After I opened up to Gabriel about my rape he became more possessive than ever, but he also lifted a weight off my shoulders. My parents’ advice was to pretend that day never took place, and until Gabriel, no one knew exactly what happened. My mom didn’t want to hear the details. She wanted to spare me the pain of reliving them. I would’ve confided in Charlie, but I didn’t have a chance. After my attack, my parents did everything in their power to please me. When I said I felt like chocolate cake, my father loaded Charlie and me in the car, and then the accident that changed our lives forever happened.

Gabriel calls me to his study every night after dinner. I sit at his feet with my head on his thigh as he reads and comments on my assignments or watches the news while stroking my hair. Afterward, he takes me depending on how he interprets my needs and mood. Sometimes it’s tender and sometimes hard. I revel in whatever he gives me, needing his body with an intensity that doesn’t diminish, no matter how many times per night he makes me come.

Things are looking up in my life. Since Carly reached out to me about her breakup with Sebastian, our relationship is friendlier. Aletta said if I hand in my assignments, she’ll hold onto my study cancellation, giving me a second chance at my dream. I can still be something other than a maid after nine years. With the bursary, I have more money to spend on Charlie and Kris. I can even afford to take them out to lunch on Sunday. I choose a restaurant in Rosebank, close to El Toro, a delicatessen shop where Marie used to buy Spanish chorizo. Magda told me to make paella on Monday, and she only eats this particular brand of sausage in the dish. Since El Toro doesn’t deliver, I profit from picking up my order while spoiling Kris and Charlie.

We get a table on the terrace at Roma’s and order spaghetti with scallops in basil-flavored cream. Charlie is working his way through his second Coke float. His eyes shine, and his cheeks have a healthy color. He’s even lost a bit of the flabbiness around his waist.

“The change in him is remarkable, Kris.”

She takes a sip of her wine. “He’s a good dog walker. Plus, it saves me a pack of time.”

“It makes me happy to see him like this. I wish I could do more.”

“So, what’s with the lunch?” she asks after we’ve eaten, direct as always.

“I have good news. The university granted me a full bursary.”

“I thought you dropped out.”

“I did, but Gabriel said Marie should be back at work soon. I’ll have time to study again, and with the full bursary I won’t need to worry about the shortfall.”

Leaning back, she crosses her arms. “What’s going on with him, Val?”

“Nothing.” I pick at my napkin, tearing off small pieces. “Why?”

I can’t tell anyone what happens behind the closed doors of Gabriel’s house. Especially not Kris. She won’t understand. Hell, sometimes I don’t understand.

“He’s been to the practice.”

I still. “Why?”

“To buy cat and dog food, apparently. He’s got a standing order.”

“He didn’t tell me.”

“You’re sleeping with him, aren’t you?”

I jerk my head up and glance at Charlie, but he’s engrossed in his drink. I can’t lie to her in her face, so I say nothing.

“He’s a loan shark, and you’re indebted to him for nine years. You want to know what I think? I think you’re his sex toy. His favorite toy. For the moment, he dresses you up––yes, I saw the parcels he carried to my house––and he covers your bills. Hey, I’m not complaining. I need the business. All I’m saying is don’t fall in love with him.”

I look away to where a mom and dad are having lunch with a cute little girl. “It’s not like that.”

“How is it? Are you parading around for him in a French maid’s costume? Is that his fantasy?”

I give her a chastising look. “Stop it.”

“Every boy eventually grows tired of his toys, even his favorite toy.”

“I don’t have a choice,” I say in a lowered voice. “He’s not all bad, Kris. I think he tries really hard to treat me well.”

She leans forward. “He’s a goddamn killer. A criminal. The Breaker, Val. Do you need me to remind you how he kills people?”

“No.”

“Don’t sugarcoat him because he’s nice to you. Never forget who he is. More importantly, never forget who you are and what you are to him.”

“What am I?”

“Debt repayment. You’re a slave.”

“Call it whatever you want, but I made a deal to save Charlie’s life. I’ll slave, whore, bust my ass, and work my fingers to the bone to keep him safe.”

“What about your life?”

