumstances, there was a
hurdle of awkwardness that Kara was struggling to overcome. The need
was there—the raging appetite to feel and fuck and hurt and surrender—
buried beneath inhibitions she couldn’t quite shake.
Cade watched Kara closely, recognizing the inner turmoil. It wasn’t an
easy thing to surrender your basest desires into the hands of another, and it
wasn’t meant to be. Complete mutual trust was one of the elements that
made a Dominant/submissive relationship so intoxicating, and it was
something on which Kara needed to be educated. Cade could read the
hesitation in her body; he could sense her fear. She didn’t fear him or the
many torturous things he could do to her in his well-stocked dungeon. No,
she feared that voice in her head that told her what she craved, what she
needed to sustain her body as much as her lungs needed oxygen, was
wrong. Unnatural. The subconscious echoes of a repressed society that
deemed an appetite for pain as deviant and depraved, a longing for
submission as anti-feminist and degrading.
Cade burned with the overwhelming need to thrust Kara from the
limitations of what upstanding society deemed as normal desires. To shake
her from her own inhibitions. To give her something tangible and real of
which to be truly scared. Cade was an unequivocally possessive man, and
the fact that any of her fears didn’t belong to him was goddamn
unacceptable.
A loud smack pervaded the room, disrupting the tense silence, as Cade
slapped the ruler hard against his open palm. Kara jolted in surprise, eying
the instrument in Cade’s hands with a newfound sense of mistrust and
dread. Cade appreciated the sudden heaving of Kara’s chest as she shifted
anxiously before him, fearful of his intentions. Good. He was finally getting
somewhere, her fear turning to him where it belonged. Where it would
always belong.
 Cade stood from behind the desk, his form appearing somehow larger,
more menacing than usual, as he stalked toward Kara. He clenched his right
hand, reveling in the burn that reverberated through his palm courtesy of the
ruler he still held. He imagined how Kara’s skin would heat beneath the
blows, how the metal would sound clashing against her skin. His erection
grew painfully hard within the confines of his trousers at the thought of her
ensuing cries for mercy—and more.
Kara flinched as she felt Cade’s firm body pressed against her, forcing
her into the hard edge of the desk, his hardness thrust against her backside.
All it would take was one push, and she would be sprawled out across the
desk. His for the taking. He knew the damn girl had no knickers underneath
that short, little skirt. One lift of his finger, and she would be bare beneath
him. His cock ached to be deep inside her sweet cunt, riding her until she
screamed his name in surrender. But he wanted to claim more than just her
body. He wanted her mind as well.
Slowly, Cade dragged the sharp corner of the ruler down Kara’s neck,
over the curve of her shoulder, and down the side of her arm, resting at her
wrist. Kara’s whole body shivered at the sensation, her skin prickling in its
path. Ever so softly, Cade drew the ruler back up her arm and then slid the
edge down her back, following the ridge of her spine. This time, Kara
moaned quietly beneath his touch. Stroking the tip of the ruler along the
curve of her hip and then down the front of her thigh, Cade leaned in close
until his lips rested against her ear.
“Tell me, Miss Caine, do good girls take off their clothes in the middle of
the library when anyone could walk in and see them indecently exposed?”
he whispered, the quietness of his tone ill at ease with the dark threat that
laced his words like poison.
 “Hmm?” Kara mumbled incoherently, confused by the question and
distracted by the cool metal sensually caressing her skin.
In reprimand, Cade used the ruler to administer a harsh slap to Kara’s
thigh.
“Ow!” Kara screeched, rubbing her hand against the sting as she
attempted to pull away from Cade’s hold.
Cade wrapped his hand firmly around the back of Kara’s neck and jerked
her tightly against him. “Remove your hand from your thigh, or I will
smack it as well,” Cade commanded sternly, rapping her lightly against the
knuckles for emphasis.
Trembling, Kara let her hands fall to her sides, trying to relax as much as
she could in the hold of a threatening man wielding an unexpectedly harsh
weapon against her bare skin.
“Good girl,” Cade praised as he felt her softening against him. “Now,
answer me.”
“I’m sorry, sir, can you repeat the question?” Kara pleaded, the
heightened sensations of her body hopelessly overwhelming her thought
processes.
Cade’s hand slid from her neck to grip her jaw, forcing her head to the
side to look at him, the seriousness of his gaze boring into her and
demanding her absolute attention. “Do good girls get naked in libraries and
leave their arse, tits, and cunt on display for everyone to see?” Cade asked
very slowly, allowing her to absorb the full insinuation of his words as he
continued to stroke the ruler threateningly against her thigh.
Yet again, Kara gasped in surprise. First, because he knew exactly what
she had done when she discovered his gift. Second, because there was
absolutely no way he could have known she undressed in the library. There
was no one near that area of the house. She’d checked, obviously. She
might be exploring her kinks, but she was nowhere near a full-blow
exhibitionist.
“Cameras, darling,” Cade explained in answer to her unspoken question.
“Do you really think a man of my profession wouldn’t have security
measures in place, particularly in an area where items of value are held?”
Blanching, Kara turned away in embarrassment. The fucking bastard
should have warned her there were cameras hidden in the house. They’d
had sex in the library for fuck’s sake.
“If you’re wondering if there’s a video of me fucking you against the
stacks to heaven and back, there is,” Cade said with a salacious grin.
Kara tried to pull away in disgust, but he gripped her tighter, sharply
smacking the ruler against her thigh in warning. “The next one will be
harder if you don’t answer the question,” Cade threatened.
“No.”
Another, harder slap landed on Kara’s other thigh. She yelped in
response, twisting against him.
“No, what?” Cade challenged, his ruler poised to punish again.
