CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
SERAPHINA
My hair lifted off my face softly enough that it tickled my cheek. The breeze that blew over me was filled with the warmth of the morning sun, the sound of birdsong, and the scent of the ocean.
I wasn't sure from where the dream had come, but I appreciated it for its simplicity, for its ability to chase away the harsh reality of the box that contained me - the coffin into which I'd been locked for no other purpose than another man's amusement.
The sound of crashing waves were a distant and soothing symphony, the soft cushion beneath my body an illusion that held me in place, that begged me not to open my eyes. I wanted to live within that dream forever, to let go to it so that I would never have to return to the confines of my prison.
For the first time in my life, I felt peace wash over me. I didn't care if it took death for me to stay within its warm, safe arms.
Another scent wafted in to mix with the salt spray of the crashing ocean waves: bacon and eggs, I believed, mixed with the sweet tang of tropical fruit.
My stomach growled fiercely, the pang of hunger forcing my eyes open, despite my refusal to let go of the dream. But rather than finding myself trapped in a small trunk, sweaty and damp from my own tears, I stared up at a high ceiling, a large bladed fan rotating slowly above my head.
Confusion pulled my brows together, my body sitting up regardless of the pain I felt to move.
"Good morning, Sera. You have no idea how much of a relief it is to find you awake."
Smooth like satin, deep enough to be a vibration against my skin, and so exotic that just hearing it took me away to foreign lands far from the chaos of my life - Anthony's voice was a welcome sound, teasing me and taunting me to turn my head and see him standing in the room.
This had to be a dream, one that I made me terrified of waking.
The soft mattress where I sat moved beneath me, Anthony's weight shifting the springs, beckoning me to take the chance to look at him. I closed my eyes, too fearful that acknowledging him would be the catalyst that catapulted me back to reality.
Warm fingers touched my cheek, and as I leaned into that touch, a thumb brushed softly over my lips to remind me of a moment when my hope was still alive.
"It was you, wasn't it?" My voice was gritty from sleep.
"I'm not sure what you mean," he answered.
"In the dark room that night. When I was hooded. It was you."
Silence fell for a beat. "Did you know the entire time?"
Shaking my head against his touch, I breathed out, "No, not until you touched my face. Not until your thumb brushed over my lips. You're the only man who has ever touched me that way."
His soft laughter was a decadent flavor against my tongue. "I have a tell, it seems." He paused before asking, "Will you ever open your eyes and look at me? I've been waiting all morning."
Shaking my head again, I smiled. "I'm too afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of discovering this is a dream. That you're not beside me. That I'm trapped."
His voice was masculine authority. "Open your eyes, Sera, and look at your Master."
Forcing my lids apart, I first noticed the light cream walls of a large room, the flowing sheer white curtains that blew softly out from french doors that were opened to a warm, spring day. Surprised by the vision, I gathered my courage to turn my head towards Anthony's voice.
His smile chased away the darkness inside me.
"Good girl," he said before leaning forward to kiss me on my forehead and brush the stray hair from my face. His amber eyes sparkled as they locked to mine. "Breakfast is being prepared in the kitchen. You should take a bath and clean yourself up before we eat."
His dark hair was a mess of waves framing his face, his loose white shirt opened just enough at the collar to give a hint of his golden, sunkissed skin. Dark stubble dusted his square jaw, and soft bruises were a circle beneath his eyes. Despite his obvious exhaustion, he was beautiful, regal and strong.
"Am I dreaming?"
His grin chased away the worry from his eyes. "No. I brought you home last night while you slept."
Home...
Never had I known such a word.
"I'll explain everything to you over breakfast, but for now, just know you're safe." Standing from the bed he offered his hand to help me to my feet. My legs were wobbly beneath me, but he wrapped his arm around my waist to steady me. Curiosity beckoned for me to look around the room and explore what home looked like, but I couldn't seem to pull my eyes from him.
Leading me slowly through the room, Anthony walked through a door into a spacious bathroom. A claw foot tub sat adjacent to a large glass walled shower. The window in the opposite wall was open allowing a cool breeze to blow in. Beneath the window sat a large double sink and counter.
"There's a t-shirt and some pajama pants on the counter for you to wear once you're done cleaning up. I ordered some clothes in your size. They should arrive in an hour."
I opened and closed my mouth several times before finding the words I needed. "Thank you."