Kris doesn’t know my history. She doesn’t know how Charlie picked me up in the gutter, battered and left for dead, and carried me home for more than two miles. She doesn’t know he sat next to my bed and held my hand every night after my assault when I was too afraid to close my eyes to sleep.

“I made a choice, Kris. I made a promise to Gabriel Louw. You don’t break your promises to Gabriel. Give it a rest, will you? I’m doing the best I can.”

“Jesus, Val. If this is your best, you’re heading for a cluster fuck. You cut off your finger for Christ’s sake.” She wipes a hand over her brow. “How is this going to play out?”

“After nine years, I walk away, get a job, a nice house for Charlie and me, and get out of your hair.”

“You’re not in my hair, kiddo, but I worry about you.”

“I know.” I push my chair back, desperately needing air. “I’m taking Charlie for a walk.”

“I’ll order dessert. Tiramisu?”

“Sounds good. Come on, Charlie.” I take my brother’s arm and cross the Rosebank Square to stroll down the walkway past the shop fronts. Charlie stops to stare at every window. It’s not as much the objects he likes as the colors.

“Charlie?”

He points at a red bicycle in the sports shop. “Loo–look.”

“What?” I want him to say it. I want to know what’s going on in his head.

“Pre–pretty.”

“What’s pretty?”

“Lo–look.” He points again, getting frustrated.

“The bicycle?”

He’s already moved on, stuck in front of a shelf of colorful cycling helmets.

“Li–like.”

“Which one?”

He rolls his shoulders like he does when he gets annoyed and carries on down the path with a brisk pace.

I run to catch up, taking his hand. “Do you remember how you used to walk me home from school?”

He hurries on toward the street. Once Charlie is on a mission, it’s difficult to distract him. He throws his whole weight into a task and won’t stop until he’s accomplished what he’s set out to do. I’m longing for the connection we once had. I’m aching to have my brother back, to give him back to himself, but he’s in his own world, and I sometimes wonder if I’m even part of it.

We stop in front of a red Ferrari parked on the curb. This is what attracted his attention. When he puts out his hand to touch the shiny bodywork, I snatch it back.

“Don’t touch the car. What did I say about touching things that aren’t ours?”

“That’s all right,” a male voice says.

I twirl around to where the voice comes from. The man facing us has blond hair and a tanned face with friendly, green eyes.

“You can touch it if you like,” he says to Charlie. “It’s mine.”

The man is as beautiful as his car. It’s the kind of sinful beauty that will make a woman forget her male companion at a party.

I tug on Charlie’s hand. “We should go.”

“I can take him for a spin, if you like.”

“Spi–spin.”

“Uh, thanks,” I push my hair behind my ear, “but my friend’s waiting for us.”

“Pity.” He holds out his hand. “I’m Michael.”

I reach out tentatively, but before I can make up my mind, he folds his broad palm around mine and squeezes. When I don’t say anything, he gives me an amused smile.

“Your name?”

“Valentina.”

“That’s pretty.” He lets me go and shakes hands with Charlie. “You have good taste, eh…” He lifts a brow and waits.

“Charlie,” I say.

“Pleased to meet you both. Maybe we can talk about that spin. If you give me your number, I can call when it’s convenient.”

“Our dessert is ready.” The word ‘dessert’ will catch Charlie’s attention. “Thank you, anyway.”

Charlie lets me lead him back across the square to our table.

“Who’s that?” Kris asks.

“I don’t know. Charlie liked his car.”

“Ditto.” She waves her spoon at the plate in front of me. “Dig in. It’s delicious.”

---

It’s hard to say goodbye to Charlie. At least he seems happy. I let that thought soothe me as I cross the street to where Gabriel’s Jaguar waits. It’s Rhett who exits.

“Hi,” I say, surprised. Gabriel said he’d fetch me.

“Gabriel’s busy,” he says with a wink, holding the door for me.

I wait until we pull off into traffic to ask, “Where is he?”

“Business.”

A shiver runs over me. Is he breaking someone’s bones? Killing someone?

Rhett gives me a sidelong look. “It’s better not to ask.”

“I wasn’t going to.” I glance through the window to escape his piercing eyes.

“On the upside,” he continues brightly, “we can train.”

I turn back to him quickly. “Really?”

“He’ll be busy until late.”