“No, sir, good girls don’t undress in libraries,” Kara answered helplessly,
her thighs smarting from the blows.
“Very good. Now, one more question,” Cade paused dramatically, leaning
down until the slight stubble of his jaw brushed roughly against the
tenderness of her neck. He placed one, soft kiss against her throat, breathing
in the scent of her, feeling her pulse thunder against his lips. He tucked his
thumb under her chin and gently lifted her eyes to meet his. “Have you been
a naughty girl?”
 Kara struggled to remain upright as all the bones in her body seemed to
liquify beneath the burning fire of Cade’s gaze. The desire in his eyes spoke
to her body in such an effortless way that words could never communicate.
She longed to obey him, please him, cry for him, scream for him. In that
moment, she was his. Completely.
“Yes, sir,” Kara whispered in response, her eyes unconsciously closing in
anticipation of whatever delicious destruction those words would bring.
Hearing her admission, Cade smiled gleefully, bestowing another kiss
behind her ear and rubbing his thumb across her bottom lip, eternally
grateful for those two damning syllables that came from her sinful mouth.
“Do you need to be punished, naughty girl?” Cade asked breathlessly
against the skin of her neck, his control unraveling to the point that he felt
the need to sink his teeth into something to keep his sanity. So he did, biting
down hard on the tender curve between Kara’s neck and shoulder. Cade’s
eyes fluttered shut at the delicious whimper pulled from Kara’s lips.
“Mmmhmm,” Kara moaned as she nodded her head in agreement with
Cade’s question, the ability for speech having completely abandoned her as
her body seemed to pool all its resources to her throbbing pussy.
“Bend over the fucking desk,” Cade commanded harshly, the arousal in
his voice barely contained, much like his swollen, aching cock begging to
be set free.
Kara bent at the waist and fell against the top of the desk, her naked
thighs already marked by being pressed tightly against its edge. From her
position over the desk, she knew he could already see her bare cunt peeking
out from underneath the short skirt. Cade inhaled sharply at the sight of her,
absolutely throbbing to be so deep inside her that she couldn’t tell where
her body ended and his began. She wiggled her ass slightly, taunting him
with the sight of her dripping wet pussy in the hopes that she’d get his cock
as punishment.
Instead, she felt the cool touch of metal sliding up her leg and flipping the
edge of the pleated skirt up over her ass. The touch of the ruler disappeared
briefly before landing incredibly hard against the lower curve of her ass.
Kara moaned heavily in response, intense pleasure radiating throughout her
entire body rather than pain. Cade slapped her again, drawing a greedy cry
from her lips as she pushed her hips back against him to welcome the
punishment. He hit her three times in rapid succession, each slap harder
than the last. Kara cried out—the sound hungry and desperate and
unfamiliar to her own ears—wordlessly begging for release beneath the
sublime fucking ecstasy of the blows.
“I think you’re enjoying your punishment, naughty girl,” Cade
commented in amusement as he thrust the hardness of his cock against her
tender spanked ass, admiring the bright red lines the ruler made across her
delicate skin.
Kara was soaked, the wetness of her arousal sliding down her thighs and
dampening his pants where the rigid outline of his erection pressed tightly
against her. And fuck if it didn’t make him harder to see his dick christened
with her cum. He fucking ached at seeing how much she wanted his twisted
pleasure, how she needed it like he did.
Abruptly, Cade bent over Kara, his weight crushing her against the hard
desk as every inch of her body melded into his. His hand tangled in her hair,
roughly jerking her head to the side and pressing her cheek into the cool
wooden surface. His mouth lowered to her neck—kissing, biting, ravaging,
claiming her as his by leaving his marks on her flesh for everyone to see.
Kara belonged to him, and he had no intention of ever letting her or anyone
else forget it.
Continuing to use his mouth to ravage her body, Cade dragged the edge
of the ruler across Kara’s hip, pressing just hard enough to leave a thin pink
scratch etched into her skin. He slapped the ruler lightly against her ass,
taunting her with the promise of more punishment. She pressed her
backside against him eagerly, begging to be used and dominated and hurt
just a little bit beyond the point of pleasure.
“Do you want more, Miss Caine?” Cade asked in a husky, dominating
voice that sent chills of pleasure rippling through Kara’s body as he
spanked her a little firmer than before, but not enough to satisfy. He wanted
her to beg for the pleasure of her punishment.
Kara struggled to shake herself of the delirious haze of excitement and
arousal to ponder his question. Did she want more of what Cade had to
offer? More of his dominance, his need to control, his desire to retaliate in
the most terrible and delicious ways when he wasn’t obeyed? As much as
she hated to admit it, she felt a burgeoning addiction to the darkness Cade
had brought into her life. Now that she had a taste, she wasn’t sure if she
could ever live without it.
Cade could spank her, fuck her, destroy her—in whatever order he
preferred—and she would always beg for more. Kara wanted more than
more. She wanted everything.
“Always, sir.”
OceanofPDF.com
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hideaway is the debut novel for author Willow Prescott and the first book
in the Stolen Away Series. This is only the beginning of Kara and Cade’s
story, and there is plenty more to come. If you are hungry for more spicy
romance and kinkery, please stay tuned for updates on the next installment
of the series and other book releases.

Willow Prescott lives in Amsterdam with her husband and small coven of
mini monsters. She spends her nights in a caffeine haze dreaming up
twisted sexcapades and deliciously dark villains who make you get on your
knees and beg for more.

If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. Reader

feedback will always be essential for good writing and happy reading.
Willow loves to hear from her readers!

Keep up with Willow:

willowprescott.com

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