He squeezed my hip with his hand before letting me go. "The kitchen is down the hall. Follow the scent of food and you should have no problem finding it. Take all the time you need in the shower."
Closing the door behind him, Anthony left me alone to luxuriate in the beauty of the room, in the promise of finally scrubbing away the life I'd lived before him. I was still in a state of shock, and thoroughly confused, but I didn't hesitate to climb in the large shower and let the warm water spray down to wash away the nightmares that clung to my skin.
The shampoo and soap smelled like him, my body coming to life in response to the scent. Unhurried, I scrubbed my body from head to toe, found a razor to shave my legs and pamper myself with the simple pleasure of taking care of my needs. When I finally stepped out, I did so as a new woman.
The clothes he left on the countertop were too big, but I managed to wear them regardless. Searching out a toothbrush, I cleaned my teeth and found another brush to wrestle the tangles from my hair. Looking into the mirror after primping and polishing, I barely recognized the image staring back at me.
Light scars were faint white lines up and down my arms, and even beneath the large shirt, I could see that I was too skinny. But I knew with time, I'd fill out again. It didn't matter if the scars ever disappeared. They were a memory of the battles I'd fought, the trophies that reminded me I'd escaped with my life.
What had I been thinking that night when I almost tossed myself from that cliff? That woman wasn't me. I was a survivor, not a person so wrapped up in loss that my only choice was to quit.
On that thought, and for the first time in a long time, I watched as a smile stretched my lips.
My stomach grumbled again and I gave in to the need for food. Throwing open the bathroom door, I practically pranced across the room on tiptoes to chase the smell of breakfast down the hall. Bursting into the kitchen, I stopped dead in my tracks, my eyes opening wide in appreciation of the room.
A large gas stove stood against the left wall, a glass and chrome hood above it and white glass front cabinets stretching the walls as far as the eye could see. The walls were painted a contrasting black, which would have been too dark if not for the natural light pouring in from the large windows and doors on the opposite side of the room. The scent of the sea blew in to crash against the scent of food, and the crackle of cooking bacon was an echo through the large space.
Anthony sat sipping coffee and reading a newspaper at a center island with black granite countertops and lower cabinets matching the others throughout the room. At the stove stood an older woman with a long skirt swaying above her bare feet and an apron tied at her waist and neck. She hummed softly while cooking. The vision was almost too surreal to believe.
There was no doubting it now: I'd died in that box and somehow had been allowed to enter Heaven.
Anthony looked up from his paper, his eyes finding mine and a grin pulling at his lips. Holding his mug just over the surface of the counter where he sat, he appeared frozen in thought, lost to whatever it was he saw when he looked at me.
A sound of happy surprise and a slew of words I couldn't understand caught my attention and drew both our gazes over to the woman by the stove. She smiled brightly and fluttered her hands before running over to take mine in a kind grip. Still speaking enthusiastically, she rattled off her words in a foreign language. I looked to Anthony for help, but all he did was laugh and answer her back in the same language.
Hearing his accent weaved within those words, I melted inside, my body responding to the sound regardless of the woman standing next to me. The cadence of his voice rolling over those foreign words made my thighs clench and my stomach twist in knots.
The woman nodded her head at whatever he'd said to her, giving me a quick hug before running back to check on the food.
Frozen in place by the stark contrast of Anthony's home compared to all the others in my past, I didn't know what to do.
"Come here, Sera," Anthony said.
It wasn't difficult, or even crushing, to obey him. I couldn't pinpoint when exactly I'd given my entire being to this man, but there was no doubt inside me that by offering him my complete faith and submission, he'd return to me his strong hand, his gentle guidance, and his fierce protection.
My bare feet padded softly against the tiled floor, my body relaxing onto the seat he pulled out and offered to me as I approached him. I had to ball my hands in my lap to keep from touching him just to ensure he was real.
Embarrassed for not knowing, I finally found the courage to ask, "What was she saying to me?"
"She was welcoming you to the island, and also telling you how beautiful you are."
My cheeks heated with shyness, my lips twitching with a smile. "And what did you say to her?"
He laughed. "I told her that whereas I felt the same way, it was best not to burn the food."
The smile broke free of my control, my cheeks stretched tight by the expression. "We're really on an island?"