My mood picks up. I have to learn how to handle myself. Gabriel won’t be there to protect me forever. Like Kris said, he may grow tired of his new toy sooner than later.

Rhett changes gears and speeds up when we hit the highway. “Why the sad face? Is your brother all right?”

“Sunday blues.” I try to smile, but it’s a weak effort.

We don’t talk for the rest of the way. At home, I change into my shorts and T-shirt and join Rhett in the gym. It’s weird to be here out of my own, free will. The gym represents a place of erotic pain and deep-seated pleasure for me. My body reacts at the thought, sending moisture to my folds. I shake my head and jiggle my fingers, physically expelling the unwelcome arousal at the memory of what Gabriel does to me here.

“Ready?” Rhett walks around me like a boxer measuring his opponent.

“Give me your worst.”

He laughs. “You’re a funny one.”

I fling around and punch him in the stomach. “Like this funny?”

My knuckles hurt, and he doesn’t even flinch. Before I know what’s happening, he kicks my feet out from under me with a swift swing of his leg, making me land on my ass with a humph.

“This move is child’s play, perky tits. You’ve got a far way to go before you can handle my worst.”

“Okay, short dick.” I hold out my hand for him to help me up.

He only laughs at the diminutive name. When he’s halfway in the motion of pulling me up, I yank hard, using the momentum to bring him down to the floor. He does a graceful shoulder roll and flips his leg over me, pinning me face down on the mat.

He chuckles. “You’ve got spirit, I’ll give you that, perky tits.”

“Fuck you, short dick.”

“Wanna see? You’ll take back your words.”

“No thanks. Kicking you in the balls when your pants are around your ankles won’t be fair play.”

He laughs again. “Yep, you’re funny.” He gets to his feet and pulls me up by my arm. “We’ll start with some basic defense moves, and when you’ve gotten the hang of them, I’ll teach you how to use an attacker’s strength to beat him.”

The minute I’m up, I kick at his feet like he did with me, but he catches my leg, holding me captive.

“You’re a quick learner, and you’ve got more courage than brains, but let me do the teaching. I don’t want to hurt you.”

I hop around on one foot to keep my balance. “It’ll take a bit more than that.”

“As I said, more courage than brains. You’re small. You’ve got to learn to fight clever.”

“Okay.”

He releases me. “Ready?”

For the next hour, he drills me. By the time he calls it a day, I’m sweating.

“You better have a shower. Gabriel will be home soon.”

“I want to learn to use a gun, too.”

He props his hands on his hips and regards me from under his eyebrows. “Valentina.”

“It’s a big, bad world out there. I won’t live here forever.”

After a moment, he sighs and shakes his head. “In for a penny, in for a pound.”

I’m happy with my progress. Finally, I’m getting out of my vulnerable bubble. There’s just enough time to shower before Gabriel enters my room.

He walks up and stops flush against my back. “How was your weekend?”

“Good.”

He pushes my hair aside and kisses my neck. “We’re having a dinner party at home on Tuesday. It’ll be a late night.”

“Okay. Do you have a menu in mind?”

“Magda will brief you. It’s important to her.” He doesn’t need to say more. He wants me on my best behavior. “Don’t forget your checkup tomorrow.”

I dress the wound religiously, but it’s still red and puffy.

He puts his arms around my waist and pulls my back against his chest. “Bend over and put your hands on the wall.”

His tone is clipped, like when he’s desperate and can’t wait. My body grows deliciously warm and wet. I bend my back and brace myself on the wall. He lifts my skirt up over my waist and jerks my panties down. The metal clang of his belt sounds in the room, followed by the scratchy pull of his zipper. His cock pushes against my folds. Without warning he plunges forward, impaling me in one, hard thrust. My back arches from the friction.

“Fuck, Valentina.” He holds still, either to give my body time to stretch around his too large penis or to get a hold on his control.

“Take me as you want,” I pant, unable to keep still for much longer.

“Oh, I will.”

