Dulling That Razor-Sharp Edge

GABRIEL

She doesn't respond. She only tilts her chin to take me on, narrowing her eyes to slits. I know she's in pain. I know I'm cutting off the circulation in her vein, but she refuses to beg for her life. She refuses to give me the satisfaction of seeing her break that I crave.

But that only makes me want her more.

I loosen my grip on her throat to stand, and she gasps and coughs, her hand flying up to soothe the pain. I hear her sniffle as I walk over to the breakfast tray and take a seat at the end of the bed. "You need to eat."

"I'm not hungry." She refuses, turning her nose up in the air like a spoiled little brat.

"Don't make me tell you again, Rowan." I say firmly. "I was polite enough to have a nice breakfast made for you, and I won't tolerate disrespect."

She scoffs, even after almost getting choked out, "Are you fucking serious? You were nice enough?" She spits venom out of her mouth and snaps her head to glare at me from the floor. She's so full of rage that I feel it stemming off from her, "You fucking stole me! You can shove that tray up your goddamn ass for all I care!"

I'm not offended by the outburst. I'm aroused. I'm so fucking turned on that all I can think about is shutting her up by gagging her on the cock that hardens to steel in my pants. I tilt my head as electricity zaps my spine. Fuck this woman has balls. No other woman has dared to defy me like she is, and I don't know what to do about it because I don't hit women who don't want it.

But I want to slap her just for her reaction.

"You're pushing it." I warn her coolly, rolling my shoulders to calm my thrashing heart. "If you don't want to be viciously fucked over this bed then I suggest you shut your fucking mouth right this instant and eat."

"I won't let you rape me, you bastard." She vows without hesitation, without taking her glare off from me. "I'll scratch, I'll bite —  I'll kill you if you try to touch me."

Her voice may be small, but I feel the conviction in her words all the way to the marrow in my bones. I know she would fight me if I held her down and penetrated her. She'd dig her nails so deep into my flesh they'd leave scars behind if I slapped my palm over her mouth to silent her calls for help. She'd try to make me bleed.

That could be fun.

That sounds like one hell of a fuck.

"I get off on that shit." My lips curve up into a malevolent smirk, and I let my dastardly gaze fall to her chest where the curves of her breasts are visible through the satin of her nightgown. Her nipples harden beneath the heat of my stare, and more moisture oozes out from the tip of my cock when I notice the tight points against the fabric.

A light flush covers her cheeks when she realizes that I can see her nipples clearly now. She quickly slams her arms against her chest to shield herself. But it's too fucking late. I know her body is reacting to me whether she likes it or not.

"Now get over here and eat your breakfast like a good little girl." I move my attention to the tray, carefully pouring a glass of orange juice, with oranges freshly picked this morning from the garden. "It's going to get cold."

But she doesn't back down. "I already told you I'm not eating it."

I calmly set the full glass down and inhale a big gulp of air to soothe the beast inside that wants to break free from his restraints. "I'm only going to tell you one last time— "

"I'm not fucking eating your shitty food!" She yells, her voice tense with fury.

I pull in a deep breath and then spin around, launching myself at her faster than I have time to process —  violently snatching her up by the neck and pushing her against the wall. A sharp gasp barrels through her lips, her eyes lighting up with fear. Something dangerous builds in my chest, fizzing with electrical sparks that fuck the wires up inside my head. I feel the beast claw inside me, tearing away at the cage he's locked up in. He wants to hurt her. He wants to make her cry.

"You're going to eat. Even if I have to shove it down your goddamn throat myself." I threaten through clenched teeth, surrendering to the way my hips want to thrust against her petite body. "I won't have the plans I have for you fucked up because you decided to starve yourself to death. You die when I say you do."

Blood rushes through the artery in her neck beneath my palm, working overtime to replenish the air I've stolen from her lungs. Her breathing is shallow, her pupils glassy as she fights to hold on to her consciousness. "Okay." She murmurs, raspy because of the damage to her vocal cords.

"You'll eat?"

"Yes." She nods.

Satisfied, I release the vice-grip hold I have on her and she stumbles against the bed, gasping desperately for air, her fingers clutching into the sheets as her lungs inflate.

The chain from the cuff on her ankle clatters as she moves to the middle of the bed, her spine curved as she quickly shovels a fork full of eggs into her mouth. I watch as she chews and then brings the fork down a second time. As she eats, her frantic attention darts around the room, looking for an escape from the hell she's in. She won't find one. 

"How is it?" I ask.

"Good." She nods with a mouthful.

She finishes every crumb on the plate and swallows every drop of juice in the glass. "Thank you." She whispers, trying not to exert too much strength because of the ache in her throat.

"My pleasure."

"Am I going to be confined to this room?" She asks nervously.

"Not at all." I shake my head, "If you want to come out, I can put a tracker in your foot."

All hope drains from her face and her shoulders sink. Her bottom lip trembles slightly. "What are you going to do to me?"

"I'm going to hurt you, Rowan." My voice is as glacial as a merciless Winter because I see no reason to lie to her.

"For how long?" She hesitates, her eyes shiny from the tears she doesn't want to shed in front of me. She doesn't want to show weakness. She wants to hold onto her strength. But I can see it slipping away from her, I can see her razor-sharp edge being dulled by the dread that's pounding in her chest.

"Until I decide to kill you."