"As private as they come," he assured me, completely comfortable in this environment. Anthony had been beautiful in the moments I'd spent with him at Aiden's. But here, within the walls of his home, he was absolutely inspiring.
"Thank you," I whispered even though the words would never be enough to truly express my gratitude.
He grinned and took a sip of his coffee. "You can thank me later."
My stomach flipped. "How?"
I didn't really need to ask the question, but I wanted to hear him say it, wanted to know that what I imagined could be between us was exactly what he planned to give.
His hand caught my wrist, tugging my arm down until my hand was tucked over his pants, until my fingers could find and follow the hard line of his excitement beneath the material. "Does that answer your question?"
A mirror wasn't necessary for me to know I was beaming.
With a soft voice, I answered, "Yes, Master."
Amber eyes flashed back at me with pure masculine satisfaction. Nodding his head toward a tall glass of orange juice and a full plate of food that had just been set down on the counter in front of me, he demanded, "Eat, Sera. I'm tired of seeing bones protruding from your skin. For the next few weeks, your only objective is to rest, to heal your body and to learn what is expected of you now that you belong to me."
He didn't have to say it twice. With fork in hand, I dug into the food, relishing the flavor, thankful that I was eating from a plate for once instead of a dog bowl.
I polished off the food faster than I should have, a burp escaping me that brought color to my cheeks. "Excuse me."
Anthony's laughter boomed through the room, his smile stretching from ear to ear. Standing up, he offered his hand to help me from my seat and lead me outside. My eyes narrowed against the brilliant sunlight, but once they adjusted, I opened them wide and took in the scenery around me.
A large courtyard filled with tropical flowers spread out before us, every color of the rainbow within view. The scent of the ocean was stronger outside, and the breeze blew past me gently lifting my hair from my shoulders.
With my small hand still tucked inside Anthony's much larger one, I followed him to the low border wall of the courtyard and looked out over a town that sat nestled beneath the higher ground where Anthony's mansion stood. People milled around in brightly colored outfits, and beyond them was the expanse of turquoise blue water. I had to squint my eyes to see out so far, and I laughed to see birds diving into the ocean, coming up with fish in their beaks, and nestling on the distant rocks to eat their breakfast.
"It's -"
In such a state of wonderment, I could barely control my voice. "It's beautiful."
"You have free roam of the island," he explained. "Every man and woman who lives here works for me, so you never have to worry about strangers. Most of them speak English, so that will be helpful as you take your time learning the native language the others speak."
Surprise lifted my brows. "I can go anywhere I want?"
"There is one area that is off limits, but you'll know it by the fence and locked gate. As long as you don't go beyond that gate, you'll be fine."
"What's beyond the gate?" I asked, so stunned by the view around me that I didn't reconsider asking about something that was none of my business.
Anthony didn't answer me. Instead, he looked over at a man approaching with wrapped packages in his arms. Offering the man a smile, Anthony squeezed my hand. "Your clothes have arrived. Once you're dressed, I'll show you around."
He led me into the house and through the halls back to the room where I first woke up. Finally seeing the space, I gasped at the pure white and soft cream motif. I could breathe easy for the first time in a long time, and I chased behind Anthony as he laid out the packages on the mattress of a bed that was big enough to hold several people.
Slowly pulling the ties, he unwrapped the brown paper revealing clothing intended for every occasion. Dresses, shirts, pants, bathing suits, shoes and slinky lingerie filled the packages, my cheeks blushing to see a few sexy items that caught my attention.
Selecting a one piece bathing suit and a matching sarong, he held the items out to me and said, "These should work for today. I'm sure they'll fit better than what you're currently wearing."
I took the clothes from his hands and turned to walk to the bathroom. Anthony cleared his throat to grab my attention.
"Did I say you could go to the bathroom to change?"
I shook my head.
His eyebrow arched. "I'm sorry. I didn't quite hear you."
"No, Master."
The corner of his lip curled up. "That's better. Now change."
Insecurity flooded me. I wasn't sure why. He'd seen me naked a hundred times before, but for some reason this felt different. Maybe it was because the sunlight was streaming in to illuminate every inch of my skin, or maybe it was because I was presenting myself to him rather than having my clothes torn from my body.
Dropping the bathing suit and sarong to the floor, I gripped my hands over the loose pajama pants and tugged them down over my hips. They puddled at my feet and I kicked them away. The shirt was long enough to cover me down to my knees. Wrapping the bottom hem over my fingers, I lifted the soft cotton and pulled it over my head. The shirt dropped from my fingers to the floor and my eyes opened to find Anthony staring at me with heat flowing behind his eyes.