Gripping my hips between his palms, he pulls out almost all the way and slams back in. Pleasure ripples through my womb. He wastes no time in working me up to a climax, fucking me hard. When I come, it’s explosive, but so is his release. He grunts and keeps going until his cock is too soft to stay inside me. Only when his shaft slips out does he go on his knees and suck my clit into his mouth. It’s impossible to come again so soon, but he’s relentless. He has his teeth on my clit and his fingers in my pussy and ass. Our sounds mingle until there’s only the unique blend of our moans in the room. He makes me come again in his mouth, driving me to the edge of pleasure. My legs can’t carry my weight. When I collapse, he catches me around the waist and carries me to bed. He holds me until it’s dark outside, and then he fucks me on my back and on my hands and knees until my throat is hoarse from screaming. My body is depleted. I can’t give him any more, but I want more from him. I’m insatiable, and he’s to blame.

My heart aches with something I can’t name when he leaves me. I lie in the dark until I can’t suffer it any longer. There’s only one thing to do. I sneak through the dark house to his room. He’s standing in the doorframe, waiting, as if he expected me. Jumping into his arms, I cling to him. I’m a stranger to myself, not understanding this woman who can’t breathe without her captor. He wraps his arms around my ass to hold me up and kisses me long and sweet. Gently, he lies me down on the bed, pulling me to his chest. Only then, safe and happy, do I fall into an exhausted sleep.

---

The doctor’s appointment is at four the following day. As I get ready, Gabriel calls me on the internal intercom and summons me to his room. If we don’t leave soon we’ll be late. Why does he want to see me now? Before I can knock, he opens the door. I freeze with my hand midway in the air. A disposable sheet is laid out on the daybed, and a gurney with monitors and scanners stands next to it. The same doctor from before, Samuel Engelbrecht, waits in the room. I look at Gabriel for answers, but he says nothing. He only pulls me inside and closes the door.

“Undress and lie down,” the doctor says.

I assumed I was going to see the doctor who operated on me at the clinic, and what Gabriel’s doctor demands doesn’t make sense. “You need me to undress to examine my finger?”

Gabriel takes my hand. “After what you told me, I want to make sure you’re all right. You could’ve suffered internal injuries you’re not aware of.”

A blush works its way up my neck, warming my cheeks. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to stress you.”

I pull my hand from his. “This isn’t necessary.”

His eyes turn hard. “Get your clothes off, or I’ll take them off for you.”

I’m so humiliated I don’t know where to look. I don’t doubt for a minute Gabriel will execute his threat. Angry tears burn in my eyes as I turn my back on them and pull off my trainers, uniform, and underwear. Draping my clothes over the armrest of the chair, I lie down on the daybed.

The doctor approaches with a probe. “Bend your legs.”

I do so grudgingly, avoiding Gabriel’s eyes. The doctor pulls a condom over the probe, lubricates it with gel, and inserts it gently in my vagina. The scanner beeps to life. He says nothing as he examines me. He only gives Gabriel a nod when he pulls the probe free. My abdomen is next. I am not sure what he’s looking for, and I can’t imagine why Gabriel wants to know if the rape damaged my body. After the ultrasound, the doctor takes my blood pressure and weighs me. It’s when he brings a needle to my arm that I start protesting again.

“What’s that?”

Gabriel takes my wrist, brushing his thumb over my pulse. “It’s a vitamin boost.”

“I don’t need it.”

“I told you already, your health is my responsibility.”

There’s a note of steel in his voice. He’ll hold me down if he has to. I don’t have a choice but to accept the injection and whatever is in it.

With the injection done, the doctor lets me get dressed and makes me sit on the bed to examine my finger. His face is blank, but he stares at the wound for a long time.

“I’m going to prescribe a stronger antibiotic. I want to see you every day.”

“What’s wrong?”

“A small infection,” he says, as if talking to a child. “You’ve got to keep it still. Don’t use the hand.”

I bandaged it tightly when I wrestled with Rhett, and we were careful. I’m also cautious with the housework.

The doctor looks at Gabriel. “Any chance you can keep her still for a couple of weeks?”

The set of Gabriel’s jaw is enough to give us the answer. Magda will never let him.

“Well, then.” The doctor starts gathering his equipment. “Tomorrow same time?”

“Yes,” Gabriel says.

When he’s gone, I gather the courage to confront Gabriel. “Why?”

“Don’t make me repeat answers I already gave you.”

“Isn’t he going to take his apparatus?” I motion at the gurney with the monitors.

“It’ll stay here for a while.”

“What are you doing, Gabriel?”

He cups my cheek. “Looking after you.”

When he pulls my head to his chest, I can’t resist. I can only melt against him, letting his erratic heartbeat seduce me into thinking he actually cares about more than my body.

---

From the careful menu planning it’s obvious that Tuesday night’s dinner is important to Magda. She chooses a caviar mousse starter followed by salmon and spinach crumble with sweet pastries for dessert. I pay special attention to the cooking, ensuring I do nothing to jeopardize our deal. I twist my hair into a neat bun in the nape of my neck and scrub my nails, which are stained orange from the curry I often cook with. The mousse has just set when Magda rings the bell for me to serve. Balancing a tray on one hand, I push the swing door to the dining room open with my shoulder. Looking up, I freeze on the spot. The man sitting opposite Gabriel is the one from Rosebank, the one with the Ferrari. Next to him sits a pretty redhead with freckles on her nose.

“Valentina!” Michael jumps to his feet and holds the door for me to pass.

Gabriel goes rigid. Magda’s mouth turns down, her Pit Bull eyes drooping in the corners.

“You know each other?” Gabriel asks, his ice blue eyes narrowed on me.

“We met on Sunday.” Michael takes his seat again. “She wouldn’t give me her number.” He takes the redhead’s hand and smiles. “Seems the fairy godmother of fate is still doing her job.”

“Valentina isn’t available,” Gabriel replies coldly. He turns to me. “Where exactly did you meet?”

I clear my throat. “In Rosebank.”

“What were you doing there?”

What I do with my free time is none of his business, and his jealous attitude is unwarranted and unreasonable, but Magda can still put a bullet in my head for back chatting or dropping a spoon, so I answer obediently. “I went to El Torro to buy the chorizo.”

“I went to El Torro to pick up a bottle of Magda’s favorite wine,” Michael says. “You see? Divine intervention.”

“She’s below your class,” Magda says. “We picked her up in Berea.”

I walk around the table, serving the people who talk about me as if I’m not in the room. I want to dump the mousse on their laps. Charlie. Think about Charlie.

“I don’t care where she’s from,” the woman says. “We’re not snobbish that way.”

She has a rock of a diamond on her ring finger. She must be Michael’s wife. Are they into threesomes? I can’t get out of the room fast enough. In the kitchen, I inhale and exhale to control my anger. I’m sick of being looked at as a piece of meat.

For the rest of the dinner, the stress mounts every time I step into the dining room. Michael gawks openly while his wife pays me compliments on my physical appearance. Magda is red in the face with annoyance. The one who scares me most is Gabriel. He’s quiet. Quiet is never good.

By the time I serve the pastries in the lounge, my stomach aches with tension. My hope of escaping is squashed when Gabriel calls me back as I’m about to exit.

“Valentina.” There’s authority in his voice. “Come here.”

Four sets of eyes are watching me. Magda sits on a single chair at the short side of the coffee table. Her stare is both scornful and hopeful. She hopes I’ll disobey. The consequences should be fun to watch. Michael looks on with open curiosity while his wife has a glimmer of excitement in her eyes. My gaze locks with Gabriel’s. In silent instruction, he takes a cushion from the armchair and throws it on the floor next to his feet. I don’t have a choice. I walk over to him, the tightness in my stomach growing with every step. As I’ve done so many times before, I sit down next to him. A smile of approval warms his face. He looks at me as if he sees no one else. He cups my cheek and tilts my head to rest on his thigh. Then our brief, private moment is over. Gabriel continues his conversation in a businesslike manner while playing absently with my hair.

Magda looks like a puffed-up dragon about to spit fire. Michael and his wife are obviously used to this kind of behavior. My posture on the floor while Gabriel pets me doesn’t take up more of their attention, except for the occasional envious glance Michael shoots Gabriel.

While they’re discussing a lease contract for new business premises, Gabriel feeds me sips of champagne. When the tray with sweet pastries is passed around, he takes his time to study the selection and chooses a mille-feuille that he pops into my mouth. His thumb lingers on my tongue. After I’ve chewed and swallowed, he wipes the icing from the corner of my mouth before licking his finger clean, giving the action his full attention. There’s a smile in his eyes as he looks down at me. Again, we’re sharing a moment the other three people in the room aren’t part of.