"You appear insecure."
He was right to say that. A tremor ran the length of my body. "I hate my scars," I admitted.
Stepping forward, he ran his gaze over every inch of me, pausing on certain scars before sweeping down to the next. When he was in reach, he swept out with his hand and ran a finger along one of the largest across my stomach.
His voice was a low vibration against my skin when he said, "To me, the scars you bear are beautiful. They show me that you lived, that you hurt, and that you survived. They are part of you, and since I own you," he looked up catching my eyes with his, "they are part of me as well. Question them again and I will give you more until you learn that you are desired by me despite whatever marks score your body."
The tremor grew stronger, but it wasn't insecurity that caused it. No. That tremor was born of something much hotter, much more thrilling than anything I'd experienced before.
Seeing the way my body trembled in front of him, Anthony ran his fingertip down my abdomen until it was low enough to slip between my legs. My head fell back as he massaged his finger over my clit, my legs weakening instantly. The only reason I didn't hit the floor was because he wrapped an arm around me and tugged me against him.
The tip of his nose ran along my jaw until his warm mouth found the shell of my ear. I almost came just to hear his deep voice whispering his thoughts.
"You have no idea the things I want to do to you, the manner in which I intend to force my will on your body. Pleasure and pain, Sera, I promise you both. Submit to me and I will reward you in turn. Fight me, and I'll respond with a fitting punishment."
His teeth nipped my ear and I fell apart. His protective arm held me tighter as he walked me towards the wall at my back. Pressing me against its cool surface, he said, "Although we don't have time for everything I want to do to you, I see no reason in denying us both a small taste."
Lifting me off my feet, he pressed me against the wall even harder. My legs wrapped around his waist and his hand slipped between us to run his fingers through the slickened skin. The pleasure was instantaneous. It was hypnotic and tantalizing. It was so foreign to me that I lost all thought while trapped in the euphoria that was wrapping me in its tangled web.
"You belong to me," he murmured against my ear, his fingers finding and pinching my clit. My mouth opened on a sensual moan.
Pulling his hand free, he pushed down the waistband of his pants and I could feel the rigid, hot flesh of his cock against my thigh. I reached down to touch it, but he gripped my wrist tight, causing me to cry out.
"I'll tell you when you've earned the right to touch me. For now, keep your arms wrapped around my shoulders and don't let them move from there."
Smart enough not to complain, I did as I was told.
Positioning the tip of his cock at my opening, his mouth found my ear once more. "Your life belongs to me."
Wiggling my hips, I silently begged for him to take everything he wanted. I felt a grin stretch his lips in response.
The head of his cock pushed inside. "And your cunt," he said sliding the entire length into me with one smooth move, "belongs to me."
Words were lost to me at that moment, the feel of him stretching me, the lazy way he pulled out and thrust inside me forcing my eyes closed as my head fell back against the wall.
My fingers gripped his shoulders, my breasts full and sensitive as they rubbed over the soft material of his shirt. I became lost to his scent and crazed by the way he felt inside me.
He picked up speed, his gentle, lazy movements becoming a hard thrust, in and out. Soft lips traveled down my jaw line, his tongue peeking out to taste my skin. When his head dipped down to my shoulder, he bit the skin sending me careening over an edge upon which I hadn't realized I'd been balancing.
My mouth opened on a cry of pleasure, but his lips found mine, swallowing the sound as he thrust harder, taking everything that belonged to him, branding me with the heat of his body, the arousal of his scent and the force of his cock inside me.
But it was just a taste, a quick introduction of all I had to look forward to in my new home. Finding his own release, he pushed inside me impossibly deep, his teeth biting down on my bottom lip as he growled out my name.
His breath shuddered out of his chest as he pulled himself free and slowly lowered me to the floor. Pressing his lips against my forehead, he planted a soft kiss just before laughter rolled up his throat.
"I've dirtied you again, it seems. You have my permission now to go in the bathroom, get cleaned up and change. I'll wait for you in the kitchen."
With that, he tucked himself inside his loose pants and walked from the room.
It took me several seconds to regain the ability to breathe, to think, or for once in my entire life, to obey the command my Master had given me.