After the dessert, he swaps the champagne for whiskey. I’m not a big drinker. Already buzzing from the champagne, I shake my head when he presses the glass to my lips, but his fingers tighten in my hair, pulling back to arch my neck. He takes a drink from the glass and brings his mouth down to mine. I only understand his intention when he spears my lips with his tongue, forcing them open, and feeds me the whiskey straight from his mouth. I gulp and swallow in shocked surprise. He keeps my head in place to drag his tongue over my bottom lip, licking it clean. Only then does he let go of my hair. My face is ablaze with embarrassment. If Mr. and Mrs. Michael find it shocking, they don’t show it. Only Magda shifts around on her seat. When Gabriel brings the glass to my lips the second time, I open without argument. Being force-fed in front of his mother and friends isn’t an experience I’d like to repeat. It’s as if Gabriel is making a point by demonstrating his ownership of me.

At the end of the evening, and three glasses of champagne and a whiskey later, I’ve gone from a buzz to feeling tipsy. I’m aware of what’s happening around me, but I’m seeing double, and my nose is numb. I’m also extremely lethargic. I’m grateful when Michael gets to his feet and announces their departure.

He saunters over to us. “May I kiss the lady, Gabriel?”

Gabriel puts a broad hand on my shoulder. “You may not.”

He makes a face of mock disappointment. “I understand. I would act the same if she was mine. You make me long for a sub again.”

“She’s not a sub,” Magda bites out. “She’s property.”

Michael sighs, barely sparing Magda a glance. His eyes find mine. “Even better.”

His wife crosses the floor to lean her head on Michael’s shoulder. “If you ever grow tired of her, Gabriel, let us know. I’ll be happy to offer her a position.”

“That won’t happen,” Gabriel says through thin lips. “She’s too valuable to me.”

“You mean her debt is too high,” Magda corrects, her glare communicating something with Gabriel I don’t understand.

Michael pats Gabriel’s shoulder. “Well, goodnight my good man. Next time dinner is at our place.” He looks at me. “You should bring your…”

Property. Toy. Four hundred thousand rand-asset.

“Maid,” Magda says.

Gabriel gets to his feet. “I’ll walk you out.” He addresses me with a single command. “Stay.”

While Gabriel and Magda see their guests off, I remain as Gabriel ordered. My head is spinning, and I’m not in the mood for punishment tonight. When they return, Gabriel’s shoulders are tense, and Magda’s mouth is pulled into a hard line.

“Goodnight, Magda,” he says pointedly.

Magda isn’t that easily dismissed. “You embarrassed me. I won’t tolerate this kind of behavior in front of our guests.”

Gabriel smirks. “They didn’t seem embarrassed to me.”

“I’ll remind you this is my house.”

“You insisted we live here.”

“For security reasons. There are a hundred or more people who’d have your head on a plate.”

“Agreed. It’s easier protecting us all under one roof. That doesn’t mean you can tell me what to do. As you said yourself, I’m not twelve any longer.”

Her nostrils flare. “Are you dealing with what we talked about?”

“I am.”

“How long?”

“Soon.”

She regards him for a moment in silence. I’m half relieved when she stalks from the room. The other half of me tenses now that I’m alone with Gabriel. His mood is dark. Is he going to punish me? He offers me a hand and pulls me to my feet. My legs are stiff from sitting in the same position for hours, and I stumble, crushing into his chest.

“Sorry,” I mumble. Oh, God. My tongue is slurring.

He sets me on my feet with his hands on my hips, testing my balance before he lets go. When I manage to stand without falling over, he steps aside and points at the door. Interpreting it as my cue to leave, I take a few steps, but I have to hold onto the furniture to walk straight. I don’t make it to the sofa before his hands stop me. With one arm around my shoulders and the other under my knees, he scoops me up and carries me to the stairs.

“The kitchen,” I protest, pointing in the opposite direction.

His chest rumbles with his deep voice. “The kitchen can wait.”

In front of his bedroom, he fumbles with his doorknob. When the door swings open, he carries me inside and kicks it shut. The medical equipment is still there. I vaguely wonder when the doctor is going to send for it.

Lying me down on the bed, he undresses me and then himself. His body is hard and rough, the broken lines and deep scars adding to his masculine, forbidden beauty. He climbs over me, pinning my arms above my head. The alcohol loosens my inhibitions. This is not a good idea. I may do and say things I’ll regret in the morning.

“Gabriel.” His name comes out as a needy gasp. “I think I’m drunk.”

“Good. A drunk woman never lies.”

He moves down and takes my nipple in his mouth. I arch up, crying out as pleasure ripples through my body.

He licks over the pebbled tip. “Do you find him attractive?”

His raspy tongue sends goose bumps over my skin. I strain my neck to look at him. “W–what?”

He licks the other nipple before sucking it deep into his mouth.

“Ah, God! Gabriel.” I fall back, panting.

“Michael. Do you find him attractive?”

He grips my wrists in one hand and moves the other between my legs, parting my folds and stroking my clit. My hips lift to him, but he removes his touch.

“Answer me, Valentina.”

I gasp as he presses the pad of his thumb on my clit. “Yes. Yes, he’s very pretty.”

His face contorts in a mixture of hurt and acceptance, as if he knew the answer but wanted to punish himself by hearing it. It’s an unusual display of emotion. He’s an open book as he stares down at me, maybe because he believes I’m incoherent, but the alcohol sharpens my awareness and senses. Strangely, my fear retreats to the far corners of my mind, leaving me perceptive to everything else, to the feelings flowing between us and especially to his fingers as he parts me and slips one digit into my wetness, taking me slowly with his finger.

“Would you like him to fuck you?”

I frown, trying to imagine Michael in Gabriel’s position. The idea of any other man touching me fills me with distaste. “No.”

“You can be honest. I won’t punish you for the truth.”

I clench my inner muscles, trying to take his finger deeper, and grind my sex against his palm. “Don’t you understand what you’ve done to me? I want you, Gabriel.”

The pain in his eyes doesn’t ease. There’s relief, but grief still sets his face into hard angles that emphasize his harsh features. The shadows of the room hide the scar tissue on his cheek, but not the somber light of his ice blue eyes as he stares at me. To me, he’s perfect. I love the stark lines that define his unusual masculine beauty and even the sorrow that’s permanently etched on his face. Needing to touch him, I pull on his grip, but he tightens his hold.

“Please, Gabriel.” I beg him with my eyes, my voice, and my hips.

He groans as I rotate my lower body, trapping his hand between us. Slowly, the squeeze of his fingers on my wrists relaxes, allowing me to lift my hand to his face. I cup his cheek and brush my thumb over the devastating map of scars. It’s frightening to look at him, but when you find the courage to look, to really look, the power of the beauty that lies underneath the physical destruction is blinding. I’ve seen the beauty inside of him, too. He’s a good father to Carly, and he gives me much more than he takes, even if I’m nothing but property to him.

“I only want you,” I whisper.

For a moment, he leans into my touch, brushing his scarred cheek over my palm, but then he turns his head away, angling his face to the darkness.

“Gabriel.” I moan in protest.

He pushes my legs open wider, positioning his cock at my entrance.

“Gabriel.”

I say his name, trying to bring him back to me, to catch the moment we’ve lost, but he braces himself on his arms, putting more distance between us. The only connection between us is his cock that slams violently into my body. An ache spreads inside of me. He pulls back and does it again, stretching and burning me with that dull pain that tells me he’s too rough. He fucks me so hard my body shifts up to the headboard. Over and over he pounds into me, and all I can do is wrap my legs and arms around him, holding on while I give him everything I’ve got. With every thrust he growls, keeping his face turned away from me. He’s never taken me this brutally before, and even as it hurts, my soul revels in his possession. For now, I don’t care that I’m property. I don’t care that I’m a price tag and an empty body. I just want to be his.

“Only you,” I say.

He lances into me harder, his grunts louder, punishing me for something I don’t understand. The rougher he treats me, the softer I mold my body around him.

“Only yours.”

He snarls, driving into me with such force I’m scared he’ll break me.

“Damn you, Valentina. Don’t you dare lie. Not about this.”

“I want to be yours.”

He grabs my face between his palms and jerks his head toward me, putting our noses inches apart without slowing the hard pace of his hips. “Look at this face. Look at me!”

“I am looking.”

Angers pulls his features into a fearful mask. His nostrils flare, and moisture brims in his eyes. “Stop it.”

“Yours.”

He utters a raw cry and grinds his groin against mine. Throwing back his head, he clenches his teeth and bites off the sounds as liquid hotness fills my body. He shakes with his release, his body slick with perspiration. I need him. He made a hole in my heart, and only he can mend it. Snaking my arms around his neck, I pull him down for a kiss, but he untangles my wrists and arranges my arms next to my body. He only rests his forehead against mine for the briefest of moments before he lifts up on one elbow to look at me. Our eyes remain locked as he lets his cock slip free to fill the empty space with his fingers. Using his release, he lubricates my clit and brings me to a quick orgasm, all the while watching me.

When the aftershocks subside, he takes me to the shower and washes me. Too weak to stand on my feet, he sits on the bench with me straddling him, my head resting on his chest. The water stings my private parts, and I flinch when he soaps me down there. He towels us dry, carries me back to his bed, and then he disappears into the bathroom again. When he returns, he hands me a glass of water and a tablet.

I look at the white pill. “What’s this?”

“Paracetamol. You’ll need it if you don’t want to wake up with a headache.”

He puts the pill on my tongue and makes me drink all the water. The bed dips as he settles behind me, pulling me to his chest.

“I should leave,” I say sleepily.

“I set the alarm for five.” He kisses my shoulder. “Rest.”

I snuggle closer, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. Even if it’s only for a few hours, I’ll take what I can get. I’m used to living off scraps.

I’m almost drifting off when his voice pulls me back from my sleep.

“There was this cat.”

I lie still, waiting for him to continue.

“It was a kitten. Nothing special. Just an alley cat, but to me she was beautiful. She had a soft pelt, black as the night, and eyes like yellow moons. The cat showed up out of the blue at my best friend’s house. He called her Blackie. From that day on, Blackie always followed my friend around. She stayed in his room and slept on his bed.”

His chest expands with a breath. “I was jealous of him. I wanted the cat to come to my house. I wanted her to follow me, but she didn’t, so I smuggled pieces of fish and steak to his house, luring her through his bedroom window. She ate the food, but still wouldn’t follow me home. One day, when my friend was at rugby practice, I went to his house and took the cat. I locked Blackie in my room, hiding her from Magda and our maids. I made a bed for her in my closet, and I fed her treats my friend could never afford to give her. I kept her closed in for two weeks. By that time, I reckoned she would have accepted her new, more luxurious home.”

“What happened?”

“The day I let her out, she ran straight back to my friend’s house.” He strokes my arm for a while, then says quietly, “He thought she’d run away, like strays do.”

“Did she continue to live with him?”

“I don’t know. I stopped being his friend after that day.”

“Why?”

“I couldn’t bear to look at that cat.”

What is he trying to say? I turn in his arms to look at him.

He kisses my lips softly. “If you set something free, it doesn’t come back to you, no matter how well you treat it.”

A deep sense of uneasiness settles in my gut. Is he telling me he won’t let me go?

“Sleep.” He kisses me again, the gentle act conflicting with the soreness inside my body that acts as a reminder of his earlier roughness. “You’ll be tired, tomorrow.”

I close my eyes to hide my turbulent emotions from him. His story shocks me. It tells me three things. One, he’ll take whatever he wants. Two, he believes himself undeserving of love. Three, he’ll keep me for as long as my body serves him. What shocks me more is that I yearn to trust him. As long as he holds Charlie and my life in his hands, I can’t. For the first time, I consider that he won’t honor our deal. He’s not going to set me free like the black kitten. A man like Gabriel doesn’t repeat the same mistake twice. That’s what he was telling me with his story. Tears build up behind my closed eyelids. I turn my back on him again so I can shed them quietly into his pillow. He leaves me with no option. If he doesn’t let me go when I’ve settled Charlie’s debt, I’m going to have to run away.